Experience the radiance of sound at Symphony Center.
Live music is an electrifying exchange between artist and audience, a moment of pure connection only found in the concert hall. In the 2025/26 Season, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra invites you to revel in timeless masterpieces and bold new works as they come to life with breathtaking artistry.
Zell Music Director Designate Klaus Mäkelä, Music Director Emeritus for Life Riccardo Muti and world-renowned guest conductors lead a season filled with symphonic treasures, iconic concertos — starring classical music’s biggest names — and reflections on history, culture and the human spirit. The season also welcomes renowned mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato as the 2025/26 CSO Artist-in-Residence.
Celebrated for her warmth and virtuosity, DiDonato brings stunning performances and engaging community events to Symphony Center.
Share in the transcendent moments when music moves beyond sound to stir the spirit.
Your seat awaits.
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Can’t find a curated series that works for you? Create your own. Save 15% when you combine any three or more concerts that perfectly fit your tastes and schedule! Visit cso.org/cyo to get started.
Klaus Mäkelä
Riccardo
cso classical curated series
Thursday A
A1
Thrilling orchestral masterpieces and intriguing contemporary works
5 Concerts at 7:30
SEP 25
Ravel Piano Concertos & Suite from Carmen
Mikko Franck conductor
Alice Sara Ott piano
PÉPIN Les Eaux célestes
RAVEL Piano Concerto for the Left Hand
RAVEL Piano Concerto in G Major
BIZET Carmen Suite
Alice Sara Ott pairs Ravel’s wildly original piano concertos in rare side-by-side performances. Framing the program are Bizet’s fiery Carmen Suite and Camille Pépin’s shimmering Celestial Waters.
FEB 5
Salonen Conducts La mer
Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor
Gabriel Cabezas cello
DEBUSSY Images
SMITH Lost Coast
DEBUSSY La mer
Embark on a thrilling voyage over two striking visions of the ocean in Debussy’s ravishing La mer and Gabriella Smith’s Lost Coast, inspired by the rugged Northern California coastline.
MAR 26
Muti Conducts
Manfred Honeck
NOV 20 | SERIES HIGHLIGHT
Honeck Conducts
Mozart Requiem
Manfred Honeck conductor
Jeanine De Bique soprano
Avery Amereau mezzo-soprano
Ben Bliss tenor
Stephano Park bass
Chicago Symphony Chorus
BEETHOVEN Coriolan Overture
HAYDN Symphony No. 93
MOZART Requiem
Mozart’s Requiem was his great send-off to the world. In this profoundly evocative program, Manfred Honeck reimagines the masterpiece as it may have been heard at the composer’s own funeral, interwoven with Gregorian chant and additional choral works by Mozart.
Tchaikovsky & Rota
Riccardo Muti conductor
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 3 (Polish)
ROTA Music from The Leopard
ROTA Suite from The Godfather
Riccardo Muti pairs Tchaikovsky’s elegant Polish Symphony with the evocative music of Nino Rota, celebrated for his iconic film scores and compositions that seamlessly blend drama, lyricism and charm.
Riccardo Muti
JUNE 11
Gaffigan, Thibaudet & Bernstein
James Gaffigan conductor
Jean-Yves Thibaudet piano
Apostolic Church of God Sanctuary Choir
GERSHWIN (orch. Rose) Overture to Girl Crazy
Selected Spirituals
WEILL (arr. R. R. Bennett) Lady in the Dark, Symphonic Nocturne
BERNSTEIN Symphony No. 2 (The Age of Anxiety)
Leonard Bernstein’s The Age of Anxiety features Jean-Yves Thibaudet performing the extravagant piano part. Sumptuous orchestral highlights from Gershwin and Weill musicals frame a stirring selection of spirituals.
10-CONCERT
Combine A1 and A2 to maximize your savings with the full 10-concert series!
Programs drawing from the heart of the classical repertoire
5 Concerts at 7:30
OCT 16
Mäkelä Conducts Symphonie fantastique
Klaus Mäkelä conductor
Antoine Tamestit viola
BERLIOZ Harold in Italy
BERLIOZ Symphonie fantastique
Klaus Mäkelä leads Symphonie fantastique, Berlioz’s thriller packed with depictions of witchcraft, obsession and murder. Berlioz’s Harold in Italy features viola virtuoso Antoine Tamestit.
DEC 4
Till Eulenspiegel & Bullock Sings Aucoin
Petr Popelka conductor
Julia Bullock soprano
BRAHMS Symphony No. 3
AUCOIN Song of the Reappeared world premiere, cso commission R. STRAUSS Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks
Richard Strauss’ humorous and charming Till Eulenspiegel and Brahms’ glorious Third Symphony frame the world premiere of Matthew Aucoin’s song cycle written for the captivating soprano Julia Bullock.
MAR 12
Jakub Hrůša & Leif Ove Andsnes
Jakub Hrůša conductor
Leif Ove Andsnes piano
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3
SCHUMANN Symphony No. 1 (Spring)
SMETANA Selections from The Bartered Bride
Czech conductor Jakub Hrůša leads selections from Smetana’s The Bartered Bride, an opera full of soaring tunes and folkloric color. Leif Ove Andsnes scales
Beethoven’s stormy Third Piano Concerto.
Leif Ove Andsnes
Karina Canellakis
APR 30 | SERIES HIGHLIGHT Canellakis, Tao & Tchaikovsky 5
Karina Canellakis conductor
Conrad Tao piano
DVOŘÁK Scherzo capriccioso
BARTÓK Piano Concerto No. 3
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 5
“With desire and passion,” Tchaikovsky wrote on the score of his Fifth Symphony, a work that journeys from despair to soaring triumph. Bartók’s beguiling Third Piano Concerto features soloist Conrad Tao.
MAY 21
Pekka Kuusisto: Time Shifting
Pekka Kuusisto conductor and violin
GRIEG Holberg Suite
KREISLER Violin Concerto in C Major (In the Style of Vivaldi)
RAUTAVAARA The Fiddlers
HAYDN Symphony No. 64 (Tempora mutantur)
CLYNE Sound and Fury
Finnish star Pekka Kuusisto explores the theme of time itself. He conducts works by Haydn, Grieg, Rautavaara and former Mead Composer-in-Residence Anna Clyne, and steps out as the soloist in Kreisler’s Violin Concerto.
See pages 14-15 for more information.
