The Cleveland Orchestra Announces 2017 BLOSSOM MUSIC FESTIVAL

THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA ANNOUNCES 2017 BLOSSOM MUSIC FESTIVAL, PRESENTED BY THE J.M. SMUCKER COMPANY

Franz Welser-Möst to conduct three concerts, featuring Beethoven's Symphony No. 2, Beethoven's Symphony No. 7, an evening of opera favorites, and more

Blossom Summer Season includes 21 concerts of family-friendly programming on weekends from Fourth-of-July through Labor Day Weekend

"Under 18s Free" continues for every Blossom Music Festival concert

Subscription renewals currently underway; Premier subscriptions for Classics, Celebrations, or Pops series concerts plus Create-Your-Own subscriptions now available for purchase

Popular Lawn Ticket Books available now: $160 for a book of ten Lawn passes, with two FREE Pavilion upgrade coupons in each book

Individual tickets for the general public go on sale in early May

CLEVELAND - The Cleveland Orchestra has announced the 2017 Blossom Music Festival season at its summer music home, Blossom Music Center. Festival highlights include:

· Cleveland Orchestra Music Director Franz Welser-Möst conducting Beethoven's Symphony No. 2 and Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique (July 8), a special evening of opera favorites featuring soprano Erin Wall (July 9), and works by Beethoven, Milhaud, and Roussel (July 15)

· Celebrating the 4th of July, Blossom's traditional, star-spangled concerts with the Blossom Festival Band, A Salute to America (July 3 & 4)

· Eternal favorites performed by the Orchestra and vocalists of beloved singer/songwriter Carole King (July 23)

· An all-Tchaikovsky program that includes his timeless Piano Concerto No. 1 and Symphony No. 5 (August 5)

· A swinging tribute to Ella Fitzgerald in celebration of her 100th birthday (August 27)

· Movie night, the Steven Spielberg masterpiece E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, shown in HD with the score by John Williams performed live (September 1-3)

· Fireworks featured post-concert July 1 and 2, July 3 and 4, September 1 to 3

All of these concerts, and more, will be held at Blossom Music Center from Fourth of July weekend through Labor Day weekend (July 1 - September 3, 2017).

Details of the 2017 Blossom Music Festival season, including Cleveland Orchestra and Festival soloist and conductor debuts, are available in the Calendar section below and online at clevelandorchestra.com. Concert schedules and series renewals are being mailed to subscribers of last year's Festival, and new series packages are available for purchase now. Lawn Ticket Books are also on sale now. Individual tickets for the entire season go on sale to the general public in early May.

Family-friendly "Under 18s Free" tickets continue at every Blossom Music Festival concert
"Under 18s Free" is a program of The Cleveland Orchestra's Center for Future Audiences. The Center, created with a lead endowment gift from the Maltz Family Foundation, was established to fund programs to develop new generations of audiences for Cleveland Orchestra concerts in Northeast Ohio. "Under 18s Free" continues to develop young audiences by making attending Orchestra concerts affordable for families, offering free Lawn tickets to young people, 17 and under, for every Blossom Music Festival concert again this season. Over 110,000 young people have attended Blossom Music Festival concerts since the Center for Future Audiences was inaugurated.

2017 TICKET, SERIES, AND SPONSOR INFORMATION
Subscription Renewals are currently underway with Premier Subscriptions and Create-Your-Own Series plus Lawn Ticket Books now available for purchase. Individual tickets for the general public go on sale in early May by telephone, in person at the Severance Hall Ticket Office, and online at clevelandorchestra.com. Tickets start at $25. The Blossom Box Office opens for the season beginning on Saturday, June 3, and will be open throughout the summer on Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. and from 1:00 p.m. through intermission on concert days.

