CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA RICCARDO MUTI ZELL MUSIC DIRECTOR SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS 2019/20 The 10th Anniversary Season of Riccardo Muti as Music Director — Celebrating Beethoven’s 250th Birthday WELCOME | 2019/20 SEASON
We should all become brothers and sisters—this is the message of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. For two hundred and fifty years, we have tried to find the secret behind the untouchable music of this divine architect and to comprehend the enormity of his timeless philosophical, spiritual and human message. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra and I invite you to explore the symphonies of Beethoven and the music of many other composers worth celebrating. With each performance, we strive to reach the ideal that is the triumph of beauty.
RICCARDO MUTI
“Riccardo Muti and the CSO took to the stage to reaffirm their current eminence among the world’s greatest musical ensembles.”
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
4 A Celebration of Beethoven’s 250th Birthday: Muti Conducts the Complete Beethoven Symphonies A Beethoven Piano Sonata Cycle
8 New & American Voices
TABLE OF CONTENTS
10 Series at a Glance
12 Experience the Season
14 Season Calendar
42 Negaunee Music Institute
43 Support the CSO
CENTER INSERT: Subscription Series Guide & Grid
2 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS CSO.ORG 312-294-3000 3 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS Beethoven’s 250th Birthday Celebration 2019
“Music should /20 strike fire from the heart of man.”
Muti Conducts the Complete Beethoven Symphonies
Riccardo Muti conducts the nine iconic symphonies of Beethoven throughout the 2019/20 season. Each symphony stands as a pillar of the repertoire; collectively they represent the apex of artistic achievement, synthesizing all musical development that preceded them and creating a wake that would influence all music to follow. Muti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra explore the unprecedented individuality, overwhelming power and true genius of Ludwig van Beethoven in this season-long celebration. sir andr Á s schiff kirill gerstein The Complete Piano Sonatas igor levit The piano was the instrument of Beethoven’s imagination, and the piano sonata his essential means for personal expression. Renowned for his virtuosity and gift for improvisation, Beethoven achieved fame, even notoriety, for his performances that embodied skill, originality and incredible pathos—a true poet of the piano. Performed in their entirety by esteemed artists Evgeny Kissin, Maurizio Pollini, Sir András Schiff, Rudolf Buchbinder, Igor Levit and Kirill Gerstein, the thirty-two sonatas are Beethoven’s
most intimate lasting legacy, illustrating his lifelong and evolving relationship with his pollini maurizio primary instrument. rudolf buchbinder evgeny kissin
landscape painting: de agostini picture library/a. dagli orti/bridgeman images; letter: heiligenstadt testament (1802)/ state and 4 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS university of hamburg; beethoven sketch: portrait by august kloeber (1817)/lebrecht music arts/bridgeman images CSO.ORG 312-294-3000 5 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS Riccardo Muti, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and artists on March 2 the Symphony Center Presents series perform signature works by Piano Trios: Opp. 1, No. 3; 70, No. 2 & 97 (Archduke) Ludwig van Beethoven in honor of the approaching 250th anniversary Emanuel Ax piano / Leonidas Kavakos violin / of his birth. His symphonies, concertos, solo and chamber works Yo-Yo Ma cello stand as testament to his creative genius and matchless power of SCP Chamber Music series Beethoven: expression. Immerse yourself in a celebration of some of the most stirring, dazzling and revolutionary music of all time, culminating in a March 29 performance of “the symphony to end all symphonies” (The Guardian), Piano Sonatas Nos. 24, 25, 26 (Les Adieux), 27 & 28 Beethoven’s euphoric Ninth. Sir András Schiff SCP Piano series E/A; Beethoven Sonata Cycle A Musical Visionary March 31 Piano Sonatas Nos. 12, 13 (Quasi una fantasia), September 26–28 14 (Moonlight) & 15 (Pastoral) Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3, Sir András Schiff Consecration of the House Overture Beethoven Sonata Cycle Riccardo Muti conductor CSO Main series THU A/F, FRI B, SAT D April 5 Six Bagatelles, Op. 126 & Diabelli Variations October 13 Mitsuko Uchida Piano Sonatas Nos. 2, 4, 16, 19 & 22 SCP Piano series E/B; Beethoven Sonata Cycle Kirill Gerstein SCP Piano series E/A; Beethoven Sonata Cycle April 30–May 3 2019 Symphonies Nos. 4 & 7 October 27 Riccardo Muti conductor Violin Sonata No. 6 CSO Main series THU A/G, SAT B/G, SUN A; Christian Tetzlaff violin CSO at Wheaton Lars Vogt piano riccardo muti riccardo /20 SCP Chamber Music series May 10 Eroica Variations & Piano Sonatas Nos. 8 (Pathétique), November 1–5 17 (Tempest) & 21 (Waldstein) Violin Concerto Evgeny Kissin Riccardo Muti conductor SCP Piano series E/B; Beethoven Sonata Cycle Leonidas Kavakos violin CSO Main series FRI B, SAT A/F, TUE B May 20 Piano Sonatas Nos. 9–11 & 29 (Hammerklavier) November 6 Igor Levit Piano Sonatas Nos. 1, 3, 20 & 23 (Appassionata) Beethoven Sonata Cycle Rudolf Buchbinder
leonidas kavakos leonidas Beethoven Sonata Cycle May 24 yo-yo ma The Last Sonatas, Nos. 30–32 November 10 Maurizio Pollini Piano Sonatas Nos. 5–7 & 18 SCP Piano series E/A; Beethoven Sonata Cycle Rudolf Buchbinder SCP Piano series E/B; Beethoven Sonata Cycle May 28–30 Namensfeier Overture & Ah! perfido January 22 Susanna Mälkki conductor Violin Sonatas Nos. 4, 5 (Spring) & 9 (Kreutzer) Camilla Tilling soprano Anne-Sophie Mutter violin CSO Main series THU C/E, FRI C, SAT B/G Lambert Orkis piano
anne-sophie mutter SCP Chamber Music series June 11–13 “He himself is neither classic nor romantic; mitsuko uchida emanuel ax Symphonies Nos. 6 & 8, he is Beethoven, and his figure towers like a January 30–February 4 Overture to The Ruins of Athens Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 4 Riccardo Muti conductor colossus astride the two centuries.” Sir Andrew Davis conductor CSO Main series THU B/I, FRI A, SAT C Paul Lewis piano donald j. grout, CSO Main series THU C/D, FRI A, SAT A/F, TUE A June 18–21 history of western music Symphony No. 9 February 20–23 Riccardo Muti conductor Symphonies Nos. 2 & 5 Chicago Symphony Chorus Riccardo Muti conductor Duain Wolfe chorus director
paul lewis paul CSO Main series THU B/H, FRI D, SAT A/E, SUN A CSO Main series THU C/D, FRI C, SAT B/H, SUN A
landscape painting: view of vienna from the belvedere (detail) (1759–60) by bernardo belloto 6 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS kunsthistorisches museum, vienna/©mondadori electa/bridgeman images CSO.ORG 312-294-3000 7 2019/20 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
NEW & AMERICANVOICES “The best kind of classical performance is not a retreat into the past but an intensification of the present.” alex ross, listen to this
Riccardo Muti and esteemed guest conductors introduce music by some of the December 5–10 April 2–4 most original and powerful voices of the 20th and 21st centuries, including distinctive Jennifer Higdon blue cathedral Adès Dances from Powder Her Face works by American composers. Presenting new and invigorating artistic talent is an “Imaginative, richly orchestrated and accessible…blue Hear rapturous orchestral excerpts from British integral part of the CSOA’s mission to promote classical music’s future. Be part of the cathedral is one of the most frequently performed composer Thomas Adès’ sensational 1995 opera excitement this season and experience fresh interpretations and repertoire. All music new works in the United States” (The New York Times). about the notorious Duchess of Argyll. was once new. CSO Main series THU C/E, FRI A, SAT A/E, TUE B CSO Main series THU A/G, FRI B, SAT A/F
December 12–14 April 23–28 Mason Bates Resurrexit Muti Conducts Price Symphony No. 3 Bates, former CSO Mead Composer-in-Residence, Riccardo Muti conducts the work of two 20th-century missy mazzoli calls his new work “a theatrical and fast-paced African American composers: Florence Price’s October 3–5 conjuring of the classic Resurrection narrative.” expressive Third Symphony and William Grant Still’s Avner Dorman Eternal Rhythm CSO Main series THU B/H, FRI B, SAT B/G beguiling Mother and Child. The U.S. premiere of a percussion concerto that CSO Main series THU C/E, FRI D, SAT A/E, TUE A celebrates rhythm as the essence of music December 19–22 and the pulse of life, performed by CSO Principal John Adams The Chairman Dances April 30–May 3 Percussion Cynthia Yeh. Edo de Waart conducts Adams’ exuberant “foxtrot for Muti Conducts Missy Mazzoli Orpheus Undone CSO Main series THU C/D, FRI C, SAT B/H orchestra,” a study for his opera Nixon in China. Muti debuts an orchestral suite from a new ballet CSO Main series THU A/F, FRI A, SAT D, SUN A by current CSO Mead Composer-in-Residence Missy November 1–5 Mazzoli.