Thursday B
Landmark symphonies and star soloists
5 Concerts at 7:30 B1
OCT 30
Muti Conducts Strauss, Hindemith
& Dvořák 9
Riccardo Muti conductor
JOHANN STRAUSS, JR. Overture to The Gypsy Baron
HINDEMITH Symphony, Mathis der Maler
DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 9 (From the New World)
Music Director Emeritus for Life Riccardo
Muti returns with Dvořák’s New World Symphony, whose glorious melodies celebrate American folk music and spirituals, alongside Hindemith’s majestic Mathis der Maler
JAN 29
Salonen, Trifonov & Beethoven
Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor
Daniil Trifonov piano
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 2
BRUCKNER Symphony No. 4 (Romantic)
Bruckner’s Romantic Symphony evokes a storybook landscape of peaks and valleys, forest dances and hymns of thanksgiving. Chicago favorite Daniil Trifonov takes on Beethoven’s Second Piano Concerto.
MAY 14
Poulenc Gloria & Saint-Saëns
Gianandrea Noseda
DEC 11 | SERIES HIGHLIGHT
Noseda Conducts
Debussy & Prokofiev 4
Gianandrea Noseda conductor
James Ehnes violin
DEBUSSY Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun
BRITTEN Violin Concerto
PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 4
A work of dark, searching grandeur, Prokofiev’s Fourth Symphony gathers sumptuous themes from his ballet music. Britten’s Violin Concerto, a searing response to the Spanish Civil War, features James Ehnes.
Organ Symphony
Juraj Valčuha conductor
Erin Morley soprano
Chicago Symphony Chorus
RAVEL Mother Goose Suite
POULENC Gloria
SAINT-SAËNS Symphony No. 3 (Organ)
Discover an all-French program anchored by Saint-Saëns’ epic Organ Symphony. Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite charms with its tender evocation of childhood, while Poulenc’s Gloria dazzles with wit and radiant energy.
JUNE 18
Lincoln Portrait & Ellington Harlem
Joshua Weilerstein conductor
MONTGOMERY Banner
MARTINŮ The Rock
COPLAND Lincoln Portrait
IVES Three Places in New England
ELLINGTON Harlem
Celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with a powerful program that includes Copland’s soaring tribute to Lincoln, musical portraits of New England by Ives and Martinů and Ellington’s swinging tour of Harlem.
See pages 14-15 for more information.
Combine B1 and B2 to maximize your savings with the full 10-concert series!
Concerts packed with stellar repertoire
5 Concerts at 7:30
OCT 9
Hadelich, Dvořák & Brahms 2
Philippe Jordan conductor
Augustin Hadelich violin
KODÁLY Dances of Galánta
DVOŘÁK Violin Concerto
BRAHMS Symphony No. 2
Dvořák’s soulful Violin Concerto is a perfect vehicle for Augustin Hadelich, who “conveys the music’s rousing energy” (The New York Times). Brahms’ rustic Second Symphony closes the program.
NOV
13
Chen Leads
The Four Seasons
Robert Chen leader and violin
MOZART Divertimento in B-flat Major, K. 137
BEETHOVEN (orch. Mahler) String Quartet No. 11
VIVALDI The Four Seasons
Concertmaster Robert Chen takes center stage in Vivaldi’s landmark Four Seasons and leads Mahler’s orchestral rendering of Beethoven’s Serioso Quartet and Mozart’s exquisitely crafted Divertimento in B-flat Major.
Corinne Winters
APR
9
Songs of Love and Farewell
Jakub Hrůša conductor
Corinne Winters soprano
JANÁČEK Overture to From the House of the Dead
RACHMANINOV The Isle of the Dead
R. STRAUSS Four Last Songs
WAGNER Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde
Why are we here, and what comes next? Experience four meditations on mortality and the hereafter by Richard Strauss, Wagner, Rachmaninov and Janáček.
Klaus Mäkelä
FEB 19 | SERIES HIGHLIGHT
Mäkelä Conducts
Ein Heldenleben
Klaus Mäkelä conductor
SIBELIUS Lemminkäinen
R. STRAUSS Ein Heldenleben
Richard Strauss portrays himself as the central character of his extravagant showpiece A Hero’s Life. Klaus Mäkelä pairs the work with Sibelius’ Lemminkäinen, a symphonic portrait of Finland’s folk hero.
MAY
28
Brahms, Strauss & Ravel La valse
Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider conductor
Martin Helmchen piano
BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 1
R. STRAUSS Suite from Der Rosenkavalier
RAVEL La valse
Brahms’ First Piano Concerto awes with its intense passion and unabashedly dramatic piano writing — the ideal showcase for Martin Helmchen. Works by Ravel and Richard Strauss evoke Vienna’s bygone golden age.
Thursday C
C1
A marvelously varied selection of familiar and rare repertoire
5 Concerts at 7:30
OCT 23
The Soldier’s Tale
Stefan Asbury conductor
Steve Scott director
STRAVINSKY Fanfare for a New Theatre
STRAVINSKY Septet
STRAVINSKY Octet
STRAVINSKY The Soldier’s Tale
Step into the engrossing world of Stravinsky’s
The Soldier’s Tale, the story of a soldier-fiddler who makes a Faustian pact with the devil, in this semi-staged production featuring actors from The Goodman. Other Stravinsky delights include the neoclassical Octet.
Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale is produced in association with Goodman Theatre.
DEC 18
Klaus Mäkelä & Yunchan Lim
Klaus Mäkelä conductor
Yunchan Lim piano
CHIN subito con forza
SCHUMANN Piano Concerto
WIDMANN Con brio
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7
Klaus Mäkelä conducts Beethoven’s buoyant Seventh Symphony alongside contemporary pieces inspired by the composer. The sensational Yunchan Lim presents Robert Schumann’s heartfelt Piano Concerto.
MAR 19
An Opera Night with Riccardo Muti
Riccardo Muti conductor
Lidia Fridman soprano
Francesco Meli tenor
Chicago Symphony Chorus
Program includes works by VERDI, GIORDANO and CATALANI, as well as PUCCINI’s last act of Manon Lescaut
Revel in an enthralling selection of treasured Italian opera repertoire, anchored by Verdi’s passion-filled works. Riccardo Muti leads a handpicked lineup of international singers with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.
See pages 14-15 for more information.
Ksenija Sidorova
APR
2
Sibelius 2 & Tüür Accordion Concerto
Paavo Järvi conductor
Ksenija Sidorova accordion
BRAHMS Variations on a Theme by Haydn TÜÜR Prophecy
SIBELIUS Symphony No. 2
With its unforgettable, triumphant finale, Sibelius’ Second Symphony stands as an emblem of Finland’s nationalist spirit.
Brahms’ gloriously lyrical tribute to Haydn and an accordion concerto by Erkki-Sven Tüür open the program.
