22 23 SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS
The Biggest Names in Classical Music Save 20% or more when you subscribe 3
WELCOME to the 2022/23 Season at Symphony Center
Experience a glittering array of the world’s finest classical artists in intimate performances and thrilling collaborations, including:
The return of the legendary Berliner Philharmoniker to Symphony Center The exceptional pairing of violinist Joshua Bell and pianist Daniil Trifonov team up for a must-see recital at Symphony Center.
Chicago favorites and rising-star pianists in recital, including Evgeny Kissin,
More music to add to your subscription order at exclusive prices, including
And much, much more!
Emanuel Ax, Leif Ove Andsnes, Seong-Jin Cho and Víkingur Ólafsson. Itzhak Perlman revisiting his iconic In the Fiddler’s House and the dream duo of legendary soprano Renée Fleming and world-renowned pianist Evgeny Kissin joining forces for an extraordinary event featuring songs by Rachmaninov.
SEONG-JIN CHO
MIDORI
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The Best Way to Experience the Season is to Subscribe SUBSCRIBE TO A CURATED SERIES Save 20% or more with any Symphony Center Presents curated series. You’ll get priority access on the best seats in the house, which are yours to renew year after year, at the best prices of the season.
EMANUEL AX
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AMANDA FORSYTH
I nvitations to special events with CSO musicians E xclusive offers, presales and events throughout the season FREE subscription to CSOtv F REE digital program books and notes delivered to your inbox F REE preconcert conversations before CSO and other select concerts
RENÉE FLEMING
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Symphony Center Presents
Chamber Music Chamber A OCT 23 SUN | 3:00
3-concert series Midori violin Jean-Yves Thibaudet piano
BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata in A Major, Op. 12, No. 2 BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 12, No. 3 BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata in A Major, Op. 47 (Kreutzer) Master violinist and educator Midori has been a force in classical music for almost
40 years. This season she collaborates with Jean-Yves Thibaudet, celebrated for his “trademark elegance” (The New York Times), on three Beethoven sonatas. Anchoring the recital is the exhilarating Kreutzer, which — as interpreted by Midori — promises “a stunning performance of one of Beethoven’s most famous works” (South Florida Classical Review). MAR 19 SUN | 3:00
Hilary Hahn violin
BACH Selected Sonatas and Partitas
CSO Artist-in-Residence Hilary Hahn returns to Symphony Center with a solo recital highlighting the depth and versatility of her musicianship. Following her performances of Dvořák’s Violin Concerto in 2021, the Chicago Classical Review declared, “Hilary Hahn is one of those rare musicians who brings not just sterling technical gleam but individuality and communicative expression to every performance.” THE ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE AT THE CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GENEROUS GIFT FROM JAMES AND BRENDA GRUSECKI.
APR 30 SUN | 3:00
Jerusalem Quartet Pinchas Zukerman violin and viola Amanda Forsyth cello BRUCKNER Adagio from String Quintet in F Major DVOŘÁK String Sextet in A Major, Op. 48 BRAHMS String Sextet No. 1 in B-flat Major, Op. 18
The distinguished violinist and violist Pinchas Zukerman joins forces with cellist Amanda Forsyth and the Jerusalem Quartet in Dvořák’s enchanting String Sextet, Brahms’ String Sextet No. 1 and Bruckner’s Adagio. The ensemble plays this repertory with “a beguiling warmth and soaring cantabile to ravish the senses” (The Strad).
Experience the most illustrious names in classical music in virtuosic recitals and collaborations, featuring works ranging from well-loved classics to modern masterpieces. Scan QR code for more.