bernard rands Muti Conducts Bernard Rands DREAM for Orchestra February 20–23 CSO Main series THU A/G, SAT B/G, SUN A; Muti and the CSO give the first-ever performance of a Muti Conducts Nicolas Bacri Ophelia’s Tears CSO at Wheaton new work by the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer. Riccardo Muti and the CSO present a new bass clarinet CSO Main series FRI B, SAT A/F, TUE B concerto by French composer Nicolas Bacri featuring the CSO’s own J. Lawrie Bloom. November 21–24 CSO Main series THU B/H, FRI D, SAT A/E, SUN A James Lee III Sukkot Through Orion’s Nebula & Barber Two Scenes from Antony & Cleopatra Michigan-born composer James Lee III’s tone poem that depicts the celestial source of the Messiah and the jubilation at his arrival is paired with music from
Samuel Barber’s lush 1966 opera. florence price jennifer higdon CSO Main series THU B/I, SAT C, SUN A; CSO at Wheaton james lee iii james john adams mason bates
riccardo muti avner dorman avner
8 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS CSO.ORG 312-294-3000 9 2019/20 SERIES AT A GLANCE
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10 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS CSO.ORG 312-294-3000 11 EXPERIENCE THE 2019/20 SEASON
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12 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS CSO.ORG 312-294-3000 13 riccardo muti leif ove andsnes james gaffigan cynthia yeh
2019/20 SEASON CALENDAR 26 THU A/F 8:00 27 FRI B 1:30 28 SAT D 8:00 CSO Main Muti Conducts Beethoven 1 & 3
SEP BEETHOVEN Consecration of the House Overture Chicago Symphony Orchestra BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 1 Riccardo Muti conductor BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 3 (Eroica) 19 THU C/E 8:00 20 FRI A 1:30 The season-long celebration of the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth opens with a program dedicated CSO Main Muti, Andsnes & Grieg Piano Concerto entirely to his music. Riccardo Muti, who conducts all nine Beethoven symphonies this season, begins with the ebullient, classically scaled First. Unprecedented in proportion and epic in scope, the groundbreaking Eroica MENDELSSOHN Chicago Symphony Orchestra Symphony demonstrates how powerfully Beethoven redefined the musical language of his time, launching Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage Overture Riccardo Muti conductor classical music into the romantic era. GRIEG Piano Concerto Leif Ove Andsnes piano SCRIABIN Rêverie SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 6 OCT Riccardo Muti opens his 10th season as music director with two dramatic Russian works—Alexander Scriabin’s haunting first orchestral composition and Shostakovich’s pensive Sixth Symphony, written during a time of prewar tension. The brilliant Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes, hailed by the Wall Street Journal as “one of the 3 THU C/D 8:00 4 FRI C 8:00 5 SAT B/H 8:00 most gifted musicians of his generation,” performs Edvard Grieg’s treasured Piano Concerto. CSO Main Shostakovich 8
DORMAN Eternal Rhythm u.s. premiere Chicago Symphony Orchestra 21 SAT 7:00 Symphony Ball: Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 8 James Gaffigan conductor Cynthia Yeh percussion CSO VERDI Sinfonia from La battaglia di Legnano Chicago Symphony Orchestra Special Concert GRIEG Piano Concerto Riccardo Muti conductor James Gaffigan, praised for his “exemplary, full-blooded conducting” (Chicago Classical Review), leads the CSO TCHAIKOVSKY Romeo and Juliet Leif Ove Andsnes piano in Shostakovich’s rarely heard Eighth Symphony, a profound work that represents the composer’s yearning for SUPPÉ Overture to Boccaccio peace. The CSO’s own Cynthia Yeh gives the U.S. premiere of Israeli-born composer Avner Dorman’s percussion concerto, which he calls “a celebration of life, energy and an ever-present and eternal rhythm.” The Women’s Board of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association proudly presents a prestigious gala evening of music and celebration to open the 2019/20 season. Riccardo Muti conducts a rousing program featuring music by Verdi and Suppé, as well as Tchaikovsky’s sumptuous Romeo and Juliet. “A pianist of magisterial elegance, power and insight” (The New York Times), Leif Ove Andsnes performs Grieg’s magnificent 7 MON 7:00 MusicNOW HARRIS THEATER FOR MUSIC AND DANCE / 205 E. RANDOLPH Piano Concerto. The 22nd season of MusicNOW opens with the world premiere of a newly commissioned fanfare by Chicago- A festive preconcert champagne reception is open to all ticketholders. Symphony Ball gala patrons will continue CSO Main based composer Wang Lu, works by up-and-coming musical polymath LJ White and more. their evening with postconcert dinner and dancing at the Four Seasons. major support for musicnow is generously provided by the zell family foundation, the sally mead hands foundation, cindy sargent, the julian family foundation and the elizabeth morse charitable trust.
