Ravinia Festival News

The music, humor, warmth and life of Marvin Hamlisch will once again grace the Heinz Hall stage when "Play It Again, Marvin! A Marvin Hamlisch Celebration" makes its world premiere with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on June 28 at 8 p.m.

The music, humor, warmth and life of Marvin Hamlisch will once again grace the Heinz Hall stage when "Play It Again, Marvin! A Marvin Hamlisch Celebration" makes its world premiere with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on June 28 at 8 p.m.

This is the moment to be part of LINDA EDER'S LIVE CONCERT RECORDING. Hundreds of Linda Eder's friends and fans from around the world are traveling to Saratoga Springs, NY on Saturday, June 21st to be part of the audience for this amazing one-night-only concert recording event and celebration - Linda would love to have you there to be a part of the Magic!

The Marriott Theatre presents the Chicagoland premiere of the Broadway Revival of GODSPELL, which opened June 11, and runs through August 10 at 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire, IL. GODSPELL was originally conceived and directed by John-Michael Tebelak, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, composer of Wickedand Pippin. Director and Choreographer Matt Raftery delivers a fresh, organic, intimate production, literally 'illustrating' the parables of the New Testament and bringing its lessons to life on the Marriott stage. The brilliant recent Broadway arrangements and orchestrations will be delivered under the Musical Direction of Ryan T. Nelson. Check out a look back at opening night below!

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association, at its Board of Trustees meeting today, acknowledged the announcement by Helen and Sam Zell that the Zell Family Foundation has made a $17 million contribution to the CSOA's endowment and general operating funds. This gift provides for the naming, in perpetuity, of the position of Music Director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, which has been held by Riccardo Muti since 2010.

Michael Cerveris, Isaiah Johnson, Randy Newman, Laura Osnes, Vonda Shepard, Brooklyn Shuck, Tony Vincent and Broadway Inspirational Voices have been cast in Randy Newman's Faust: The Concert, which will be performed on July 1 as the second Encores! Off-Center presentation of the 2014 season. Faust will be directed by Thomas Kail and choreographed by Marcos Santana. Jeanine Tesori is the Encores! Off-Center artistic director; Chris Fenwick is its music director.

Justin Hayward, John Lodge and Graeme Edge - will be continuing their 'voyage' on THE VOYAGE CONTINUES: TIMELESS FLIGHT tour, with new U.S. dates announced for their upcoming summer 2014 schedule. The tour, which begins in Syracuse, New York on August 1, will continue through September 4 & 5 with appearances at the Ravinia Festival in Chicago, Illinois and Verizon Hall in Philadelphia on August 11.

The Marriott Theatre presents the Chicagoland premiere of the Broadway Revival of GODSPELL, opening tonight, June 11 and running through August 10 at 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire, IL. GODSPELL was originally conceived and directed by John-Michael Tebelak, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, composer of Wickedand Pippin. Director and Choreographer Matt Raftery delivers a fresh, organic, intimate production, literally 'illustrating' the parables of the New Testament and bringing its lessons to life on the Marriott stage. The brilliant recent Broadway arrangements and orchestrations will be delivered under the Musical Direction of Ryan T. Nelson. Watch highlights from the production below!

The Marriott Theatre presents the Chicagoland premiere of the Broadway Revival of GODSPELL, previewing June 4, opening June 11 and running through August 10 at 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire, IL. GODSPELL was originally conceived and directed by John-Michael Tebelak, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, composer of Wicked and Pippin. Director and Choreographer Matt Raftery delivers a fresh, organic, intimate production, literally 'illustrating' the parables of the New Testament and bringing its lessons to life on the Marriott stage. The brilliant recent Broadway arrangements and orchestrations will be delivered under the Musical Direction of Ryan T. Nelson. Scroll down for a first look at the cast in action!

Perennial hitmakers and three-time Grammy award winners, Train have released their new single, 'Angel In Blue Jeans,' today, specially premiering the debut track live from their forthcoming album on the Howard Stern show via SiriusXM.

Violinist Simone Lamsma makes her debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO), today, June 5-8, with guest conductor Jaap van Zweden leading Benjamin Britten's Violin Concerto. Also featured on the program is Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op. 47. Lamsma's appearance is endowed in part by the Nuveen Investments Emerging Artist Fund, which is committed to nurturing the next generation of great classical music artists.

