2019/20 Season Catalog

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA RICCARDO MUTI ZELL MUSIC DIRECTOR

SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS 2019/20 The 10th Anniversary Season of Riccardo Muti as Music Director — th Celebrating Beethoven’s 250 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

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A Celebration of Beethoven’s 250th Birthday: Muti Conducts the Complete Beethoven Symphonies A Beethoven Piano Sonata Cycle

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New & American Voices

TABLE OF CONTENTS

10 Series at a Glance 12 Experience the Season 14

Season Calendar

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Negaunee Music Institute

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Support the CSO

CENTER INSERT: Subscription Series Guide & Grid

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SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

Beethoven’s 250 Birthday Celebration th

“Music should

2019 /20

strike fire from the heart of man.” ludwig van beethoven

kirill gerstein

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 primary instrument.

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CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS

maurizio pollini

The Complete Piano Sonatas

igor levit

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 andrÁs schiff

Muti Conducts the Complete Beethoven Symphonies

rudolf buchbinder

evgeny kissin

landscape painting: de agostini picture library/a. dagli orti/bridgeman images; letter: heiligenstadt testament (1802)/ state and university of hamburg; beethoven sketch: portrait by august kloeber (1817)/lebrecht music arts/bridgeman images

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SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

September 26–28 Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3, Consecration of the House Overture Riccardo Muti conductor CSO Main series THU A/F, FRI B, SAT D

2019 /20

October 13 Piano Sonatas Nos. 2, 4, 16, 19 & 22 Kirill Gerstein SCP Piano series E/A; Beethoven Sonata Cycle October 27 Violin Sonata No. 6 Christian Tetzlaff violin Lars Vogt piano SCP Chamber Music series November 1–5 Violin Concerto Riccardo Muti conductor Leonidas Kavakos violin CSO Main series FRI B, SAT A/F, TUE B

leonidas kavakos

riccardo muti

Beethoven: A Musical Visionary

Riccardo Muti, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and artists on the Symphony Center Presents series perform signature works by Ludwig van Beethoven in honor of the approaching 250th anniversary of his birth. His symphonies, concertos, solo and chamber works stand as testament to his creative genius and matchless power of expression. Immerse yourself in a celebration of some of the most stirring, dazzling and revolutionary music of all time, culminating in a performance of “the symphony to end all symphonies” (The Guardian), Beethoven’s euphoric Ninth.

November 6 Piano Sonatas Nos. 1, 3, 20 & 23 (Appassionata) Rudolf Buchbinder Beethoven Sonata Cycle

“He himself is neither classic nor romantic;

anne-sophie mutter

yo-yo ma

November 10 Piano Sonatas Nos. 5–7 & 18 Rudolf Buchbinder SCP Piano series E/B; Beethoven Sonata Cycle

mitsuko uchida

he is Beethoven, and his figure towers like a colossus astride the two centuries.”

paul lewis

donald j. grout, history of western music

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CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS

landscape painting: view of vienna from the belvedere (detail) (1759–60) by bernardo belloto kunsthistorisches museum, vienna/©mondadori electa/bridgeman images

January 22 Violin Sonatas Nos. 4, 5 (Spring) & 9 (Kreutzer) Anne-Sophie Mutter violin Lambert Orkis piano SCP Chamber Music series emanuel ax

January 30–February 4 Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 4 Sir Andrew Davis conductor Paul Lewis piano CSO Main series THU C/D, FRI A, SAT A/F, TUE A February 20–23 Symphonies Nos. 2 & 5 Riccardo Muti conductor CSO Main series THU B/H, FRI D, SAT A/E, SUN A

