® T IDINA MENZEL R JEAN-YVES THIBAUDET O ANDY GRAMMER P E JOHN PIZZARELLI QUARTET ZUKERMAN CHAMBERPLAYERS MARVIN HAMLISCH R L A DAME KIRI U MUSICIANS FROM N RSMI JUILLIARD STRING QUARTET N A 2 1 0 MAT KEARNEY HALL & OATES RIVER NORTH DANCE 2 ANITA BAKER CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF THE WOMEN’S BOARD OF RAVINIA FESTIVAL RAVINIA FESTIVAL ASSOCIATION ROBERT D. K REBS , WELZ KAUFFMAN , JAMES CONLON , CHAIRMAN BOARD OF TRUSTEES PRESIDENT AND CEO MUSIC DIRECTOR , CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA RESIDENCY A MESSAGE FROM RAVINIA’S LEADERSHIP It goes without saying that the and 40,000 attended recitals and chairman of the board of any chamber concerts. nonprofit institution meets regularly This year Ravinia exceeded with the president and CEO to cover both its earned and contributed any manner of subjects, from income goals. The actual numbers keeping the lights on to planning an are presented on the financial pages annual report such as this. Those of this report, but even before you conversations at Ravinia Festival get to those, you will find beautiful have been about mission, mission, photographs of our real stock-in- mission. We even print our mission trade, 100 music events that featured on the top of every meeting agenda. stars of every genre—unexpected The news that must first be reported classical virtuosos such as ukulele in this annual report is that Ravinia is phenomenon Jake Shimabukuro and pursuing its mission in every sense: the shape-shifting orchestra of We maintain our beautifully tomorrow The Knights (who ended landscaped and welcoming venue; the season with three concerts we support the Chicago Symphony separately featuring superstars Itzhak Orchestra and grow audiences for Perlman, Dawn Upshaw and Yo-Yo classical music; we immerse the Ma that were broadcast live world’s most talented young nationally on Performance Today ) to Robert D. Krebs, Chairman professionals in music study and long-overdue pop/rock legends like performance through Ravinia’s Carlos Santana and such darlings of Steans Music Institute (RSMI), our tomorrow’s audiences as TV’s X- Patricia Racette that celebrated the summer conservatory; and we return Factor judge and singer Demi Lovato 50th anniversary of Ravinia’s music to the region’s public schools to multinational award-winning inspired and inspiring Women’s most in need—all while exceeding pianist Daniil Trifonov. Board. our traditional program mix of 50 But at the center of it all, the Of all the ways we percent classical to non-classical great CSO amazed and delighted in acknowledged this anniversary of events in 2012. Of the 600,000 a residency that reached out in all Ravinia’s “leading ladies,” we’re music lovers who entered our park, directions, including two most proud of presenting 50 artist we are pleased to announce that performances each of Mozart’s debuts in recognition of their 50 100,000 were CSO concertgoers, operas The Magic Flute and years. Some of the most magical Idomeneo , led by our own tireless moments occurred behind the Music Director James Conlon, who scenes—particularly when an artist has extended his contract with us who never played Ravinia before through 2014; a heavenly encountered our venue for the first performance of Holst’s The Planets in time. They almost instinctively conjunction with José Francisco understand that Ravinia presents a Salgado’s award-winning film and unique mix of august history—an NASA astronomers sharing outdoor Carnegie Hall worth all telescopes on the lawn; four those hours of practice—and good- generations of Broadway’s leading natured (with nature being the ladies in four separate concerts, operative word) party. First-timers ran including Idina Menzel’s lawn- the gamut from the hottest name in packing performance that left an jazz today, Esperanza Spalding, to entire generation of Glee and a double-bill of R&B powerhouses Wicked fans with the phrase “CSO” Seal and Macy Gray to the on their lips for the first time; and “conductor of the year” Jaap van Patti LuPone’s gala pairing with Zweden. Stanley Freehling and Robert Krebs success in his first season as the Ravinia Festival joined forces with the director of our summer Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater conservatory’s program for singers— Chicago to expose youngsters to joining Miriam Fried, who leads the some crucial principles behind music program for piano and strings, and through ordinary objects and ideas David Baker, who heads up the in an interactive exhibit called program for jazz. Each year, 60-70 “Music Makers.” Young people not of the most talented young music only will learn how to make sounds professionals from around the world and put them together in a pleasing are awarded fully funded fellowships manner, but they will discover that to participate