PREMIER SUBSCRIPTION SERIES
The 2017 Blossom Music Festival features two five-concert "Classics" series, a four-concert "Celebrations" series, and a five-concert "Pops" series. Ticket packages, on sale now, offer approximately 20% savings off individual-ticket prices. Ticket package prices start at $80, which includes free Lot B parking and access to Kulas Plaza. Box-seat ticket packages include complimentary parking in First Energy Lot A behind the main Box Office in addition to access to Kulas Plaza.

CREATE-YOUR-OWN SERIES
A Create-Your-Own Series package is being offered again this season. When purchasing 4 or more concerts, there is a savings of approximately 10% off the individual ticket prices. There is no limit to the number of Create-Your-Own Series purchases. All subscribers receive free parking in Lot B.

LAWN TICKET BOOKS INCLUDE TWO PAVILION UPGRADES AND QUALIFY FOR THE "UNDER 18S FREE" PROGRAM
Lawn Ticket Books of ten vouchers are now available for $160 (a savings of up to $100). Lawn vouchers qualify for youth admission as part of the "Under18s Free" program. Youth admission tickets can be requested after individual tickets go on sale. Contact the Box Office or visit clevelandorchestra.com for information about this program.

GROUP TICKET SALES
Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. Call the Cleveland Orchestra Group Sales Office at Severance Hall at 216-231-7493 for more information.

Blossom Music Festival Presented by The J.M. Smucker Company
The Cleveland Orchestra is proud to partner with The J.M. Smucker Company as the Season Sponsor of the Blossom Music Festival. The J.M. Smucker Company has supported The Cleveland Orchestra for decades with annual contributions as well as capital gifts for improvements at Blossom Music Center. The company's ongoing, generous support has been recognized through concert sponsorship at Blossom for the past decade, and has earned them recognition as a member of the Orchestra's John L. Severance Society - a group of the Orchestra's most dedicated and generous corporate, foundation, and individual supporters.

2017 Blossom Music Festival Calendar

TCHAIKOVSKY'S SPECTACULAR

1812 OVERTURE AND OTHER FAVORITES

Saturday, July 1, 2017, at 8:00 p.m.*

Sunday, July 2, 2017, at 8:00 p.m.*

The Cleveland Orchestra

Jahja Ling, conductor

Aaron Diehl, piano - Cleveland Orchestra debut

SHOSTAKOVICH Tahiti Trot

GERSHWIN Concerto in F

GERSHWIN Porgy and Bess: A Symphonic Picture (arr. Bennett)

TCHAIKOVSKY "1812" Overture

* Denotes fireworks following the concert, weather permitting.

A SALUTE TO AMERICA

Monday, July 3, 2017, at 8:00 p.m.*

Tuesday, July 4, 2017, at 8:00 p.m.*

Blossom Festival Band

Loras John Schissel, conductor

Great music, fireworks, and fun for the whole family! Blossom's traditional, star-spangled celebration with the Blossom Festival Band features a mix of patriotic Sousa marches, Broadway favorites, an Armed Forces Salute, and more - concluding with the "1812" Overture and fireworks!

* Denotes fireworks following the concert, weather permitting.

SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE

Saturday, July 8, 2017, at 8:00 p.m.

The Cleveland Orchestra

Franz Welser-Möst, conductor

BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 2

BERLIOZ Symphonie fantastique

A NIGHT AT THE OPERA

Sunday, July 9, 2017, at 7:00 p.m.

The Cleveland Orchestra

Franz Welser-Möst, conductor

Erin Wall, soprano - Blossom Music Festival debut

Cleveland Orchestra Music Director Franz Welser-Möst leads an evening of orchestral selections and arias from favorite operas by Mozart, Verdi, Strauss and more. Soprano Erin Wall makes her Blossom Music Festival debut.

BEETHOVEN 7

Saturday, July 15, 2017, at 8:00 p.m.

The Cleveland Orchestra

Franz Welser-Möst, conductor

MILHAUD Le Boeuf sur le toit [The Ox on the Roof]

ROUSSEL Suite No. 2 from Bacchus and Ariane

BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7

BEST OF BROADWAY

Sunday, July 16, 2017, at 7:00 p.m.