14 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS CSO.ORG 312-294-3000 15 kirill karabits sunwook kim kirill gerstein julian rachlin david afkham farruquito
OCT 17 THU B/H 8:00 18 FRI B 1:30 19 SAT C 8:00 20 SUN A 3:00
CSO Main Vivaldi The Four Seasons 10 THU A/G 8:00 11 FRI A 1:30 12 SAT A/E 8:00 VIVALDI The Four Seasons Chicago Symphony Orchestra CSO Main Mendelssohn & Lutosławski MOZART Divertimento in D Major, K. 136 Julian Rachlin conductor and violin cso debut PIAZZOLLA, ARR. DESYATNIKOV PROKOFIEV Overture on Hebrew Themes Chicago Symphony Orchestra The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires MENDELSSOHN Piano Concerto No. 1 Kirill Karabits conductor MENDELSSOHN Capriccio brillant Sunwook Kim piano cso debut A captivating program of music by Vivaldi, Mozart and Piazzolla features the CSO debut of Julian Rachlin, LUTOSŁAWSKI Concerto for Orchestra a violinist of “brilliant high-octane technique” (The New York Times). Rachlin conducts and performs on two vastly different incarnations of The Four Seasons—Vivaldi’s pictorial baroque masterpiece and Piazzolla’s The sensational young Korean pianist Sunwook Kim, acclaimed for his “ability to shift from fantasy to fireworks tango-inspired take. and back in a gasp” (The News, Portsmouth), makes his CSO debut with two vivacious works by Mendelssohn— the glittering Piano Concerto No. 1 and virtuosic Capriccio brillant. Ukrainian conductor Kirill Karabits, in his CSO subscription series debut, leads Lutosławski’s melodic, folklore-inspired Concerto for Orchestra. 24 THU C/D 8:00 25 FRI D 8:00 29 TUE A 7:30
CSO Main Brahms 3 13 SUN 3:00 Kirill Gerstein PIANO HAYDN Symphony No. 44 (Mourning) Chicago Symphony Orchestra SCP Piano BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 2 in A Major, Op. 2, No. 2 R. STRAUSS Death and Transfiguration David Afkham conductor E/A BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 16 in G Major, Op. 31, No. 1 BRAHMS Symphony No. 3 BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 22 in F Major, Op. 54 Beethoven BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 19 in G Minor, Op. 49, No. 1 Following a “blistering” (Chicago Tribune) CSO podium debut, David Afkham returns to lead a diverse program Piano Sonata BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 4 in E-flat Major, Op. 7 featuring Haydn’s emotionally charged Mourning Symphony, Strauss’ tone poem portraying a man’s journey Cycle through death and Brahms’ radiant Third Symphony, which Clara Schumann described as “one beat of the heart, A survey of Beethoven’s complete piano sonatas on the Symphony Center Presents Piano series opens every movement a jewel!” with the versatile Kirill Gerstein performing sonatas from the composer’s early and middle periods, including the bright No. 2, the deeply affecting No. 19 and the humorous No. 22. “Gerstein translates his ideas into music clearly, giving the Beethoven a speedy dramatic style and impulsive direction. Everything seems deliberately shaped…a most refined performance” (Salzburger Nachrichten). 26 SAT 8:00 Farruquito
SCP Named “one of the great flamenco dancers of this new century” (The New York Times), Farruquito mesmerizes Special Concert audiences with his lightning-fast movements and intense drama. Experience the entrancing rhythms and fiery 15 TUE 7:30 Montreal Symphony Orchestra passion of his authentic style of improvised flamenco.
SCP PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 1 (Classical) Kent Nagano conductor Orchestras RACHMANINOV Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Denis Matsuev piano BARTÓK Concerto for Orchestra
The illustrious Montreal Symphony Orchestra returns with music director Kent Nagano for a program of works by Bartók and Prokofiev. Electrifying pianist Denis Matsuev joins for Rachmaninov’s exquisite, well-loved Rhapsody. “Nagano’s conducting was a model of taut rhythmic definition, athleticism and atmosphere…the Montreal musicians were at the world-class top of their game” (Chicago Tribune).
16 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS CSO.ORG 312-294-3000 17 christian tetzlaff riccardo muti leonidas kavakos rudolf buchbinder stephanie jeong kenneth olsen
27 SUN 3:00 Christian Tetzlaff VIOLIN / Lars Vogt PIANO 7 THU B/I 8:00 9 SAT B/G 8:00 12 TUE A 7:30
SCP BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 6 in A Major, Op. 30, No. 1 CSO Main Muti Conducts Brahms Double Concerto Chamber Music SHOSTAKOVICH Violin Sonata KURTÁG Tre Pezzi WAGNER Overture to The Flying Dutchman Chicago Symphony Orchestra FRANCK Violin Sonata BRAHMS Double Concerto Riccardo Muti conductor SCHUMANN Symphony No. 3 (Rhenish) Stephanie Jeong violin Christian Tetzlaff and Lars Vogt, each eloquent soloists with a long history of performing together, make Kenneth Olsen cello a thrilling recital appearance. This evocative program features rich and colorful violin sonatas by Beethoven, Shostakovich and Franck, as well as György Kurtág’s Tre Pezzi, which showcases both instruments Brahms’ final orchestral composition calls for deep lyricism and virtuosic technique from its soloists to create in new and haunting ways. “With Christian Tetzlaff and Lars Vogt, everything sounds bigger and better. the illusion of a single instrument. CSO Associate Concertmaster Stephanie Jeong and Assistant Principal Brilliant musicianship” (The Boston Globe). Cello Kenneth Olsen take center stage for this exhilarating work. Riccardo Muti concludes the program with Schumann’s Third Symphony, inspired by the composer’s journey to the Rhineland. NOV 9 SAT Once Upon a Symphony® BUNTROCK HALL / SYMPHONY CENTER 10:00 / 11:45 1 FRI B 1:30 2 SAT A/F 8:00 5 TUE B 7:30 CSO Main Begin your child’s journey into the world of music with performances featuring small ensembles of CSO musicians, vivid storytelling, costumes and multimedia. Perfect for children ages 3 to 5! CSO Main Muti, Kavakos & Beethoven Violin Concerto NOTE: This program also will be performed on December 7 and February 8 at the times and location listed here. BEETHOVEN Violin Concerto Chicago Symphony Orchestra RANDS DREAM for Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor world premiere, cso commission Leonidas Kavakos violin STRAVINSKY Divertimento from The Fairy’s Kiss 10 SUN 3:00 Rudolf Buchbinder PIANO
The season-long Beethoven celebration continues with the composer’s dazzling Violin Concerto performed SCP Piano BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 10, No. 1 by the renowned Leonidas Kavakos, “the most deeply satisfying violinist performing today” (Philadelphia E/B BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 6 in F Major, Op. 10, No. 2 Inquirer). Riccardo Muti conducts this towering work alongside Stravinsky’s imaginative homage to Tchaikovsky BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 7 in D Major, Op. 10, No. 3 and the world premiere of a work by Pulitzer Prize–winning composer Bernard Rands. Beethoven BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 18 in E-flat Major, Op. 31, No. 3 Piano Sonata Cycle Austrian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder, an artist of “immense and focused force” and “piano purism” (NPR), concludes his share of the Beethoven piano sonata cycle with the three Op. 10 sonatas that showed 6 WED 8:00 Rudolf Buchbinder PIANO the composer boldly experimenting. He closes the program with the jocular No.18, nicknamed “The Hunt” for its horn-call theme. Beethoven BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2, No. 1 Piano Sonata BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 3 in C Major, Op. 2, No. 3 the appearance of rudolf buchbinder is generously sponsored by js charitable trust. Cycle BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 20 in G Major, Op. 49, No. 2 BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, Op. 57 (Appassionata)
Renowned for his Beethoven interpretations, Rudolf Buchbinder is acclaimed for performances that have “immense and focused force…sparks fly” (NPR). In this special Symphony Center Presents Piano series evening recital, Buchbinder performs the weighty Third Sonata and one of Beethoven’s greatest and most challenging sonatas, the Appassionata.
the appearance of rudolf buchbinder is generously sponsored by js charitable trust.