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HILARY HAHN
JOSHUA BELL
Purchase the full 6-concert Chamber E series and save 30%! ANNE-SOPHIE MUTTER
DANIIL TRIFONOV
Chamber B 3-concert series FEB 5 SUN | 3:00
Anne-Sophie Mutter violin Mutter Virtuosi
VIVALDI Concerto for Four Violins in B Minor BACH Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 SAINT-GEORGES Violin Concerto in A Major, Op. 5, No. 2 CHIN Gran Cadenza VIVALDI The Four Seasons Anne-Sophie Mutter and her Mutter Virtuosi present Vivaldi’s beloved Four Seasons, along with concertos by Bach and Joseph Bologne, the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, and Unsuk Chin’s Gran Cadenza, a virtuoso duo for violins. MAR
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THU | 8:00
Joshua Bell violin Daniil Trifonov piano
BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata in D Major, Op. 12, No. 1 PROKOFIEV Violin Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 80 FRANCK Violin Sonata NOTE DAY AND TIME
Bell, whose recent Chicago performance was “profoundly lyrical and unflagging in emotional intensity” (Chicago Tribune), finds an ideal partner in Trifonov, “a remarkable artist” whose playing is “by turns daring and sensitive, impassioned and poetic” (The New York Times). JUN 4 SUN | 3:00
Emerson String Quartet Emanuel Ax piano
WALKER Lyric for Strings
SHOSTAKOVICH String Quartet No. 12 DVOŘÁK Piano Quintet No. 2
The Emerson Quartet bids a fond farewell to Chicago audiences before retiring from the concert stage in the fall of 2023. In what promises to be an unforgettable afternoon, the celebrated quartet presents cherished repertory from its 47-year career with a special guest appearance by longtime collaborator Emanuel Ax. cso.org
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Symphony Center Presents
Orchestras 2-concert series NOV 16 WED | 8:00
Berliner Philharmoniker Kirill Petrenko conductor
SCP DEBUT
MAHLER Symphony No. 7
In his Seventh Symphony, Mahler evokes alternately gentle and menacing visions of nature using a rich tonal palette that includes blazes of brass, pealing bells, mandolin and guitar. Kirill Petrenko makes his first Chicago appearance as chief conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker — which itself performed here in 2009 — building on the orchestra’s celebrated Mahler tradition. FEB 14 TUE | 8:00
Toronto Symphony Orchestra Gustavo Gimeno conductor SCP DEBUT María Dueñas violin SCP DEBUT MOUSSA Elysium for Orchestra LALO Symphonie espagnole PROKOFIEV Suite from Romeo and Juliet
Perfect for Valentine’s Day, selections from Prokofiev’s masterpiece about Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers are paired with Lalo’s salute to the sultry dance rhythms of Spain, featuring Menuhin Competition winner María Dueñas as soloist. Celebrating its centennial season, the Toronto Symphony makes its Symphony Center debut with its dynamic new music director, Gustavo Gimeno.
GUSTAVO GIMENO
KIRILL PETRENKO
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BERLINER PHILHARMONIKER
Celebrate the return of the Orchestra series. Experience scintillating works by Mahler, Prokofiev and Lalo from two world-class orchestras, led by today’s most distinguished conductors. Scan QR code for more.
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ITZHAK PERLMAN
JUAN DIEGO FLÓREZ
EMERSON STRING QUARTET
ANNE-SOPHIE MUTTER
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October 4, 2022, marks the 25th anniversary of the opening of Symphony Center. After more than three years of planning, building and fine-tuning, Symphony Center — a new music complex that included a facility expansion and beautifully restored and acoustically renovated Orchestra Hall — opened its doors to the public on October 4, 1997, with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus performing Bruckner’s Te Deum, led by Music Director Daniel Barenboim. To match this state-of-the-art facility, the long-standing presentation series first established as Allied Arts in 1930 was renamed Symphony Center Presents (SCP). In the weeks following that opening concert, the series presented an Inaugural Festival with performances by Barenboim and Itzhak Perlman, Maurizio Pollini, and jazz legends Dave Brubeck, Joe Williams and Oscar Peterson. Adding to the series’ prestigious and legendary history, that SCP inaugural season ushered in a new era with over 70 concerts by more than 90 artists and ensembles who came to perform in “The Musical Heart of Chicago,” as the new facility was billed.
EVGENY KISSIN
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Symphony Center Presents Piano A JAN
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Piano
Sundays at 3:00
4-concert series Leif Ove Andsnes piano
JANÁČEK Sonata (From the Street, October 1, 1905)
VUSTIN Lamento BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 31 in A-flat Major, Op. 110 DVOŘÁK Poetic Tone Pictures
Leif Ove Andsnes, “one of the most eloquent and incisive keyboardists of our time” (Chicago Sun-Times), frames Beethoven’s transcendent Op. 110 sonata with two jewels of the Czech repertoire. Dvořák’s 13-part cycle ranges in mood from the dreamlike to cheerfully folkloric, while Janáček’s sonata pays tribute to a worker who was killed during a protest in 1905. APR
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Emanuel Ax piano
Program to include: SCHUBERT Sonata in A Major, D. 664 SCHUBERT Sonata in B-flat Major, D. 960
An audience favorite since winning the Arthur Rubinstein Competition in 1974, Emanuel Ax brings his signature eloquence and insight to a program of early Romantic repertory. The Guardian said of Ax, “every phrase [was] perfectly conceived and balanced, his warm, velvety tone never threatening to become strident.” MAY
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Víkingur Ólafsson piano
SCP DEBUT
GALUPPI Sonata No. 9 in F Minor MOZART Rondo in F Major, K. 494 BACH Rondo in D Minor CIMAROSA (ARR. ÓLAFSSON) Sonata No. 42 in D Minor MOZART Fantasia in D Minor, K. 397 MOZART Rondo in D Major, K. 485 CIMAROSA (ARR. ÓLAFSSON) Sonata No. 55 in A Minor HAYDN Sonata in B Minor, Hob. XVI:32 MOZART Kleine Gigue in G Major, K. 574 MOZART Sonata in C Major, K. 545 MOZART (ARR. ÓLAFSSON) Adagio from String Quintet No. 3 in G Minor K. 516 GALUPPI Sonata No. 34 in C Minor MOZART Sonata in C Minor, K. 457 MOZART Adagio in B Minor, K. 540 MOZART (TRANS. LIZST) Ave verum corpus, K. 618
Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson, “an arresting artist who in concert creates unique aural landscapes” (Los Angeles Times), in his Symphony Center Presents debut, intersperses Mozart’s keyboard works with music by three contemporaries: Haydn, C.P.E. Bach and Galuppi. The program includes Liszt’s sublime transcription of Mozart’s Ave verum corpus. MAY
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Maria João Pires piano
Portuguese pianist Maria João Pires has been hailed as “an elegant technician
and probing interpreter” (The New York Times), whose playing is “modest in scale, gloriously immodest in its beauty” (Financial Times). Acclaimed for her recordings of music by Mozart, Chopin and Schubert, Pires makes a rare Chicago recital appearance.