in this complete music can be found (and created!) musical immersion that includes everywhere. The entrance to the working one-on-one and in ensemble exhibit—which is expected to attract with our esteemed faculty and more than 325,000 visitors all performing free preview concerts through the year—mimics Ravinia’s and public master classes with such iconic arch. Ravinia guest artists as Conlon, Kiri We already know from our Te Kanawa and Christoph own education programs that reach Eschenbach as well as performing 75,000 people under the banner five popular, stand-alone concerts on REACH*TEACH*PLAY that the BGH $10 Classics Series. To interaction with music strengthens Welz Kauffman, ensure the success of this program as school and community bonds, President and CEO we head into its milestone year, we increases cross-curricular are in the midst of an endowment achievement and boosts confidence. campaign aptly titled “Everything for In fact, one young girl at the exhibit’s Our reimagined use of the the Artist.” We hope you can support opening was confident enough to intimate 450-seat Bennett Gordon this worthy endeavor. inform Chicago piano legend and Hall (BGH) to present $10 classical Keeping to its mission of Artistic Director of Jazz at Ravinia concerts expanded this summer to making the most of the 36 acres that Ramsey Lewis that he was “doing it more than 30 events that featured we call home, Ravinia rebuilt and wrong” when he dared to improvise such local favorites as ragtime pianist beautified its North Priority Parking on an age-old childhood chestnut. Reginald Robinson and violinist Lot this year, making potholes and We’re not just putting young Rachel Barton Pine as well as such puddles a thing of the past. This is minds to the artistic side of music, but international stars as cellist Zuill the latest in a long line of also to the business end of audience Bailey and pianist Awadagin Pratt. infrastructure improvements over the development, and in 2012 we The Chicago Tribune took notice, past decade that began with the expanded our Classical Youth declaring, “That’s an impressive building of a new dining pavilion Initiative that challenges high school lineup by any standard, and it that offers several different eating students to use their own terms and includes a hefty slate of bargain- opportunities from grab-and-go to sit- tools to devise a multimedia priced, early-evening recitals by down dining, to mobility carts to help Welz Kauffman and Sheridan young classical musicians whose patrons navigate the park on careers can only benefit from the Turner at opening of Music Makers classical music nights, to last year’s at Kohl Children’s Museum exposure they receive here.” We’ve grand opening of a grand entrance further expanded the BGH $10 complete with an underpass to the Classics series to feature a handful of commuter lines that stop at our front concerts in the fall, winter and gates. And we continue to grow on spring. our grounds and in the community. Of course the centerpiece of As leaders of Ravinia Festival, this series is the group of we should expect to meet a few performances by participants in “Music Makers.” But we encountered RSMI, which is preparing a something this fall the likes of which celebration of its 25th anniversary in we’ve never witnessed before, when 2013. Kevin Murphy enjoyed great artist Richard Hunt, who created Ravinia’s first artwork in the 1970s. Both men are Ravinia Festival Life Trustees today. When Stan’s wife Joan—a Ravinia legend in her own right—passed away last year, he commissioned his old friend Richard to create a practical piece of art for Ravinia in her memory. The beautiful heart-motif bench was unveiled this summer and sits for all to enjoy outside the Freehling Room at the John D. Harza Building. As an added surprise, we commissioned a second Hunt work for the park— Beyond the Frame is Hunt’s first wall-hung sculpture—and dedicated it to Mr. Freehling himself. It now hangs in the Robert and Anne Krebs with Park View restaurant. Welz Kauffman at the Gala. We close this message with tremendous thanks to all our marketing approach to get their the Women’s Board of Ravinia supporters—individuals and peers to experience a free CSO Festival. They make the music corporations, including UBS, which concert at Ravinia. The high school happen. With five decades of has stepped up as Ravinia’s lead that has the most students attend invaluable accomplishments under sponsor since 2004. Great thanks through the course of the summer their belts—including our annual gala goes to the entire volunteer force that wins a $5,000 grant for its music fundraiser and our first foray into makes up the Ravinia family, now programs. This year’s winner was education—this esteemed group engaged in a thoughtful long-range Central High School in Burlington, IL.