March 2 Piano Trios: Opp. 1, No. 3; 70, No. 2 & 97 (Archduke) Emanuel Ax piano / Leonidas Kavakos violin / Yo-Yo Ma cello SCP Chamber Music series March 29 Piano Sonatas Nos. 24, 25, 26 (Les Adieux), 27 & 28 Sir András Schiff SCP Piano series E/A; Beethoven Sonata Cycle March 31 Piano Sonatas Nos. 12, 13 (Quasi una fantasia), 14 (Moonlight) & 15 (Pastoral) Sir András Schiff Beethoven Sonata Cycle April 5 Six Bagatelles, Op. 126 & Diabelli Variations Mitsuko Uchida SCP Piano series E/B; Beethoven Sonata Cycle April 30–May 3 Symphonies Nos. 4 & 7 Riccardo Muti conductor CSO Main series THU A/G, SAT B/G, SUN A; CSO at Wheaton May 10 Eroica Variations & Piano Sonatas Nos. 8 (Pathétique), 17 (Tempest) & 21 (Waldstein) Evgeny Kissin SCP Piano series E/B; Beethoven Sonata Cycle May 20 Piano Sonatas Nos. 9–11 & 29 (Hammerklavier) Igor Levit Beethoven Sonata Cycle May 24 The Last Sonatas, Nos. 30–32 Maurizio Pollini SCP Piano series E/A; Beethoven Sonata Cycle May 28–30 Namensfeier Overture & Ah! perfido Susanna Mälkki conductor Camilla Tilling soprano CSO Main series THU C/E, FRI C, SAT B/G June 11–13 Symphonies Nos. 6 & 8, Overture to The Ruins of Athens Riccardo Muti conductor CSO Main series THU B/I, FRI A, SAT C June 18–21 Symphony No. 9 Riccardo Muti conductor Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director CSO Main series THU C/D, FRI C, SAT B/H, SUN A CSO.ORG 312-294-3000

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2019/20 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS NEW & AMERICAN

VOICES

“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 most original and powerful voices of the 20th and 21st centuries, including distinctive works by American composers. Presenting new and invigorating artistic talent is an integral part of the CSOA’s mission to promote classical music’s future. Be part of the excitement this season and experience fresh interpretations and repertoire. All music was once new.

missy mazzoli

bernard rands

October 3–5 Avner Dorman Eternal Rhythm The U.S. premiere of a percussion concerto that celebrates rhythm as the essence of music and the pulse of life, performed by CSO Principal Percussion Cynthia Yeh. CSO Main series THU C/D, FRI C, SAT B/H

December 12–14 Mason Bates Resurrexit Bates, former CSO Mead Composer-in-Residence, calls his new work “a theatrical and fast-paced conjuring of the classic Resurrection narrative.”

CSO Main series THU B/H, FRI B, SAT B/G

April 23–28 Muti Conducts Price Symphony No. 3 Riccardo Muti conducts the work of two 20th-century African American composers: Florence Price’s expressive Third Symphony and William Grant Still’s beguiling Mother and Child.

CSO Main series THU C/E, FRI D, SAT A/E, TUE A

February 20–23 Muti Conducts Nicolas Bacri Ophelia’s Tears Riccardo Muti and the CSO present a new bass clarinet concerto by French composer Nicolas Bacri featuring the CSO’s own J. Lawrie Bloom.

CSO Main series THU B/H, FRI D, SAT A/E, SUN A

November 21–24 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.

CSO Main series THU B/I, SAT C, SUN A; CSO at Wheaton

April 30–May 3 Muti Conducts Missy Mazzoli Orpheus Undone Muti debuts an orchestral suite from a new ballet by current CSO Mead Composer-in-Residence Missy Mazzoli.

CSO Main series THU A/G, SAT B/G, SUN A; CSO at Wheaton

john adams

florence price

james lee iii

April 2–4 Adès Dances from Powder Her Face Hear rapturous orchestral excerpts from British composer Thomas Adès’ sensational 1995 opera about the notorious Duchess of Argyll.

CSO Main series THU A/G, FRI B, SAT A/F

December 19–22 John Adams The Chairman Dances Edo de Waart conducts Adams’ exuberant “foxtrot for orchestra,” a study for his opera Nixon in China.

CSO Main series THU A/F, FRI A, SAT D, SUN A

November 1–5 Muti Conducts Bernard Rands DREAM for Orchestra Muti and the CSO give the first-ever performance of a new work by the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer.

CSO Main series FRI B, SAT A/F, TUE B

jennifer higdon

December 5–10 Jennifer Higdon blue cathedral “Imaginative, richly orchestrated and accessible…blue cathedral is one of the most frequently performed new works in the United States” (The New York Times).

CSO Main series THU C/E, FRI A, SAT A/E, TUE B

avner dorman

mason bates

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riccardo muti

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2019/20 SERIES AT A GLANCE Intimate performances with the world’s finest classical artists.

CSO MAIN SERIES EVENINGS 5 Tuesdays at 7:30 10 or 5 Thursdays at 8:00 5 Fridays at 8:00 10 Saturdays at 8:00

TUE A & B THU A/I FRI C & D SAT A/H

MATINEES 8 Fridays at 1:30 6 Sundays at 3:00

FRI A & B SUN A

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ORCHESTRAS 3–CONCERT SERIES Bringing exceptional ensembles from around the world to Orchestra Hall.