Violinist Simone Lamsma makes her debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO), on June 5-8, with guest conductor Jaap van Zweden leading Benjamin Britten's Violin Concerto. Also featured on the program is Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op. 47. Lamsma's appearance is endowed in part by the Nuveen Investments Emerging Artist Fund, which is committed to nurturing the next generation of great classical music artists.

Jazz pianist and MacArthur 'Genius' award recipient Jason Moran and internationally acclaimed, Chicago-based visual artist Theaster Gates premiere their new work, Looks of a Lot, in a Symphony Center Presents Jazz series concert tonight, May 30 at 8 p.m. Influenced by Chicago stories from various eras, the project represents the second commission by Symphony Center Presents Jazz series and is also a part of the CSO's Truth to Power Festival, offering an exploration of transformative music composed during some of the most challenging chapters of history.

General Director Plácido Domingo announced today that Grant Gershon has renewed his contract at LA Opera's Resident Conductor, effective through June of 2017.

General Director Plácido Domingo announced today that Grant Gershon has renewed his contract at LA Opera's Resident Conductor, effective through June of 2017.

Michael Miles performs his acclaimed one-man show, From Senegal to Seeger, a social and political portrait of America through the strings of a banjo, live at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre, 2030 Hwy 89A in West Sedona, at 7:30 p.m., Monday June 2. Tickets will be available at the door and online at www.sedonacollaborative.org. Tickets are $35.

The New York Philharmonic will salute departing Principal Trumpet Philip Smith - who will step down from his position at the end of the 2013-14 season following 36 seasons of service - in A Celebration of Phil Smith, a concert featuring the New York Philharmonic Brass and Percussion Ensemble, conducted by Mr. Smith and Bramwell Tovey, July 5, 2014, at 2:00 p.m. The program will also include works that showcase brass: an arrangement of Rimsky-Korsakov's Procession of the Nobles; a Horn Quartet by Gershwin; Tomasi's Liturgical Fanfares; an arrangement of The Great Gate of Kiev from Musorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition; and Pollack's That's a Plenty, which the New York Philharmonic Principal Brass Quintet, of which Mr. Smith was a founding member, has frequently performed as an encore on the Orchestra's tours. Philharmonic musicians will introduce the works and speak about Mr. Smith.

CDI/Concert Dance Inc. (CDI) returns as part of the Ruth Page Festival of Dance and marks the opening event of the 2014 Ravinia Season Thursday, June 5 and Friday, June 6 st 7:30 p.m. in Ravinia's Bennett Gordon Hall Ravinia is located at 418 Sheridan Rd., Highland Park and gates to the event open at 6:30 p.m. Regularly commissioned by Ravinia to present new works, the CDI performance includes the world premiere of "Four Last Songs" choreographed by Artistic Director Venetia Stifler and uses dancers and live vocals, piano and violin accompaniment in a new compositional reduction inspired by songs written shortly before Richard Strauss' death, Reserved seating tickets are available for $10 and may be purchased at www.ravinia.org or via phone by calling 847.266.5100. No lawn seating will be available. For more information on CDI and the Ruth Page Festival of Dance, please visit www.ruthpage.org

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association announces the 2014/15 season programming for its acclaimed MusicNOW contemporary music series—dedicated to showcasing contemporary music through an innovative concert experience. Uniquely curated by CSO Mead Composers-In-Residence Mason Bates and Anna Clyne, the annual, four-concert series in 2014/15 presents a range of work from major musical figures such as Pierre Boulez and established contemporary talents such as John Luther Adams and Michael Gordon. Programs are performed by members of the CSO and guest artists led by MusicNOW principal conductor Cliff Colnot and guest conductors, which this year includes James Feddeck, winner of the 2013 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) presents its annual spring festival from May 19 to June 8, 2014, which this year is entitled Truth to Power. Inspired by the phrase "speaking truth to power"-part of a 1955 Quaker treatise that outlined alternatives to violence and served as a cornerstone for the pacifist movement-the Truth to Power Festival highlights the works of Dmitri Shostakovich, Benjamin Britten and Sergei Prokofiev, three composers who believed in music's ability to connect people and thus harness the power of shared experience.