Marin Alsop
JUNE 4 | SERIES HIGHLIGHT
Alsop Conducts Adams, Copland & Marsalis
Marin Alsop conductor
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
JOHN ADAMS The Rock You Stand On cso co-commission
COPLAND Suite from Appalachian Spring
MARSALIS Liberty cso co-commission
The CSO joins forces with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra for Liberty (Symphony No. 5), Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Wynton Marsalis’ latest symphonic work. Copland’s Appalachian Spring and a new work by John Adams kick off an all-American celebration.
C2
Enjoy a quintessential CSO experience
5 Concerts at 7:30
SEP 18
Season Opening with Szeps-Znaider
Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider conductor and violin
Teng Li viola
MOZART Sinfonia concertante, K. 364
ELGAR Symphony No. 2
One of the most heartfelt musical dialogues ever written, Mozart’s Sinfonia concertante for violin and viola shares a program with Elgar’s stately, visionary Second Symphony.
Pablo Sáinz-Villegas
NOV 6 | SERIES HIGHLIGHT
Muti & Sáinz-Villegas
Riccardo Muti conductor
Pablo Sáinz-Villegas guitar
STRAVINSKY Divertimento, Suite from The Fairy’s Kiss
RODRIGO Concierto de Aranjuez
BRAHMS Symphony No. 4
Pablo Sáinz-Villegas takes on the most famous guitar concerto of all. Riccardo Muti leads Brahms’ Fourth Symphony — a blend of warmth and poignant anguish, capped with a tempest of a finale.
FEB 12
Jaap van Zweden, Himari & Mozart Jupiter
Jaap van Zweden conductor
Himari violin
THOMPSON To See the Sky
BRUCH Violin Concerto No. 1
MOZART Symphony No. 41 (Jupiter)
Sensational teen Himari illuminates
Bruch’s First Violin Concerto in her CSO subscription debut. Mozart’s electrifying Jupiter Symphony caps the program.
Andrey Boreyko
APR 16
PRIORITY ACCESS CONCERT* Evgeny Kissin with the CSO
Andrey Boreyko conductor
Evgeny Kissin piano
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Russian Easter Overture
SCRIABIN Piano Concerto
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Piano Concerto
LIADOV Kikimora
PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No. 1
Evgeny Kissin, “a deeply intuitive and sensitive musician” (The New York Times), joins the CSO in three piano concertos by Prokofiev, Scriabin and Rimsky-Korsakov.
Joyce DiDonato
MAY 7
DiDonato Performs Neruda Songs
Edward Gardner conductor Joyce DiDonato mezzo-soprano
BARBER First Essay for Orchestra
LIEBERSON Neruda Songs
WALTON Symphony No. 1
2025/26 CSO Artist-in-Residence
Joyce DiDonato sings Peter Lieberson’s heartbreakingly sensuous song cycle set to the poetry of Pablo Neruda. Walton’s tumultuous and alluring First Symphony concludes the program.
*See page 27 for details.
Friday A
Hear music from around the world 9 Concerts at 1:30 A1
SEP 19
Season Opening with Szeps-Znaider
Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider conductor and violin
Teng Li viola
MOZART Sinfonia concertante, K. 364
ELGAR Symphony No. 2
One of the most heartfelt musical dialogues ever written, Mozart’s Sinfonia concertante for violin and viola shares a program with Elgar’s stately, visionary Second Symphony.
OCT 24
The Soldier’s Tale
Stefan Asbury conductor
Steve Scott director
STRAVINSKY Fanfare for a New Theatre
STRAVINSKY Septet
STRAVINSKY Octet
STRAVINSKY The Soldier’s Tale
Step into the engrossing world of Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale, the story of a soldier-fiddler who makes a Faustian pact with the devil, in this semi-staged production featuring actors from The Goodman. Other Stravinsky delights include the neoclassical Octet.
Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale is produced in association with Goodman Theatre.
NOV 7
Muti & Sáinz-Villegas
Riccardo Muti conductor
Pablo Sáinz-Villegas guitar
STRAVINSKY Divertimento, Suite from The Fairy’s Kiss
RODRIGO Concierto de Aranjuez
BRAHMS Symphony No. 4
Pablo Sáinz-Villegas takes on the most famous guitar concerto of all. Riccardo Muti leads Brahms’ Fourth Symphony — a blend of warmth and poignant anguish, capped with a tempest of a finale.
DEC 5
Till Eulenspiegel & Bullock Sings Aucoin
Petr Popelka conductor
Julia Bullock soprano
BRAHMS Symphony No. 3
AUCOIN Song of the Reappeared world premiere, cso commission
R. STRAUSS Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks
Richard Strauss’ humorous and charming Till Eulenspiegel and Brahms’ glorious Third Symphony frame the world premiere of Matthew Aucoin’s song cycle written for the captivating soprano Julia Bullock.
DEC 19 | SERIES HIGHLIGHT
Klaus Mäkelä & Yunchan Lim
Klaus Mäkelä conductor
Yunchan Lim piano
CHIN subito con forza SCHUMANN Piano Concerto WIDMANN Con brio
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7
Klaus Mäkelä conducts Beethoven’s buoyant Seventh Symphony alongside contemporary pieces inspired by the composer. The sensational Yunchan Lim presents Robert Schumann’s heartfelt Piano Concerto.
Julia Bullock
Teng Li
Yunchan Lim
Combine A1 and A2 to maximize your savings with the full 18-concert series!
APR 3
Sibelius 2 & Tüür Accordion Concerto
Paavo Järvi conductor
Ksenija Sidorova accordion
BRAHMS Variations on a Theme by Haydn TÜÜR Prophecy
SIBELIUS Symphony No. 2
With its unforgettable, triumphant finale, Sibelius’ Second Symphony stands as an emblem of Finland’s nationalist spirit. Brahms’ gloriously lyrical tribute to Haydn and an accordion concerto by Erkki-Sven Tüür open the program.
MAY 15
Poulenc Gloria & Saint-Saëns
Organ Symphony
Juraj Valčuha conductor
Erin Morley soprano Chicago Symphony Chorus
RAVEL Mother Goose Suite
POULENC Gloria
SAINT-SAËNS Symphony No. 3 (Organ)
Discover an all-French program anchored by Saint-Saëns’ epic Organ Symphony. Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite charms with its tender evocation of childhood, while Poulenc’s Gloria dazzles with wit and radiant energy.
Paavo Järvi
Erin Morley
Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider
MAY 29
Brahms, Strauss & Ravel La valse
Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider conductor
Martin Helmchen piano
BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 1
R. STRAUSS Suite from Der Rosenkavalier
RAVEL La valse
Brahms’ First Piano Concerto awes with its intense passion and unabashedly dramatic piano writing — the ideal showcase for Martin Helmchen. Works by Ravel and Richard Strauss evoke Vienna’s bygone golden age.