18 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS CSO.ORG 312-294-3000 19 yannick nÉzet-sÉguin juanjo mena sally matthews vienna boys choir missy mazzoli
19 TUE 7:30 Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal NOV / DEC
SCP MOZART Ch’io mi scordi di te? ... Yannick Nézet-Séguin conductor Orchestras Non temer, amato bene Joyce DiDonato mezzo-soprano 29 FRI 7:30 30 SAT 7:30 * 1 SUN 3:00 * MOZART Parto, parto from La clemenza di Tito BRUCKNER Symphony No. 4 (Romantic) CSO at the Movies Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire™ in Concert
Yannick Nézet-Séguin, “the greatest generator of energy on the international podium” (The Financial Times), * CSO Chicago Symphony Orchestra and “a Brucknerian to be reckoned with” (MusicWeb International), brings his Montreal ensemble to Special Concert Symphony Center for a performance of the composer’s stirring Fourth Symphony. A mezzo-soprano of “flawless Get ready to fight a dragon, swim with merpeople and find out just who put Harry’s name in the Goblet of Fire™. virtuosity” and “glowing beauty of tone” (The Daily Telegraph), Joyce DiDonato performs two of Mozart’s Rediscover the magic of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire™ while the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performs most famous arias. Patrick Doyle’s unforgettable score. Bring the family for a fun Thanksgiving outing!
harry potter characters, names and related indicia are © & tm warner bros. entertainment inc. harry potter publishing rights © jkr. (s19) 21 THU B/I 8:00 22 FRI 7:30 * 23 SAT C 8:00 24 SUN A 3:00
CSO Main Holst The Planets 30 SAT 2:00 Vienna Boys Choir: Christmas in Vienna * CSO at Wheaton LEE III Sukkot Through Orion’s Nebula Chicago Symphony Orchestra BARBER Two Scenes from Antony and Cleopatra Juanjo Mena conductor SCP Captivating millions around the globe, the Vienna Boys Choir is one of the world’s oldest and most celebrated HOLST The Planets Sally Matthews soprano cso debut Special Concert choral groups. The ensemble returns to Symphony Center for an enchanting performance of popular folk songs, Women of the Chicago Symphony Chorus beloved classical music and cherished holiday favorites. Duain Wolfe chorus director
Juanjo Mena conducts the CSO in a program featuring Holst’s powerful and haunting The Planets. Sally Matthews, a soprano of “incandescent verve” (The Times, London), performs two scenes from Barber’s 1966 DEC opera that opened the Metropolitan Opera’s new house at Lincoln Center. Detroit-based composer James Lee III’s celebratory Sukkot Through Orion’s Nebula illustrates an ancient Hebrew harvest festival refracted through the lens of the Book of Revelation. 2 MON 7:00 MusicNOW HARRIS THEATER FOR MUSIC AND DANCE / 205 E. RANDOLPH
CSO Main MusicNOW celebrates renowned composer Michael Gordon with a program of his works and music by up-and-coming composers he has influenced. 23 SAT 11:00 A / 12:45 B CSO major support for musicnow is generously provided by the zell family foundation, the sally mead hands foundation, cindy sargent, Family Matinee CSO Family Matinee: Bold Voices the julian family foundation and the elizabeth morse charitable trust.
Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Introduce the young people in your life to the orchestra with the CSO’s fun and engaging concert series for children. This concert, which marks the 100th anniversary of the CSO’s concerts for children, celebrates the life and legacy of one of the most influential composers of all time, Ludwig van Beethoven. He changed the sound of the orchestra and responded to tremendous personal challenges by expressing humanity, hope and joy in ways that still inspire listeners today. Perfect for ages 5 and up!
20 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS CSO.ORG 312-294-3000 21 chanticleer john storgÅrds ray chen manfred honeck jan lisiecki
DEC 12 THU B/H 8:00 13 FRI B 1:30 14 SAT B/G 8:00
CSO Main A Night in Vienna: Honeck Conducts Mozart & Strauss 3 TUE 7:30 4 WED 7:30 BATES Resurrexit Chicago Symphony Orchestra SCP A Chanticleer Christmas FOURTH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH / 126 E. CHESTNUT MOZART Piano Concerto No. 21 Manfred Honeck conductor Special Concert Works by JOHANN STRAUSS, JR. and JOSEF STRAUSS Jan Lisiecki piano cso debut Kick-start your holiday season with the Grammy-winning male chorus, known around the world as “an orchestra of voices.” With the stunning gothic architecture of Chicago’s Fourth Presbyterian Church Austrian conductor Manfred Honeck leads a program of richly melodic dance music by the Strauss family as a backdrop, Chanticleer performs Christmas music spanning centuries and continents with awe-inspiring and Mozart’s virtuosic Piano Concerto No. 21 featuring Jan Lisiecki, whose “pristine, lyrical and intelligent playing clarity and precision. shows uncommon maturity” (The New York Times). Former Mead Composer-in-Residence Mason Bates calls his new work, written in honor of Manfred Honeck’s 60th birthday, “a theatrical and fast-paced conjuring of the classic Resurrection narrative.”
5 THU C/E 8:00 6 FRI A 1:30 7 SAT A/E 8:00 10 TUE B 7:30 CSO Main Higdon & Tchaikovsky 4 14 SAT 3:00 15 SUN 3:00 20 FRI 7:30 21 SAT 3:00 22 SUN 7:30 23 MON 3:00
HIGDON blue cathedral Chicago Symphony Orchestra CSO The Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Merry, Merry Chicago! WIENIAWSKI Violin Concerto No. 1 John Storgårds conductor Special Concert TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 4 Ray Chen violin Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Chicago Symphony Chorus Taking inspiration from Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, Tchaikovsky’s Fourth explores fate, progressing from dark despair to defiant triumph. John Storgårds leads this powerfully expressive work, along with the Ring in the holidays with Symphony Center’s annual spectacular featuring Members of the CSO, the ful first CSO performance of the deeply moving blue cathedral by Jennifer Higdon, winner of the 2018 Nemmers Chicago Symphony Chorus and special guests performing festive favorites. It’s the perfect celebration for Prize in Music Composition. The dazzling Ray Chen, making his Orchestra Hall debut, brings his “liquid tone the entire family! that carries with it emotional depth of great intimacy” (The Huffington Post) to the youthful bravura of Wieniawski’s First Violin Concerto.
the performance of blue cathedral is made possible with support from the northwestern university bienen school of music. 18 WED 8:00 The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass
SCP Experience the staggering power and razor-sharp precision of the legendary brass section of the Special Concert Chicago Symphony Orchestra in a program of traditional favorites and symphonic masterworks arranged 6 FRI 7:00 7 SAT 3:00 8 SUN 3:00 for brass ensemble.
CSO Home Alone in Concert this concert is presented in collaboration with the midwest clinic, an international band and orchestra conference. Special Concert Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Richard Kaufman conductor
Experience this holiday classic on the big screen with John Williams’ whimsical score performed by Members of the CSO. Macaulay Culkin stars as Kevin McCallister, an 8-year-old boy who’s accidentally left behind when his family leaves for Christmas vacation, and who must defend his suburban Chicago home against two bungling thieves. Hilarious and heart-warming, Home Alone is holiday fun for everyone!