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Purchase the full 8-concert Piano E series and save 30%!
LEIF OVE ANDSNES
VÍKINGUR ÓLAFSSON
MARIA JOÃO PIRES
Eight brilliant pianists chart a journey from well-loved classics to modern masterpieces. This unparalleled lineup of internationally acclaimed pianists from around the world ranges from rising stars to returning Chicago favorites. Scan QR code for more.
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EVGENY KISSIN DAVID FRAY
MARC-ANDRÉ HAMELIN
SEONG-JIN CHO
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More Piano Piano B 4-concert series NOV
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Sundays at 3:00
David Fray piano SCHUBERT Three Piano Pieces, D. 946
SCHUBERT Wanderer Fantasy LISZT Sposalizio from Années de pèlerinage, Deuxième année, Italie LISZT Sonetto del Petrarca No. 104 from
Années de pèlerinage, Deuxième année, Italie
LISZT Les jeux d’eau à la Villa d’Este from
Années de pèlerinage, Troisième année
LISZT Après une lecture du Dante (Fantasia quasi Sonata)
from Années de pèlerinage, Deuxième année, Italie
French pianist David Fray, whose 2016 Symphony Center recital was “as intelligently selected as it was expressively played” (Chicago Tribune), returns with another illuminating program. Selections from Liszt’s Years of Pilgrimage are juxtaposed with two exhilarating works by Schubert, including his Wanderer Fantasy. FEB
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Marc-André Hamelin piano
DUKAS Sonata in E-flat Minor
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 29 in B-flat Major, Op. 106 (Hammerklavier)
The intrepid Marc-André Hamelin offers a characteristically fascinating program, pairing Beethoven’s olympian Hammerklavier Sonata with Dukas’ monumental sonata of 1901. The Guardian calls Dukas’ work “one of the underappreciated masterpieces of the French piano repertoire” and “a perfect showcase for Hamelin’s extraordinary keyboard talent.” APR
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Evgeny Kissin piano BACH Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 903 MOZART Sonata in D Major, K. 311 DEBUSSY Estampes RACHMANINOV Lilacs, Op. 21, No. 5 RACHMANINOV Prelude in A Minor, Op. 32, No. 8 RACHMANINOV Prelude in G-flat Major, Op. 23, No. 10 RACHMANINOV Etudes-tableaux, Op. 33
Chicago welcomes back Evgeny Kissin, “the master of the fiery grand gesture” (The New York Times), whose recitals are inevitably major events “filled with probing musical insights and beautiful tonal finish” (Chicago Tribune). The epoch-spanning program begins with J.S. Bach and ends with four selections by Rachmaninov, born 150 years ago in April 2023. MAY
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Seong-Jin Cho piano
SCP DEBUT
HANDEL Suite in E Major GUBAIDULINA Chaconne BRAHMS Handel Variations BRAHMS Selected Piano Pieces, Op. 76 SCHUMANN Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13
Seong-Jin Cho, making his Symphony Center Presents debut, brings “world-class technique, polished to a high sheen of expression” (Los Angeles Times), to a wideranging program pairing Handel’s E Major Suite with Brahms’ Handel Variations. The afternoon culminates in Schumann’s mercurial Symphonic Etudes.