JUNE 12
Gaffigan, Thibaudet & Bernstein
James Gaffigan conductor
Jean-Yves Thibaudet piano
Apostolic Church of God Sanctuary Choir
GERSHWIN (orch. Rose) Overture to Girl Crazy
Selected Spirituals
WEILL (arr. R. R. Bennett) Lady in the Dark, Symphonic Nocturne
BERNSTEIN Symphony No. 2 (The Age of Anxiety)
Leonard Bernstein’s The Age of Anxiety features Jean-Yves Thibaudet performing the extravagant piano part. Sumptuous orchestral highlights from Gershwin and Weill musicals frame a stirring selection of spirituals.
See pages 14-15 for more information.
Nine of the season’s most anticipated concerts 9 Concerts at 1:30 A2 Friday A
SEP 26
Ravel Piano Concertos & Suite from Carmen
Mikko Franck conductor
Alice Sara Ott piano
PÉPIN Les Eaux célestes
RAVEL Piano Concerto for the Left Hand
RAVEL Piano Concerto in G Major
BIZET Carmen Suite
Alice Sara Ott pairs Ravel’s wildly original piano concertos in rare side-by-side performances. Framing the program are Bizet’s fiery Carmen Suite and Camille Pépin’s shimmering Celestial Waters
OCT 3
Piccolo Play & Adagio for Strings
Daniela Candillari conductor
Jennifer Gunn piccolo
Giulia Semenzato soprano
Jennifer Johnson Cano mezzo-soprano
SIMON Fate Now Conquers
BARBER Adagio for Strings
MUSGRAVE Piccolo Play
PERGOLESI Stabat Mater
Pergolesi’s sacred masterpiece is filled with spine-tingling music on the nature of grief, hope and healing. These emotions also course through works by Barber and Carlos Simon.
Riccardo Muti
OCT 31 | SERIES HIGHLIGHT
Muti Conducts Strauss, Hindemith & Dvořák 9
Riccardo Muti conductor
JOHANN STRAUSS, JR. Overture to The Gypsy Baron
HINDEMITH Symphony, Mathis der Maler
DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 9 (From the New World)
Music Director Emeritus for Life Riccardo Muti returns with Dvořák’s New World Symphony, whose glorious melodies celebrate American folk music and spirituals, alongside Hindemith’s majestic Mathis der Maler
DEC
12
Noseda Conducts Debussy & Prokofiev 4
Gianandrea Noseda conductor
James Ehnes violin
DEBUSSY Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun
BRITTEN Violin Concerto
PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 4
A work of dark, searching grandeur, Prokofiev’s Fourth Symphony gathers sumptuous themes from his ballet music. Britten’s Violin Concerto, a searing response to the Spanish Civil War, features James Ehnes.
FEB 6
Salonen Conducts La mer
Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor
Gabriel Cabezas cello
DEBUSSY Images
SMITH Lost Coast
DEBUSSY La mer
Embark on a thrilling voyage over two striking visions of the ocean in Debussy’s ravishing La mer and Gabriella Smith’s Lost Coast, inspired by the rugged Northern California coastline.
Alice Sara Ott
Jennifer Gunn
MAR 13
Jakub Hrůša & Leif Ove Andsnes
Jakub Hrůša conductor
Leif Ove Andsnes piano
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3
SCHUMANN Symphony No. 1 (Spring)
SMETANA Selections from The Bartered Bride Czech conductor Jakub Hrůša leads selections from Smetana’s The Bartered Bride, an opera full of soaring tunes and folkloric color. Leif Ove Andsnes scales Beethoven’s stormy Third Piano Concerto.
MAY 1
Canellakis, Tao & Tchaikovsky 5
Karina Canellakis conductor
Conrad Tao piano
DVOŘÁK Scherzo capriccioso
BARTÓK Piano Concerto No. 3
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 5
“With desire and passion,” Tchaikovsky wrote on the score of his Fifth Symphony, a work that journeys from despair to soaring triumph. Bartók’s beguiling Third Piano Concerto features soloist Conrad Tao.
Pekka
MAY 22
Pekka Kuusisto: Time Shifting
Pekka Kuusisto conductor and violin
GRIEG Holberg Suite
KREISLER Violin Concerto in C Major (In the Style of Vivaldi)
RAUTAVAARA The Fiddlers
HAYDN Symphony No. 64 (Tempora mutantur)
CLYNE Sound and Fury
Finnish star Pekka Kuusisto explores the theme of time itself. He conducts works by Haydn, Grieg, Rautavaara and former Mead Composer-in-Residence Anna Clyne, and steps out as the soloist in Kreisler’s Violin Concerto.
JUNE 5
Alsop Conducts Adams, Copland & Marsalis
Marin Alsop conductor
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
JOHN ADAMS The Rock You Stand On cso co-commission
COPLAND Suite from Appalachian Spring
MARSALIS Liberty cso co-commission
The CSO joins forces with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra for Liberty (Symphony No. 5), Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Wynton Marsalis’ latest symphonic work. Copland’s Appalachian Spring and a new work by John Adams kick off an all-American celebration.
See pages 14-15 for more information.
Kuusisto
Conrad Tao
Jakub Hrůša
A Musical Journey
In June 2026, Symphony Center marks America’s 250th anniversary with performances that honor the nation’s rich and evolving cultural landscape. From concerts with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to appearances by guest artists and jazz ensembles, these curated programs reflect the country’s resilience, creativity and musical traditions.
Highlights include Wynton Marsalis’ Liberty Symphony with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, blending jazz, blues and classical influences, and Conrad Tao’s recital of works by American composers. Works by Copland, Gershwin and Ives explore the nation’s enduring spirit, culminating in epic performances of John Williams’ iconic Star Wars: A New Hope score live to film.
Join us for this dynamic tribute to 250 years of American history, and stay tuned for additional events to be announced. Visit cso.org/america250 for more information.
JUNE 2
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
JUNE 4-6
Alsop Conducts Adams, Copland & Marsalis
JUNE 7
Conrad Tao piano recital
JUNE 11-13
Gaffigan, Thibaudet & Bernstein
JUNE 18-21
Lincoln Portrait & Ellington Harlem
JUNE 25-27
Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert
2025/26 cso artist-in-residence
Joyce DiDonato
Versatility. Warmth. Virtuosity. Celebrated American mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato steps into the role of CSO Artist-in-Residence for the 2025/26 Season. Acclaimed for her interpretations of Baroque, bel canto and contemporary operatic roles, as well as her captivating recital and concert performances, DiDonato infuses this season with unmatched expressive power and artistry. Beyond her stunning performances, DiDonato will participate in additional community and educational events, creating unique opportunities to engage with her extraordinary talent throughout the season.