©1990 twentieth century fox
22 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS CSO.ORG 312-294-3000 23 edo de waart leila josefowicz bugs bunny at the symphony anne-sophie mutter giancarlo guerrero paul lewis
19 THU A/F 8:00 20 FRI A 1:30 21 SAT D 8:00 22 SUN A 3:00 22 WED 7:30 Anne-Sophie Mutter VIOLIN
CSO Main Stravinsky & Dvořák 8 SCP BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 4 Lambert Orkis piano Chamber Music BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 5 (Spring) JOHN ADAMS The Chairman Dances Chicago Symphony Orchestra BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 9 (Kreutzer) STRAVINSKY Violin Concerto Edo de Waart conductor DVOŘÁK Carnival Overture Leila Josefowicz violin Anne-Sophie Mutter returns with her longtime collaborative pianist Lambert Orkis to perform three of DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 8 Beethoven’s celebrated violin sonatas. Ranging from refreshing and sunny to sorrowful and full of anguish, each sonata reveals different facets of the composer’s psyche as he began to wrestle with increasing symptoms Dvořák’s Eighth Symphony is a lyrical masterpiece that The Guardian calls “35 minutes of life-enhancing joy.” of deafness. Edo de Waart conducts this profound work, along with John Adams’ exuberant “foxtrot for orchestra,” an outtake from his opera Nixon in China. The phenomenally gifted Leila Josefowicz returns to perform Stravinsky’s brilliant neoclassical Violin Concerto. 25 SAT 7:30 NFM Wrocław Philharmonic Orchestra
SCP LUTOSŁAWSKI Symphonic Variations Giancarlo Guerrero conductor JAN Orchestras BARTÓK Piano Concerto No. 3 Piotr Anderszewski piano BRAHMS Symphony No. 1 WARNER BROS. PRESENTS 18 SAT The NFM Wrocław Philharmonic Orchestra has been growing in international acclaim since the opening of its 3:00 & 7:30 Bugs Bunny at the Symphony 30th Anniversary Edition new concert hall, Poland’s National Forum of Music, and the appointment of music director Giancarlo Guerrero, “an authoritative conductor with confidence and flair” (Seen and Heard International). They perform Brahms’ SCP Warner Bros. Symphony Orchestra sublime First Symphony and Bartók’s final completed work with Polish pianist Piotr Anderszewski, celebrated for Special Concert George Daugherty conductor his “intellectual power and keen imagination” (The Daily Telegraph).
Bring the whole family to Symphony Center for the beloved cartoons and classical music of Bugs Bunny at the Symphony. Celebrating 30 years of Bugs Bunny on the concert stage, this new edition of Looney Tunes and live orchestra includes old favorites like What’s Opera, Doc? and The Rabbit of Seville plus new 3D animated JAN / FEB shorts Coyote Falls and Rabid Rider. Created by George Daugherty and David Ka Lik Wong.
tm & © warner bros. entertainment inc. 30 THU C/D 8:00 31 FRI A 1:30 1 SAT A/F 8:00 4 TUE A 7:30 (s19) CSO Main Lewis Plays Beethoven
TIPPETT Little Music for String Orchestra Chicago Symphony Orchestra BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 1 Sir Andrew Davis conductor TIPPETT Praeludium for Brass, Bells and Percussion Paul Lewis piano BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4
Renowned English pianist Paul Lewis returns to perform two of Beethoven’s extraordinary piano concertos— the good-humored First and the intimate Fourth. Sir Andrew Davis, music director of Lyric Opera of Chicago and “a Tippett conductor of proven pedigree and insight” (Gramophone), leads two fascinating works by the 20th-century English composer.
24 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS CSO.ORG 312-294-3000 25 SEASON HIGHLIGHT CSO MAIN FEB 6 THU A/F 8:00 7 FRI C 8:00 8 SAT C 8:00 Muti Conducts Mascagni j. lawrie bloom daniil trifonov Cavalleria rusticana 20 THU B/H 8:00 21 FRI D 8:00 22 SAT A/E 8:00 23 SUN A 3:00 Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor CSO Main Muti Conducts Beethoven 2 & 5 Anita Rachvelishvili mezzo-soprano santuzza Piero Pretti tenor turiddu BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 2 Chicago Symphony Orchestra Luca Salsi baritone alfio BACRI Ophelia’s Tears Riccardo Muti conductor Chicago Symphony Chorus world premiere, cso commission J. Lawrie Bloom bass clarinet Duain Wolfe chorus director BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5
Beloved by opera audiences around the world, Mascagni’s Opening with the most famous four notes in all of classical music, Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony is a staggering Cavalleria rusticana is an impassioned story of tormented masterwork that became a symphonic blueprint for all subsequent composers. Riccardo Muti leads a love wrapped in music of fervent vibrancy. Riccardo Muti, program that also features the composer’s buoyant, humorous Second Symphony and a world premiere whose command of 19th-century Italian opera is “virtually concerto performed by CSO Bass Clarinet J. Lawrie Bloom. without peer” (Bachtrack), leads concert performances of the complete one-act opera with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and an international cast. FEB / MAR
aaaaaaaa4 27 THU A/G 8:00 28 7:30 * 29 SAT D 8:00 CSO Main Sibelius & Nielsen: A Nordic Celebration 9 SUN 4:00 Jordi Savall: Splendor of the Iberian Baroque CSO at Wheaton SIBELIUS Finlandia Chicago Symphony Orchestra IN THE TIME OF LOPE DE VEGA & CALDERÓN DE LA BARCA * SCP NIELSEN Violin Concerto Hannu Lintu conductor cso debut Special Concert Jordi Savall treble viol and director NIELSEN Helios Overture Pekka Kuusisto violin Hespèrion XXI SIBELIUS Symphony No. 5 La Capella Reial Catalunya From its expansive opening to its transcendent climax, Sibelius’ Fifth Symphony is one of the most vivid One of the most versatile musical personalities of his generation, Jordi Savall has been researching, teaching orchestral works of the 20th century. Finnish conductor Hannu Lintu, in his CSO debut, pairs this with the and performing early music for more than 50 years. With an ensemble of period instruments, he brings to composer’s best-known work, Finlandia. Pekka Kuusisto performs Nielsen’s spirited Violin Concerto. Symphony Center a rich program of rediscovered baroque gems from the Iberian peninsula. “Jordi Savall testifies “Nielsen was a folk fiddler and Kuusisto made it show in the gorgeous looseness of his rhythms and stripped- to a common cultural inheritance of infinite variety. He is a man for our time” (The Guardian). back grit of his sound” (The Guardian).
16 SUN 3:00 Yuja Wang PIANO 1 SUN 3:00 Daniil Trifonov PIANO
SCP Piano Yuja Wang has captivated audiences around the world with her dazzling performances. Witness her charismatic SCP Piano Russian piano star Daniil Trifonov, acclaimed for his outstanding performances, returns to the Symphony E/B artistry as she returns to Symphony Center in recital. “Wang’s combination of technical ease and sheer power E/A Center Presents Piano series. “One was struck not only by Trifonov’s comprehensive technique and aptly gigantic has always been remarkable…but there is an ever-greater depth to her musicianship, drawing you into the world sound but by the precision and sonic depth of his performance” (Chicago Tribune). of each composer with compelling immediacy” (The Financial Times).
26 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS CSO.ORG 312-294-3000 27 leonidas kavakos, emanuel ax and yo-yo ma herbert blomstedt once upon a symphony andrÉ de ridder valery gergiev
MAR 12 THU C/E 8:00 14 SAT B/G 8:00 17 TUE A 7:30
CSO Main Rhapsody in Blue & Boléro 2 MON 7:30 Emanuel Ax PIANO / Leonidas Kavakos VIOLIN / Yo-Yo Ma CELLO GERSHWIN, ARR. BENNETT Chicago Symphony Orchestra SCP BEETHOVEN Piano Trio in C Minor, Op. 1, No. 3 Porgy and Bess, A Symphonic Picture André de Ridder conductor Chamber Music BEETHOVEN Piano Trio in E-flat Major, Op. 70, No. 2 GERSHWIN Rhapsody in Blue Inon Barnatan piano BEETHOVEN Piano Trio in B-flat Major, Op. 97 (Archduke) RAVEL Piano Concerto in G Major 3:00 * RAVEL Boléro Three of today’s most extraordinary musicians come together again for an intimate and unforgettable performance of works by Beethoven. The trio returns after a sold-out 2018 appearance at Symphony In a vibrant program of classical music inspired by the jazz revolution of the 20th century, two of George Center that the Chicago Tribune praised as “warmly engaged and richly communicative… no wonder the fans Gershwin’s iconic works are paired with one he undoubtedly influenced, Ravel’s jazzy Piano Concerto in G Major. erupted in an affirmative roar at the end. Chamber music playing doesn’t get any better than this.” Ravel’s most famous work, the mesmerizing Boléro, brings the program to a rousing close.