The Cleveland Orchestra

Jack Everly, conductor

Kathy Voytko, vocalist

Ted Keegan, vocalist

Ron Remke, vocalist

Richard Todd Adams, vocalist - Cleveland Orchestra debut

Blossom Festival Chorus

Celebrate the greatest hits of America's Broadway legends. Broadway stars Kathy Voytko, Ted Keegan, Ron Remke, and Richard Todd Adams dazzle you with your favorite melodies from great musicals. Selections from the great musicals of Irving Berlin, Lerner and Loewe, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Andrew Lloyd Webber, including Oklahoma!, The Phantom of the Opera, The Music Man, LES MISERABLES, and more!

DVORÁK'S NEW WORLD

Saturday, July 22, 2017, at 7:00 p.m.*

The Cleveland Orchestra

Jahja Ling, conductor

Eli Matthews, violin - Cleveland Orchestra concerto debut

with the Kent/Blossom Chamber Orchestra*

ROSSINI Overture to The Barber of Seville

PAGANINI Violin Concerto No. 1

DVO?ÁK Symphony No. 9 ("From the New World")

Celebrating its 50th season in 2017, the Kent/Blossom Music Festival began when The Cleveland Orchestra and Kent State University launched a partnership in 1968, the year Blossom Music Center opened. For five weeks in June and July, Kent/Blossom Music Festival's advanced training program brings musicians from around the world to Ohio for professional training in chamber music and orchestral studies with members of The Cleveland Orchestra and other elite faculty. Festival participants will perform with The Cleveland Orchestra in a side-by-side concert and also present a pre-concert program of music.

*Kent/Blossom Chamber Orchestra performs at 7:00 p.m. The Cleveland Orchestra's concert (program listed above) begins at 8:00 p.m.

THE Carole King SONGBOOK

Sunday, July 23, 2017, at 7:00 p.m.

The Cleveland Orchestra

Michael Krajewski, conductor

Liz Callaway, vocalist - Cleveland Orchestra debut

Allison Blackwell, vocalist - Cleveland Orchestra debut

Bryce Ryness, vocalist - Cleveland Orchestra debut

One of the most beloved singer/songwriters and blockbuster recording artists -

Timeless favorites of Carole King are given full symphonic treatment. Songs include: "It's Too Late," "Locomotion," "So Far Away," "You've Got a Friend," "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," "Natural Woman," and more.

ROMANTIC RACHMANINOFF

Saturday, July 29, 2017, at 8:00 p.m.

The Cleveland Orchestra

Vasily Petrenko, conductor - Cleveland Orchestra debut

David Fray, piano

MOZART Piano Concerto No. 24

RACHMANINOFF Symphony No. 2

TCHAIKOVSKY FAVORITES

Saturday, August 5, 2017, at 8:00 p.m.

The Cleveland Orchestra

Robert Trevino, conductor - Cleveland Orchestra debut

Behzod Abduraimov, piano - Cleveland Orchestra debut

TCHAIKOVSKY Piano Concerto No. 1

TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 5

THE ROSE CAVALIER

Sunday, August 6, 2017, at 7:00 p.m.

The Cleveland Orchestra

Juraj Val?uha, conductor - Cleveland Orchestra debut

Stefan Jackiw, violin - Blossom Music Festival debut

STRAUSS Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks

ROTA Suite from La Strada

KORNGOLD Violin Concerto

STRAUSS Suite from Der Rosenkavalier [The Rose Cavalier]

THE FIREBIRD

Saturday, August 12, 2017, at 8:00 p.m.

The Cleveland Orchestra

Gustavo Gimeno, conductor

Johannes Moser, cello

RAVEL Alborada del gracioso [Morning Song of the Jester]

LALO Cello Concerto

FALLA Suite from El amor bruho [Love, the Magician]

STRAVINSKY Suite from The Firebird

HOLLYWOOD HEROES AND SUPERHEROES