SEP 20
Joyce DiDonato & the CSO
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider conductor
FEB 10
Joyce DiDonato in Emily – No Prisoner Be Time For Three
MAY 7-9
DiDonato Performs Neruda Songs
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Edward Gardner conductor
Save 15% when you create your own series of all three
A journey full of thrills, chills and wonder 4 Concerts at 7:30 Friday B
NOV 21
Honeck Conducts Mozart Requiem
Manfred Honeck conductor
Jeanine De Bique soprano
Avery Amereau mezzo-soprano
Ben Bliss tenor
Stephano Park bass
Chicago Symphony Chorus
BEETHOVEN Coriolan Overture
HAYDN Symphony No. 93
MOZART Requiem
Mozart’s Requiem was his great send-off to the world. In this profoundly evocative program, Manfred Honeck reimagines the masterpiece as it may have been heard at the composer’s own funeral, interwoven with Gregorian chant and additional choral works by Mozart.
JAN 30 Salonen, Trifonov & Beethoven
Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor
Daniil Trifonov piano
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 2
BRUCKNER Symphony No. 4 (Romantic)
Bruckner’s Romantic Symphony evokes a storybook landscape of peaks and valleys, forest dances and hymns of thanksgiving. Chicago favorite Daniil Trifonov takes on Beethoven’s Second Piano Concerto.
FEB 20
Mäkelä Conducts Ein Heldenleben
Klaus Mäkelä conductor
SIBELIUS Lemminkäinen
R. STRAUSS Ein Heldenleben
Richard Strauss portrays himself as the central character of his extravagant showpiece A Hero’s Life. Klaus Mäkelä pairs the work with Sibelius’ Lemminkäinen, a symphonic portrait of Finland’s folk hero.
MAY 8 | SERIES HIGHLIGHT DiDonato Performs Neruda Songs
Edward Gardner conductor
Joyce DiDonato mezzo-soprano
BARBER First Essay for Orchestra
LIEBERSON Neruda Songs
WALTON Symphony No. 1
2025/26 CSO Artist-in-Residence
Joyce DiDonato sings Peter Lieberson’s heartbreakingly sensuous song cycle set to the poetry of Pablo Neruda. Walton’s tumultuous and alluring First Symphony concludes the program.
Ben Bliss
Stephano Park
Jeanine De Bique
Edward Gardner
Klaus
Combine B1 and B2 to maximize your savings with the full 8-concert series!
Versatility and dramatic range alongside top soloists 4 Concerts at 7:30
OCT 17
Chicago Symphony Chorus B2
Mäkelä Conducts Symphonie fantastique
Klaus Mäkelä conductor
Antoine Tamestit viola
BERLIOZ Harold in Italy
BERLIOZ Symphonie fantastique
Klaus Mäkelä leads Symphonie fantastique, Berlioz’s thriller packed with depictions of witchcraft, obsession and murder. Berlioz’s Harold in Italy features viola virtuoso Antoine Tamestit.
NOV 14
Chen Leads
The Four Seasons
Robert Chen leader and violin
MOZART Divertimento in B-flat Major, K. 137 BEETHOVEN (orch. Mahler) String Quartet No. 11
VIVALDI The Four Seasons
Concertmaster Robert Chen takes center stage in Vivaldi’s landmark Four Seasons and leads Mahler’s orchestral rendering of Beethoven’s Serioso Quartet and Mozart’s exquisitely crafted Divertimento in B-flat Major.
MAR 20 | SERIES HIGHLIGHT An Opera Night with Riccardo Muti
Riccardo Muti conductor Lidia Fridman soprano Francesco Meli tenor
Chicago Symphony Chorus Program includes works by VERDI, GIORDANO and CATALANI, as well as PUCCINI’s last act of Manon Lescaut
Revel in an enthralling selection of treasured Italian opera repertoire, anchored by Verdi’s passion-filled works. Riccardo Muti leads a handpicked lineup of international singers with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.
APR 10
Songs of Love and Farewell
Jakub Hrůša conductor Corinne Winters soprano
JANÁČEK Overture to From the House of the Dead
RACHMANINOV The Isle of the Dead
R. STRAUSS Four Last Songs
WAGNER Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde
Why are we here, and what comes next? Experience four meditations on mortality and the hereafter by Richard Strauss, Wagner, Rachmaninov and Janáček.
Robert Chen
Mäkelä
Saturday A
Perfect for both novice and seasoned concertgoers
5 Concerts at 7:30 A1
Mikko
Franck
SEP 27
Ravel Piano Concertos & Suite from Carmen
Mikko Franck conductor
Alice Sara Ott piano
PÉPIN Les Eaux célestes
RAVEL Piano Concerto for the Left Hand
RAVEL Piano Concerto in G Major
BIZET Carmen Suite
Alice Sara Ott pairs Ravel’s wildly original piano concertos in rare side-by-side performances. Framing the program are Bizet’s fiery Carmen Suite and Camille Pépin’s shimmering Celestial Waters.
NOV 15
Chen Leads
The Four Seasons
Robert Chen leader and violin
MOZART Divertimento in B-flat Major, K. 137 BEETHOVEN (orch. Mahler) String Quartet No. 11
VIVALDI The Four Seasons
Concertmaster Robert Chen takes center stage in Vivaldi’s landmark Four Seasons and leads Mahler’s orchestral rendering of Beethoven’s Serioso Quartet and Mozart’s exquisitely crafted Divertimento in B-flat Major.
FEB 21 Mäkelä Conducts Ein Heldenleben
Klaus Mäkelä conductor
SIBELIUS Lemminkäinen
R. STRAUSS Ein Heldenleben
Richard Strauss portrays himself as the central character of his extravagant showpiece A Hero’s Life. Klaus Mäkelä pairs the work with Sibelius’ Lemminkäinen, a symphonic portrait of Finland’s folk hero.
APR 4
Sibelius
2 & Tüür
Accordion Concerto
Paavo Järvi conductor
Ksenija Sidorova accordion
BRAHMS Variations on a Theme by Haydn TÜÜR Prophecy
SIBELIUS Symphony No. 2
With its unforgettable, triumphant finale, Sibelius’ Second Symphony stands as an emblem of Finland’s nationalist spirit. Brahms’ gloriously lyrical tribute to Haydn and an accordion concerto by Erkki-Sven Tüür open the program.
MAY 16
Poulenc Gloria & Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony
Juraj Valčuha conductor
Erin Morley soprano
Chicago Symphony Chorus
RAVEL Mother Goose Suite
POULENC Gloria
SAINT-SAËNS Symphony No. 3 (Organ)
Discover an all-French program anchored by Saint-Saëns’ epic Organ Symphony. Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite charms with its tender evocation of childhood, while Poulenc’s Gloria dazzles with wit and radiant energy.