5 THU B/H 8:00 6 FRI B 1:30 7 SAT A/F 8:00 13 FRI 7:30 15 SUN 3:00 *
CSO Main Blomstedt Conducts Brahms 2 CSO at the Movies Casablanca in Concert
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 23 Chicago Symphony Orchestra * CSO Chicago Symphony Orchestra BRAHMS Symphony No. 2 Herbert Blomstedt conductor Special Concert Richard Kaufman conductor Bertrand Chamayou piano cso debut “Probably on more lists of the greatest films of all time than any other single title” (Roger Ebert), this romantic After leading a 2018 CSO performance of Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony full of “tensile strength and spirited story of a man torn between love and virtue returns to Symphony Center. Don’t miss this timeless classic brought dynamism” (Chicago Classical Review), distinguished conductor Herbert Blomstedt returns to conduct to life by the CSO performing Max Steiner’s evocative score together with the full feature film. Brahms’ soaring Second Symphony. “Scintillating and incisive” (The Straits Times) French pianist Bertrand Chamayou makes his CSO debut with Mozart’s delightful Piano Concerto No. 23.
20 FRI D 8:00 22 SUN 3:00 * 7 SAT Once Upon a Symphony® BUNTROCK HALL / SYMPHONY CENTER CSO Main Gergiev Conducts Shostakovich Leningrad 10:00 / 11:45 CSO Main Begin your child’s journey into the world of music with performances featuring small ensembles of CSO * Note: the SUN SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 7 (Leningrad) Chicago Symphony Orchestra musicians, vivid storytelling, costumes and multimedia. Perfect for children ages 3 to 5! concert is on the Valery Gergiev conductor SAT C series NOTE: This program will also be performed on April 25 and May 16 at the times and locations here. A committed advocate of the music of his homeland, Russian conductor Valery Gergiev returns to the CSO in one of Shostakovich’s most celebrated symphonies. Completed in 1941, while Leningrad was under siege by the German army, it is a monumental work of shattering power and unwavering resistance. “Gergiev’s approach to Shostakovich’s symphony proved gripping, driving the big moments home thrillingly” (The New York Times).
28 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS CSO.ORG 312-294-3000 29 musicnow nicholas kraemer amanda forsythe iestyn davies sir andrÁs schiff jakub hrŮŠa
23 MON 7:00 MusicNOW HARRIS THEATER FOR MUSIC AND DANCE / 205 E. RANDOLPH 29 SUN 3:00 Sir András Schiff PIANO CSO Main Quince Vocal Quartet, “the Anonymous 4 of new music” (Opera News), performs the world premiere of a SCP Piano BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 24 in F-sharp Major, Op. 78 major new work by Courtney Bryan, composed specifically for Quince and musicians from the CSO, as well as E/A BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 25 in G Major, Op. 79 works by Gilda Lyons, David Remnick and others. BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 26 in E-flat Major, Op. 81a (Les Adieux) Beethoven BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 27 in E Minor, Op. 90 major support for musicnow is generously provided by the zell family foundation, the sally mead hands foundation, cindy sargent, Piano Sonata BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 28 in A Major, Op. 101 the julian family foundation and the elizabeth morse charitable trust. Cycle Sir András Schiff has received overwhelming critical acclaim for his performances of Beethoven’s sonatas. He continues the complete Beethoven sonatas this season with a chronological presentation that includes the lyrical À Thérèse and the poignant Les Adieux (The Farewell), which Beethoven dedicated to his friend the 26 THU C/D 8:00 27 FRI C 8:00 28 SAT B/H 8:00 Archduke Rudolph following his exile from Vienna by Napoléon Bonaparte.
CSO Main Bach & Handel
BACH Orchestral Suite No. 3 Chicago Symphony Orchestra 31 TUE 8:00 Sir András Schiff PIANO HANDEL Selected Arias Nicholas Kraemer conductor and harpsichord PURCELL Chacony in G Minor Amanda Forsythe soprano Beethoven BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 12 in A-flat Major, Op. 26 PURCELL Dido’s Lament from Dido and Aeneas Iestyn Davies countertenor cso debut Piano Sonata BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 13 in E-flat Major, Op. 27, No. 1 (Quasi una fantasia) HANDEL Suite No. 2 from Water Music Cycle BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2 (Moonlight) BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 15 in D Major, Op. 28 (Pastoral) An evening of baroque masterpieces, led by conductor Nicholas Kraemer from the harpsichord, features excerpts from operas and oratorios by Handel and Purcell, including the ever-popular Water Music. Opening the For Sir András Schiff, surveying the piano sonatas of Beethoven is “the most stupendous journey. They give program is Bach’s best-known orchestral suite, which includes the much-loved “Air on the G String.” a complete picture of how Beethoven developed though his creative life.” In this special Symphony Center Presents Piano series evening recital, Schiff performs the four sonatas from 1801 that transition the composer into his more experimental middle period, including the famous Moonlight Sonata and the genial Pastoral Sonata. 28 SAT 11:00 A / 12:45 B
CSO CSO Family Matinee: New Voices Family Matinee APR Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Edwin Outwater conductor 2 THU A/G 8:00 3 FRI B 1:30 4 SAT A/F 8:00 Introduce the young people in your life to the orchestra with the CSO’s fun and engaging concert series for children. This program, which focuses on the music of 21st century composers, demonstrates CSO Main Brahms 4 how every musical innovation is built on the shoulders of preceding generations of musicians. Perfect for ages 5 and up! ADÈS Dances from Powder Her Face Chicago Symphony Orchestra DVOŘÁK Piano Concerto Jakub Hrůša conductor BRAHMS Symphony No. 4 Martin Helmchen piano
Jakub Hrůša leads the CSO in an eclectic program ranging from orchestral dances from Thomas Adès’ breakthrough opera to Brahms’ transcendent final symphony. Martin Helmchen, whose interpretations are “beautifully realized, revealing a kaleidoscopic array of shapes and colors” (Chicago Tribune), performs Dvořák’s dramatic and vividly melodic Piano Concerto.
30 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS CSO.ORG 312-294-3000 31 mitsuko uchida jaap van zweden emmanuel krivine joseph moog riccardo muti julia fischer
APR 19 SUN 3:00 Renée Fleming and Evgeny Kissin in Recital A SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS AND LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO COLLABORATION SCP 5 SUN 3:00 Mitsuko Uchida PIANO Special Concert Two of the world’s most illustrious classical musicians join forces for an extraordinary one-night-only event. Legendary soprano and Lyric Opera of Chicago Creative Consultant Renée Fleming has dazzled opera audiences SCP Piano BEETHOVEN Six Bagatelles, Op. 126 in leading roles around the world. Pianist and Chicago favorite Evgeny Kissin is internationally renowned for his E/B BEETHOVEN Diabelli Variations astonishing virtuosity. They make a rare appearance together in recital at Symphony Center.