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More Music at Symphony Center These concerts make a perfect addition to your order. As a subscriber, you’ll save 15% all year long on the purchase of additional concert tickets. DEC 4 SUN | 7:00
Itzhak Perlman: In the Fiddler’s House Itzhak Perlman violin Hankus Netsky music director, saxophone and piano Andy Statman clarinet and mandolin Members of the Brave Old World and Klezmer Conservatory Band Itzhak Perlman, reigning virtuoso of the violin, presents his collection of traditional klezmer music, In the Fiddler’s House. Released more than 25 years ago, the album became a PBS special that earned Perlman his third Emmy Award. Now, Perlman returns to this project, offering the opportunity to witness not only his masterful technique and remarkable artistry, but also “to see and hear a gifted musician experiencing the pleasure of getting in contact with his roots” (Los Angeles Times). JAN 31 TUE | 7:30
Juan Diego Flórez tenor
Vincenzo Scalera piano
SCP DEBUT
Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Flórez brings his signature virtuosity, elegance and boundless charm to a selection of favorite opera arias and songs. Find out why Opera News likened his voice to “the engine in a Porsche 911; when you hear it, you know you’re in the presence of something finely tuned and luxurious.” MAY 14 Renée Fleming soprano SUN | 3:00 Evgeny Kissin piano
Legendary soprano Renée Fleming and world-renowned pianist Evgeny Kissin join forces for an extraordinary event. Fleming’s sumptuous voice and Kissin’s virtuosity shine in a program featuring songs by Rachmaninov. Experience this dream pairing of megastars only at Symphony Center!
A Symphony Center Presents and Lyric Opera of Chicago Collaboration
SEP 24 SAT | 6:30
Symphony Ball with red carpet and champagne reception Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor Yefim Bronfman piano COLERIDGE-TAYLOR Solemn Prelude MOZART Piano Concerto No. 22 TCHAIKOVSKY 1812 Overture
Riccardo Muti conducts a rousing start to the 2022/23 Season. After opening with Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s lush — and recently rediscovered — Solemn Prelude, the CSO is joined by the formidable Yefim Bronfman in Mozart’s joyous and richly scored piano concerto. The evening ends with a knockout finale in Tchaikovsky’s brilliant 1812 Overture. Enhance your experience with a gala package including a preconcert private reception in Buntrock Hall and postconcert dinner and dancing at The Four Seasons Hotel Chicago. For more information, please email symphonyball@cso.org, or call 312-294-3185.
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Renée Fleming & Evgeny Kissin
MAY 14, 2023
RENÉE FLEMING
EVGENY KISSIN
Symphony Ball RICCARDO MUTI
SEP 24
YEFIM BRONFMAN
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Curated Series Prices FLYNN GALLERY 1G Gallery 2G Gallery (Partial View) KREHBIEL UPPER BALCONY 1U Upper Balcony 2U Upper Balcony (Partial View) FADIM LOWER BALCONY 1L Lower Balcony 2L Lower Balcony 3L Lower Balcony 4L Lower Balcony 5L Lower Balcony Boxes Right Boxes Left MELK MAIN FLOOR 1M Main Floor 2M Main Floor 3M Main Floor 4M Main Floor 5M Main Floor BOX LEVEL
STAGE
GRAY TERRACE 1T Left and Right 2T Center Left and Center Right
Chamber E
A
Orchestras B
Piano E
A
B
4-concerts Save 30%
3-concerts Save 20%
3-concerts Save 20%
2-concerts Save 30%
8-concerts Save 30%
4-concerts Save 20%
4-concerts Save 20%
1M
$335
$180
$205
$211
$401
$224
$235
2M
$290
$153
$176
$180
$342
$184
$204
3M
$265
$140
$161
$148
$291
$160
$172
4M
$239
$127
$146
$124
$270
$146
$161
5M
$227
$119
$140
$103
$270
$146
$161
1B
$511
$274
$307
$304
$671
$368
$400
1L
$377
$201
$232
$251
$500
$286
$283
2L
$320
$171
$194
$214
$410
$238
$230
3L
$305
$161
$185
$201
$355
$194
$208
4L
$305
$161
$185
$201
$355
$194
$208
5L
$280
$147
$172
$150
$321
$176
$192
1G
$193
$101
$118
$92
$216
$124
$120
2G
$177
$94
$109
$72
$216
$124
$120
1T
$269
$143
$162
$134
$463
$252
$277
2T
$175
$93
$106
$101
$463
$252
$277
All printed prices are valid until July 31, 2022 and are subject to change based on demand beginning on that date. 2U-Upper Balcony and 2G-Gallery are partial view. Seating is subject to availability at the time of sale. Terrace subscriber seats may be relocated if a concert involves a screen or chorus. Contact Patron Services for more information. Artists, prices and programs subject to change.
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