Juraj Valčuha
Combine A1 and A2 to maximize your savings with the full 10-concert series!
Unforgettable repertoire, thrilling stories 5 Concerts at 7:30 A2
NOV 1
Muti Conducts Strauss, Hindemith & Dvořák 9
Riccardo Muti conductor
JOHANN STRAUSS, JR. Overture to The Gypsy Baron
HINDEMITH Symphony, Mathis der Maler
DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 9 (From the New World)
Music Director Emeritus for Life Riccardo
Muti returns with Dvořák’s New World Symphony, whose glorious melodies celebrate American folk music and spirituals, alongside Hindemith’s majestic Mathis der Maler
DEC
6
Till Eulenspiegel & Bullock Sings Aucoin
Petr Popelka conductor
Julia Bullock soprano
BRAHMS Symphony No. 3
AUCOIN Song of the Reappeared world premiere, cso commission
R. STRAUSS Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks
Richard Strauss’ humorous and charming Till Eulenspiegel and Brahms’ glorious Third Symphony frame the world premiere of Matthew Aucoin’s song cycle written for the captivating soprano Julia Bullock.
FEB 7
Salonen Conducts La mer
Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor
Gabriel Cabezas cello
DEBUSSY Images
SMITH Lost Coast
DEBUSSY La mer
Embark on a thrilling voyage over two striking visions of the ocean in Debussy’s ravishing La mer and Gabriella Smith’s Lost Coast, inspired by the rugged Northern California coastline.
Gabriel Cabezas
Evgeny Kissin
APR
18 | SERIES HIGHLIGHT
PRIORITY ACCESS CONCERT*
Evgeny Kissin with the CSO
Andrey Boreyko conductor
Evgeny Kissin piano
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Russian Easter Overture
SCRIABIN Piano Concerto
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Piano Concerto
LIADOV Kikimora
PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No. 1
Evgeny Kissin, “a deeply intuitive and sensitive musician” (The New York Times), joins the CSO in three piano concertos by Prokofiev, Scriabin and Rimsky-Korsakov.
JUNE 13
Gaffigan, Thibaudet & Bernstein
James Gaffigan conductor
Jean-Yves Thibaudet piano
Apostolic Church of God Sanctuary Choir
GERSHWIN (orch. Rose) Overture to Girl Crazy
Selected Spirituals
WEILL (arr. R. R. Bennett) Lady in the Dark, Symphonic Nocturne
BERNSTEIN Symphony No. 2 (The Age of Anxiety)
Leonard Bernstein’s The Age of Anxiety features Jean-Yves Thibaudet performing the extravagant piano part. Sumptuous orchestral highlights from Gershwin and Weill musicals frame a stirring selection of spirituals.
See pages 14-15 for more information.
*See page 27 for details.
Saturday B
B1
Romantic symphonies, soaring Americana, new works and insightful soloists 5 Concerts at 7:30
OCT 4
Piccolo
Play
& Adagio for Strings
Daniela Candillari conductor
Jennifer Gunn piccolo
Giulia Semenzato soprano
Jennifer Johnson Cano mezzo-soprano
SIMON Fate Now Conquers
BARBER Adagio for Strings
MUSGRAVE Piccolo Play
PERGOLESI Stabat Mater
Pergolesi’s sacred masterpiece is filled with spine-tingling music on the nature of grief, hope and healing. These emotions also course through works by Barber and Carlos Simon.
DEC 13
Noseda Conducts
Debussy & Prokofiev 4
Gianandrea Noseda conductor
James Ehnes violin
DEBUSSY Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun
BRITTEN Violin Concerto
PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 4
A work of dark, searching grandeur, Prokofiev’s Fourth Symphony gathers sumptuous themes from his ballet music. Britten’s Violin Concerto, a searing response to the Spanish Civil War, features James Ehnes.
Daniela Candillari
James Ehnes
Daniil Trifonov
JAN 31 | SERIES HIGHLIGHT
Salonen, Trifonov & Beethoven
Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor
Daniil Trifonov piano
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 2
BRUCKNER Symphony No. 4 (Romantic)
Bruckner’s Romantic Symphony evokes a storybook landscape of peaks and valleys, forest dances and hymns of thanksgiving. Chicago favorite Daniil Trifonov takes on Beethoven’s Second Piano Concerto.
MAR 28
Muti Conducts Tchaikovsky & Rota
Riccardo Muti conductor
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 3 (Polish)
ROTA Music from The Leopard
ROTA Suite from The Godfather
Riccardo Muti pairs Tchaikovsky’s elegant Polish Symphony with the evocative music of Nino Rota, celebrated for his iconic film scores and compositions that seamlessly blend drama, lyricism and charm.
JUNE 6
Alsop Conducts Adams, Copland & Marsalis
Marin Alsop conductor
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
JOHN ADAMS The Rock You Stand On cso co-commission
COPLAND Suite from Appalachian Spring
MARSALIS Liberty cso co-commission
The CSO joins forces with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra for Liberty (Symphony No. 5), Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Wynton Marsalis’ latest symphonic work. Copland’s Appalachian Spring and a new work by John Adams kick off an all-American celebration.
Combine B1 and B2 to maximize your savings with the full 10-concert series!
A rich selection of evocative tone poems, choral music and songs 5 Concerts at 7:30
OCT 18 | SERIES HIGHLIGHT
Mäkelä Conducts Symphonie fantastique
Klaus Mäkelä conductor
Antoine Tamestit viola
BERLIOZ Harold in Italy
BERLIOZ Symphonie fantastique
Klaus Mäkelä leads Symphonie fantastique, Berlioz’s thriller packed with depictions of witchcraft, obsession and murder. Berlioz’s Harold in Italy features viola virtuoso
Antoine Tamestit.
NOV
22
Honeck Conducts
Mozart Requiem
Manfred Honeck conductor
Jeanine De Bique soprano
Avery Amereau mezzo-soprano
Ben Bliss tenor
Stephano Park bass
Chicago Symphony Chorus
BEETHOVEN Coriolan Overture
HAYDN Symphony No. 93
MOZART Requiem
Mozart’s Requiem was his great send-off to the world. In this profoundly evocative program, Manfred Honeck reimagines the masterpiece as it may have been heard at the composer’s own funeral, interwoven with Gregorian chant and additional choral works by Mozart.