Beethoven The Symphony Center Beethoven celebration continues as Mitsuko Uchida performs the composer’s Piano Sonata adventurous Diabelli Variations and meditative Six Bagatelles. “Uchida’s performance of the Diabelli Variations Cycle became unbridled longing before a shimmering, tranquil conclusion. The audience knew it had been on a very special journey, and let it all soak in quietly before an instantaneous roar and standing ovation” (Chicago Classical Review). 23 THU C/E 8:00 24 FRI D 8:00 25 SAT A/E 8:00 28 TUE A 7:30
CSO Main Muti, Fischer & Brahms Violin Concerto 9 THU B/I 8:00 10 FRI A 1:30 11 SAT D 8:00 BRAHMS Violin Concerto Chicago Symphony Orchestra CSO Main van Zweden Conducts Mahler 6 STILL Mother and Child Riccardo Muti conductor PRICE Symphony No. 3 Julia Fischer violin MAHLER Symphony No. 6 Chicago Symphony Orchestra Jaap van Zweden conductor Riccardo Muti presents two groundbreaking pieces by the first African Americans to have symphonic works performed by major orchestras. William Grant Still’s Mother and Child is a touching work based on a Featuring some of the most passionate and heart-wrenching music he ever composed, Mahler’s Sixth painting by Sargent Johnson. Florence Price’s expressive Third Symphony gives a powerful voice to the African Symphony is famous for the thunderous hammer blows of fate in its finale. Jaap van Zweden, music director of American experience. Julia Fischer brings her “burnished and splendid tone” (The Daily Telegraph) to Brahms’ the New York Philharmonic, returns to conduct this tour de force with the CSO, whose “musical DNA is closely lyrical Violin Concerto. entwined with Mahler” (Chicago Tribune).
16 THU A/F 8:00 17 FRI B 1:30 18 SAT B/H 8:00 21 TUE B 7:30
CSO Main Symphonie fantastique
R. STRAUSS Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks Chicago Symphony Orchestra R. STRAUSS Burlesque Emmanuel Krivine conductor BERLIOZ Symphonie fantastique Joseph Moog piano cso debut
Emmanuel Krivine conducts Berlioz’s semi-autobiographical epic that portrays an artist’s obsessive, self- destructive passion for his beloved. Two colorful works by Richard Strauss include the mischievous Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks and the delightful, rarely heard Burlesque, featuring rising German sensation Joseph Moog.
renÉe fleming evgeny kissin
32 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS CSO.ORG 312-294-3000 33 george li riccardo muti thomas wilkins conducts a cso family matinee performance elena sancho-pereg evgeny kissin
APR / MAY 7 THU B/I 8:00 8 FRI D 8:00 9 SAT A/F 8:00
CSO Main Carmina burana 26 SUN 3:00 George Li PIANO SAINT-SAËNS Danse macabre Chicago Symphony Orchestra SCP Piano Program to include: ROUSSEL Suite No. 2 from Bacchus et Ariane Alain Altinoglu conductor E/A HAYDN Sonata in E-flat Major, Hob. XVI:49 ORFF Carmina burana Elena Sancho-Pereg soprano cso debut RAVEL Three Pieces from Miroirs Benjamin Bliss tenor SCHUMANN Carnaval Elliot Madore baritone cso debut Chicago Symphony Chorus Rising star George Li has rapidly established an international reputation for his brilliant virtuosity. He makes his Duain Wolfe chorus director Symphony Center debut with a program of glittering works by Haydn, Ravel and Schumann. “Li’s performance Chicago Children’s Choir left no doubt that he combines staggering technical prowess, a sense of command and depth of expression” Josephine Lee artistic director (The Washington Post). Opening with one of the most recognizable choruses in classical music, Carl Orff’s visceral oratorio Carmina burana is an exhilarating setting of medieval poems. Beginning a program of spirited storytelling is Saint-Saëns’ Danse macabre, a chilling dance with Death on All Hallow’s Eve, followed by the sumptuous 30 THU A/G 8:00 1 FRI 7:30 * 2 SAT B/G 8:00 3 SUN A 3:00 Second Suite from Roussel’s ballet about the legendary abduction and enchantment of Ariadne.
CSO Main Muti Conducts Beethoven 4 & 7
* CSO at Wheaton MAZZOLI Orpheus Undone Chicago Symphony Orchestra 10 SUN 3:00 Evgeny Kissin PIANO world premiere, cso commission Riccardo Muti conductor BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 4 SCP Piano BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13 (Pathétique) BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7 E/B BEETHOVEN Eroica Variations, Op. 35 BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 17 in D Minor, Op. 31, No. 2 (Tempest) Continuing the celebration this season, Riccardo Muti conducts two more of Beethoven’s immortal Beethoven BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 21 in C Major, Op. 53 (Waldstein) symphonies—the graceful Fourth, described as “a slender Greek maiden between two Norse Piano Sonata giants” by composer Robert Schumann, and the mighty, driving Seventh, which many, including Beethoven Cycle Russian superstar Evgeny Kissin, “the world’s most acclaimed classical pianist” (The Economist), continues himself, considered one of his greatest works. A world premiere by CSO Mead Composer-in-Residence Beethoven’s 250th birthday celebration with some of the composer’s most well-known piano works, Missy Mazzoli, “Brooklyn’s post-millennial Mozart” (Time Out New York), opens the program. including the heroic Waldstein Sonata and the exhilarating Eroica Variations, which Beethoven later reworked into the finale of the Eroica Symphony.
the appearance of evgeny kissin is generously sponsored by js charitable trust. 2 SAT 11:00 A / 12:45 B
CSO CSO Family Matinee: American Voices Family Matinee Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Thomas Wilkins conductor
Introduce the young people in your life to the orchestra with the CSO’s fun and engaging concert series for children. This concert of music by American composers, including Aaron Copland, George Gershwin and Jessie Montgomery, explores the soundscape of our country and the American people. Perfect for ages 5 and up!