See pages 14-15 for more information. B2
MAR 14
Jakub Hrůša & Leif Ove Andsnes
Jakub Hrůša conductor
Leif Ove Andsnes piano
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3
SCHUMANN Symphony No. 1 (Spring)
SMETANA Selections from The Bartered Bride
Czech conductor Jakub Hrůša leads selections from Smetana’s The Bartered Bride, an opera full of soaring tunes and folkloric color. Leif Ove Andsnes scales
Beethoven’s stormy Third Piano Concerto.
MAY
9
DiDonato Performs Neruda Songs
Edward Gardner conductor
Joyce DiDonato mezzo-soprano
BARBER First Essay for Orchestra
LIEBERSON Neruda Songs
WALTON Symphony No. 1
2025/26 CSO Artist-in-Residence
Joyce DiDonato sings Peter Lieberson’s heartbreakingly sensuous song cycle set to the poetry of Pablo Neruda. Walton’s tumultuous and alluring First Symphony concludes the program.
MAY 23
Pekka Kuusisto: Time Shifting
Pekka Kuusisto conductor and violin
GRIEG Holberg Suite
KREISLER Violin Concerto in C Major (In the Style of Vivaldi)
RAUTAVAARA The Fiddlers
HAYDN Symphony No. 64 (Tempora mutantur)
CLYNE Sound and Fury
Finnish star Pekka Kuusisto explores the theme of time itself. He conducts works by Haydn, Grieg, Rautavaara and former Mead Composer-in-Residence Anna Clyne, and steps out as the soloist in Kreisler’s Violin Concerto.
Antoine Tamestit
Saturday C
Experience symphonic music written during peak periods of creativity 5 Concerts at 7:30 C1
Augustin Hadelich
OCT 11
Hadelich, Dvořák & Brahms 2
Philippe Jordan conductor
Augustin Hadelich violin
KODÁLY Dances of Galánta
DVOŘÁK Violin Concerto
BRAHMS Symphony No. 2
Dvořák’s soulful Violin Concerto is a perfect vehicle for Augustin Hadelich, who “conveys the music’s rousing energy” (The New York Times). Brahms’ rustic Second Symphony closes the program.
DEC 20
Klaus Mäkelä & Yunchan Lim
Klaus Mäkelä conductor
Yunchan Lim piano
CHIN subito con forza
SCHUMANN Piano Concerto
WIDMANN Con brio
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7
Klaus Mäkelä conducts Beethoven’s buoyant Seventh Symphony alongside contemporary pieces inspired by the composer. The sensational Yunchan Lim presents Robert Schumann’s heartfelt Piano Concerto.
MAR 21
An Opera Night with Riccardo Muti
Riccardo Muti conductor
Lidia Fridman soprano
Francesco Meli tenor
Chicago Symphony Chorus Program includes works by VERDI, GIORDANO and CATALANI, as well as PUCCINI’s last act of Manon Lescaut
Revel in an enthralling selection of treasured Italian opera repertoire, anchored by Verdi’s passion-filled works. Riccardo Muti leads a handpicked lineup of international singers with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.
Martin Helmchen
MAY
30
Brahms, Strauss & Ravel La valse
Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider conductor
Martin Helmchen piano
BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 1
R. STRAUSS Suite from Der Rosenkavalier
RAVEL La valse
Brahms’ First Piano Concerto awes with its intense passion and unabashedly dramatic piano writing — the ideal showcase for Martin Helmchen. Works by Ravel and Richard Strauss evoke Vienna’s bygone golden age.
Joshua Weilerstein
JUNE 20 | SERIES HIGHLIGHT
Lincoln Portrait & Ellington Harlem
Joshua Weilerstein conductor
MONTGOMERY Banner
MARTINŮ The Rock
COPLAND Lincoln Portrait
IVES Three Places in New England
ELLINGTON Harlem
Celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with a powerful program that includes Copland’s soaring tribute to Lincoln, musical portraits of New England by Ives and Martinů and Ellington’s swinging tour of Harlem.
FULL 10-CONCERT SERIES
Combine C1 and C2 to maximize your savings with the full 10-concert series!
Romantic classics and great symphonic works abound
5 Concerts at 7:30
Stefan Asbury
OCT 25 | SERIES HIGHLIGHT
The Soldier’s Tale
Stefan Asbury conductor
Steve Scott director
STRAVINSKY Fanfare for a New Theatre
STRAVINSKY Septet
STRAVINSKY Octet
STRAVINSKY The Soldier’s Tale
Step into the engrossing world of Stravinsky’s
The Soldier’s Tale, the story of a soldier-fiddler who makes a Faustian pact with the devil, in this semi-staged production featuring actors from The Goodman. Other Stravinsky delights include the neoclassical Octet.
Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale is produced in association with Goodman Theatre.
NOV 8
Muti & Sáinz-Villegas
Riccardo Muti conductor
Pablo Sáinz-Villegas guitar
STRAVINSKY Divertimento, Suite from The Fairy’s Kiss
RODRIGO Concierto de Aranjuez
BRAHMS Symphony No. 4
Pablo Sáinz-Villegas takes on the most famous guitar concerto of all. Riccardo Muti leads Brahms’ Fourth Symphony — a blend of warmth and poignant anguish, capped with a tempest of a finale.
Jaap van Zweden
FEB 14
Jaap van Zweden, Himari & Mozart Jupiter
Jaap van Zweden conductor
Himari violin
THOMPSON To See the Sky
BRUCH Violin Concerto No. 1
MOZART Symphony No. 41 (Jupiter)
Sensational teen Himari illuminates
Bruch’s First Violin Concerto in her CSO subscription debut. Mozart’s electrifying Jupiter Symphony caps the program.
APR 11
Songs of Love and Farewell
Jakub Hrůša conductor
Corinne Winters soprano
JANÁČEK Overture to From the House of the Dead
RACHMANINOV The Isle of the Dead
R. STRAUSS Four Last Songs
WAGNER Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde
Why are we here, and what comes next?
Experience four meditations on mortality and the hereafter by Richard Strauss, Wagner, Rachmaninov and Janáček.
MAY
2
Canellakis, Tao & Tchaikovsky 5
Karina Canellakis conductor
Conrad Tao piano
DVOŘÁK Scherzo capriccioso
BARTÓK Piano Concerto No. 3
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 5
“With desire and passion,” Tchaikovsky wrote on the score of his Fifth Symphony, a work that journeys from despair to soaring triumph. Bartók’s beguiling Third Piano Concerto features soloist Conrad Tao.
See pages 14-15 for more information.
Sunday A
New! More Sunday matinees NEW SERIES, GREAT AVAILABILITY
The perfect way to wind down the weekend 5 Concerts at 3:00 A1
SEP 28
Ravel Piano Concertos & Suite from Carmen
Mikko Franck conductor
Alice Sara Ott piano
PÉPIN Les Eaux célestes
RAVEL Piano Concerto for the Left Hand
RAVEL Piano Concerto in G Major
BIZET Carmen Suite
Alice Sara Ott pairs Ravel’s wildly original piano concertos in rare side-by-side performances. Framing the program are Bizet’s fiery Carmen Suite and Camille Pépin’s shimmering Celestial Waters.
DEC 7
Till Eulenspiegel & Bullock Sings Aucoin
Petr Popelka conductor
Julia Bullock soprano
BRAHMS Symphony No. 3
AUCOIN Song of the Reappeared world premiere, cso commission
R. STRAUSS Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks
Richard Strauss’ humorous and charming Till Eulenspiegel and Brahms’ glorious Third Symphony frame the world premiere of Matthew Aucoin’s song cycle written for the captivating soprano Julia Bullock.
FEB 15 | SERIES HIGHLIGHT Jaap van Zweden, Himari & Mozart Jupiter
Jaap van Zweden conductor
Himari violin
THOMPSON To See the Sky
BRUCH Violin Concerto No. 1
MOZART Symphony No. 41 (Jupiter)
Sensational teen Himari illuminates
Bruch’s First Violin Concerto in her CSO subscription debut. Mozart’s electrifying Jupiter Symphony caps the program.
MAY
3
Canellakis, Tao & Tchaikovsky 5
Karina Canellakis conductor
Conrad Tao piano
DVOŘÁK Scherzo capriccioso
BARTÓK Piano Concerto No. 3
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 5
“With desire and passion,” Tchaikovsky wrote on the score of his Fifth Symphony, a work that journeys from despair to soaring triumph. Bartók’s beguiling Third Piano Concerto features soloist Conrad Tao.
JUNE 21
Lincoln
Portrait
& Ellington Harlem
Joshua Weilerstein conductor
MONTGOMERY Banner
MARTINŮ The Rock
COPLAND Lincoln Portrait
IVES Three Places in New England
ELLINGTON Harlem
Celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with a powerful program that includes Copland’s soaring tribute to Lincoln, musical portraits of New England by Ives and Martinů and Ellington’s swinging tour of Harlem.
Himari
Petr Popelka
10-CONCERT
Combine A1 and A2 to maximize your savings with the full 10-concert series!
A2
Hear distinguished soloists in a diverse repertoire
5 Concerts at 3:00
NOV 23
Honeck Conducts Mozart Requiem
Manfred Honeck conductor
Jeanine De Bique soprano
Avery Amereau mezzo-soprano
Ben Bliss tenor
Stephano Park bass
Chicago Symphony Chorus
BEETHOVEN Coriolan Overture
HAYDN Symphony No. 93
MOZART Requiem
Mozart’s Requiem was his great send-off to the world. In this profoundly evocative program, Manfred Honeck reimagines the masterpiece as it may have been heard at the composer’s own funeral, interwoven with Gregorian chant and additional choral works by Mozart.
FEB 1
Salonen, Trifonov & Beethoven
Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor
Daniil Trifonov piano
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 2
BRUCKNER Symphony No. 4 (Romantic)
Bruckner’s Romantic Symphony evokes a storybook landscape of peaks and valleys, forest dances and hymns of thanksgiving. Chicago favorite Daniil Trifonov takes on Beethoven’s Second Piano Concerto.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
MAR 29 | SERIES HIGHLIGHT
Muti Conducts Tchaikovsky & Rota
Riccardo Muti conductor
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 3 (Polish)
ROTA Music from The Leopard
ROTA Suite from The Godfather
Riccardo Muti pairs Tchaikovsky’s elegant Polish Symphony with the evocative music of Nino Rota, celebrated for his iconic film scores and compositions that seamlessly blend drama, lyricism and charm.
APR
12
Songs of Love and Farewell
Jakub Hrůša conductor
Corinne Winters soprano
JANÁČEK Overture to From the House of the Dead
RACHMANINOV The Isle of the Dead
R. STRAUSS Four Last Songs
Esa-Pekka Salonen
See pages 14-15 for more information.
WAGNER Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde
Why are we here, and what comes next? Experience four meditations on mortality and the hereafter by Richard Strauss, Wagner, Rachmaninov and Janáček.
MAY
31
Brahms, Strauss & Ravel La valse
Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider conductor
Martin Helmchen piano
BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 1
R. STRAUSS Suite from Der Rosenkavalier
RAVEL La valse
Brahms’ First Piano Concerto awes with its intense passion and unabashedly dramatic piano writing — the ideal showcase for Martin Helmchen. Works by Ravel and Richard Strauss evoke Vienna’s bygone golden age.
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Major artistic support for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s 2025/26 Season is generously provided by Zell Family Foundation and The Negaunee Foundation
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Featured Concerts
with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
DEC 19-23
SEP 20 | 6:30
Joyce DiDonato & the CSO
Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider conductor
Joyce DiDonato mezzo-soprano
WEBER Overture to Oberon
MENDELSSOHN Selections from A Midsummer Night’s Dream
R. STRAUSS Wiegenlied
R. STRAUSS Morgen!
R. STRAUSS Zueignung
BIZET Habanera from Carmen WAGNER Overture to Tannhäuser
Enhance your concert experience with a Symphony Ball gala package, including a private preconcert reception for patrons and sponsors 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.
This benefit event raises funds to support the multifaceted work of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association — not only its industryleading artistic programs but also its educational and community engagement initiatives that nurture tens of thousands of people in Chicago and around the world annually.
Kick off the new season in style! Joyce DiDonato joins Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider and the CSO for a celebratory program of vocal selections and Mendelssohn’s enchanting A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Merry, Merry Chicago!
Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
John Morris Russell conductor
Chicago Symphony Chorus
Head to Orchestra Hall — decked in boughs of holly — for a program of popular carols, holiday favorites and festive surprises, presented in lavish, stirring arrangements.
MAR 5-6
PRIORITY ACCESS CONCERT*
Mäkelä Conducts The Rite of Spring
Klaus Mäkelä conductor
MILHAUD Le Bœuf sur le toit
GERSHWIN An American in Paris
STRAVINSKY The Rite of Spring
Led by Klaus Mäkelä, the CSO presents one of the most electrifying and revolutionary works in the orchestral repertoire: Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. Included on the program are Milhaud’s playful Le Bœuf sur le toit and Gershwin’s jazzy An American in Paris
APRIL 23-26
PRIORITY ACCESS CONCERT*
Hisaishi Conducts Hisaishi
Joe Hisaishi conductor and piano
Dubbed “the John Williams of Japan” by Pitchfork, Joe Hisaishi is one of the most celebrated composers of our time. Hisaishi returns to conduct the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in his symphonic works and iconic film scores.