34 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS CSO.ORG 312-294-3000 35 robert chen jurassic park igor levit beatrice rana maurizio pollini
MAY 20 WED 8:00 Igor Levit PIANO
Beethoven BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 9 in E Major, Op. 14, No. 1 14 THU A/F 8:00 16 SAT B/H 8:00 Piano Sonata BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 10 in G Major, Op. 14, No. 2 Cycle BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 11 in B-flat Major, Op. 22 CSO Main All-Tchaikovsky BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 29 in B-flat Major, Op. 106 (Hammerklavier)
TCHAIKOVSKY Capriccio italien Chicago Symphony Orchestra Igor Levit, recipient of the 2018 Gilmore Artist Award, performs four of Beethoven’s magnificent sonatas as TCHAIKOVSKY Violin Concerto Jonathan Stockhammer conductor cso debut part of the season-long Beethoven celebration. He takes on probably the composer’s greatest and most difficult TCHAIKOVSKY Marche slave Robert Chen violin sonata, the colossal Hammerklavier. “From the very first note, Levit radically changed the atmospheric pressure TCHAIKOVSKY Selections from The Nutcracker in the hall…he hit the first note and the sheer depth and resonant sovereignty of his tone engulfed a monumental space” (Los Angeles Times). Hear sparkling selections from The Nutcracker and the dazzling Violin Concerto, performed by CSO Concertmaster Robert Chen, in an all-Tchaikovsky program that exemplifies the Russian master’s multi-faceted music, from the warm and colorful Capriccio italien, inspired by a trip to Rome, to the characteristically Russian Marche slave. 21 THU B/H 8:00 22 FRI A 1:30 23 SAT D 8:00 26 TUE B 7:30
CSO Main Mozart Jupiter Symphony
15 FRI 7:30 17 SUN 3:00 * HAYDN Overture to L’isola disabitata Chicago Symphony Orchestra BACH Keyboard Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 1052 Bernard Labadie conductor CSO at the Movies Jurassic Park in Concert BACH Keyboard Concerto No. 5 in F Minor, BWV 1056 Beatrice Rana piano cso debut MOZART Symphony No. 41 (Jupiter) * CSO Chicago Symphony Orchestra Special Concert Richard Kaufman conductor A masterwork of unrestrained joy, Mozart’s last symphony is one of the greatest in the repertoire. Bernard Labadie conducts the Jupiter Symphony along with a dramatic overture by Haydn and two early Relive the magic of Jurassic Park on the big screen together with a thrilling performance of John Williams’ keyboard concertos by Bach featuring rising star pianist Beatrice Rana in her CSO debut. iconic score by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The action-packed adventure pits man against prehistoric predators in the ultimate battle for survival. Featuring visually stunning imagery and groundbreaking special effects, this epic film is sheer movie magic 65 million years in the making. Welcome… to Jurassic Park! 24 SUN 3:00 Maurizio Pollini PIANO ™ & © universal studios. SCP Piano BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109 E/A BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 31 in A-flat Major, Op. 110 BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 32 in C Minor, Op. 111 18 MON 7:00 MusicNOW HARRIS THEATER FOR MUSIC AND DANCE / 205 E. RANDOLPH Beethoven Piano Sonata Legendary pianist Maurizio Pollini brings the complete Beethoven Piano Sonata cycle at Symphony Center CSO Main MusicNOW celebrates the 55th anniversary of Chicago’s own Association for the Advancement of Creative Cycle to a poignant close with the composer’s sublime final three sonatas. “Pollini’s immaculate performance Musicians (AACM), founded in May 1965. The AACM pays homage to the diverse styles of expression of Beethoven’s final sonatas brought out the simmering undercurrents, the glinting colors, the swirling detail. within the body of Black Music in the US, Africa and throughout the world, an experience that extends from A majestic, peerless performance” (The Guardian). ancient traditions to futuristic sounds. On May 18, the CSO will honor the organization’s long history and its profound impact on modern music.
major support for musicnow is generously provided by the zell family foundation, the sally mead hands foundation, cindy sargent, the julian family foundation and the elizabeth morse charitable trust.
36 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS CSO.ORG 312-294-3000 37 susanna mÄlkki camilla tilling joyce didonato nikolaj szeps-znaider piotr anderszewski denis kozhukhin
28 THU C/E 8:00 29 FRI C 8:00 30 SAT B/G 8:00 7 SUN 3:00 Denis Kozhukhin PIANO
CSO Main Mälkki Conducts Beethoven & Mahler 4 SCP Piano MENDELSSOHN Selections from Songs Without Words E/B GRIEG Selections from Lyric Pieces BEETHOVEN Namensfeier Overture Chicago Symphony Orchestra GERSHWIN Song-Book BEETHOVEN Ah! perfido Susanna Mälkki conductor GERSHWIN Preludes MAHLER Symphony No. 4 Camilla Tilling soprano GERSHWIN Rhapsody in Blue
Susanna Mälkki returns to the Orchestra Hall podium for Mahler’s magnificent Fourth Symphony, which Denis Kozhukhin makes his series debut with a high-spirited program, closing out the Symphony Center portrays a journey toward innocence concluding with “The Heavenly Life,” sung by “luminous soprano” Presents Piano season with a recital performance of one of Gershwin’s most celebrated works. “Kozhukhin’s (The New York Times) Camilla Tilling. Two rarely heard Beethoven works—the dramatic concert aria Ah! perfido sensitivity to the shifting moods and diverse rhythms set the scene well for Rhapsody in Blue. Vibrant and the grand Namensfeier Overture—complete the program. musical colors mingled with foot-tapping rhythms to create a concert finale of heady exhilaration” (Bachtrack).
31 SUN 3:00 Joyce DiDonato MEZZO-SOPRANO / Il Pomo d’Oro 11 THU B/I 8:00 12 FRI A 1:30 13 SAT C 8:00
SCP Entrancing mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato makes her Symphony Center Presents Chamber Music series debut CSO Main Muti Conducts Beethoven 6 & 8 Chamber Music alongside Il Pomo d’Oro, recognized around the world for the group’s authentic and dynamic baroque and classical interpretations. Together they perform arias by Monteverdi, Gluck, Handel and Purcell. “DiDonato’s BEETHOVEN Overture to The Ruins of Athens Chicago Symphony Orchestra instinctive feeling for the drama within each aria carried the day, enhanced at every turn by the wonderfully BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 8 Riccardo Muti conductor vivacious support she received from the fine young Pomo d’Oro” (Chicago Tribune). BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 6 (Pastoral)
Riccardo Muti’s complete Beethoven symphonic cycle continues with the charming Sixth and light-hearted Eighth. The Eighth, which Beethoven called his “little” symphony, is also one of his most inventive and JUN enigmatic. Composed at the same time as his blazing Fifth Symphony, the bucolic Pastoral Symphony shows another side of Beethoven, replete with sounds of the countryside and a passing storm.
4 THU A/G 8:00 5 FRI B 1:30 6 SAT A/E 8:00 9 TUE B 7:30 CSO Main Ein Heldenleben 18 THU C/D 8:00 19 FRI C 8:00 20 SAT B/H 8:00 21 SUN A 3:00
MENDELSSOHN The Hebrides Overture Chicago Symphony Orchestra CSO Main Muti Conducts Beethoven 9 FULL CONCERT DESCRIPTION ON FOLLOWING PAGES ➔ MOZART Piano Concerto No. 17 Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider conductor R. STRAUSS Ein Heldenleben Piotr Anderszewski piano
Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider makes a welcome return to lead the CSO in one of its signature pieces, the exuberant Ein Heldenleben, which tells the heroic story of a man grappling with fate through music of sumptuous beauty and warmth. Piotr Anderszewski returns to Orchestra Hall with his “articulate, bold and beautiful” (Gramophone) SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS rendition of Mozart’s spirited Piano Concerto No. 17.
38 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS CSO.ORG 312-294-3000 39 2019/20 SEASON FINALE / June 18–21 In a triumphant finale to a season honoring the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, Riccardo Muti assembles the combined forces of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chorus and internationally renowned soloists for “the symphony to end all symphonies” (The Guardian), the euphoric Ninth. A masterpiece whose staggering influence can be Muti Conducts seen across classical music, it concludes with the famous Ode to Joy, which powerfully calls for understanding, peace and universal goodwill.
Of the 2014 CSO performance that has been streamed more than 14 million times worldwide, the Chicago Tribune wrote: “Given the fraught state of the world at the present time, the magnificent spiritual balm provided by Beethoven Beethoven’s music, in this performance, merits the widest possible dissemination. The lines from German poet Friedrich Schiller’s Ode to Joy say it all: ‘Receive this embrace, you millions! This kiss is for the whole world!’”
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Riccardo Muti CONDUCTOR
Elena Stikhina SOPRANO / CSO DEBUT
Jennifer Johnson Cano MEZZO-SOPRANO / CSO DEBUT
9 Daniel Johansson TENOR / CSO DEBUT Franz-Josef Selig BASS Chicago Symphony Chorus
Duain Wolfe CHORUS DIRECTOR riccardo muti riccardo elena stikhina daniel johansson daniel jennifer johnson cano “Receive this embrace, you millions! This kiss is for the whole world!”
friedrich schiller, ode to joy franz-josef selig franz-josef
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