PIANO 10 OR 5 SUNDAYS AT 3:00

CSO AT THE MOVIES 3 FRIDAYS AT 7:30

Dazzling displays of virtuosity from internationally acclaimed pianists in recital.

See blockbuster favorites with scores performed by the CSO.

BEETHOVEN SONATA CYCLE Hear the complete Beethoven piano sonatas performed by the virtuoso musicians from the SCP Piano series.

CSO AT WHEATON 3 FRIDAYS AT 7:30

CSO concerts in the heart of the western suburbs at Wheaton College’s Edman Memorial Chapel.

JAZZ The icons and innovators of jazz.

Programming to be announced April 2019.

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3 SATURDAYS AT 11:00 OR 12:45 Fun and engaging CSO performances for children ages 5 and up.

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4-installment plan (order by march 1) 25% of the total subscription cost, add-on tickets and parking will be charged upon receipt of order, march 15,april 15 and may 15.

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riccardo muti

leif ove andsnes

james gaffigan

2019/20 SEASON CALENDAR

cynthia yeh

26 THU A/F 8:00 27 FRI B 1:30 28 SAT D 8:00 CSO Main

SEP

BEETHOVEN Consecration of the House Overture BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 1 BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 3 (Eroica)

19 THU C/E 8:00 20 FRI A 1:30 CSO Main

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor Leif Ove Andsnes piano

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 most gifted musicians of his generation,” performs Edvard Grieg’s treasured Piano Concerto.

21 SAT 7:00 CSO Special Concert

OCT 3 THU C/D 8:00 4 FRI C 8:00 5 SAT B/H 8:00 CSO Main

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor Leif Ove Andsnes piano

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 Piano Concerto.

A festive preconcert champagne reception is open to all ticketholders. Symphony Ball gala patrons will continue their evening with postconcert dinner and dancing at the Four Seasons.

Shostakovich 8 DORMAN Eternal Rhythm u.s. premiere SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 8

Symphony Ball: Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet VERDI Sinfonia from La battaglia di Legnano GRIEG Piano Concerto TCHAIKOVSKY Romeo and Juliet SUPPÉ Overture to Boccaccio

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor

The season-long celebration of the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth opens with a program dedicated 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 Symphony demonstrates how powerfully Beethoven redefined the musical language of his time, launching classical music into the romantic era.

Muti, Andsnes & Grieg Piano Concerto MENDELSSOHN Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage Overture GRIEG Piano Concerto SCRIABIN Rêverie SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 6

Muti Conducts Beethoven 1 & 3

Chicago Symphony Orchestra James Gaffigan conductor Cynthia Yeh percussion

James Gaffigan, praised for his “exemplary, full-blooded conducting” (Chicago Classical Review), leads the CSO in Shostakovich’s rarely heard Eighth Symphony, a profound work that represents the composer’s yearning for 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.”

7 MON 7:00

MusicNOW

CSO Main

The 22nd season of MusicNOW opens with the world premiere of a newly commissioned fanfare by Chicagobased composer Wang Lu, works by up-and-coming musical polymath LJ White and more.

HARRIS THEATER FOR MUSIC AND DANCE / 205 E. RANDOLPH

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.

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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

10 THU A/G 8:00 11 FRI A 1:30 12 SAT A/E 8:00

CSO Main

CSO Main

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Kirill Karabits conductor Sunwook Kim piano cso debut

The sensational young Korean pianist Sunwook Kim, acclaimed for his “ability to shift from fantasy to fireworks 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.

13 SUN 3:00 SCP Piano E/A Beethoven Piano Sonata Cycle

15 TUE 7:30 SCP Orchestras

VIVALDI The Four Seasons MOZART Divertimento in D Major, K. 136 PIAZZOLLA, ARR. DESYATNIKOV The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires

Mendelssohn & Lutosławski PROKOFIEV Overture on Hebrew Themes MENDELSSOHN Piano Concerto No. 1 MENDELSSOHN Capriccio brillant LUTOSŁAWSKI Concerto for Orchestra

Kirill Gerstein BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN

24 THU C/D 8:00 25 FRI D 8:00 29 TUE A 7:30 Chicago Symphony Orchestra David Afkham conductor

Following a “blistering” (Chicago Tribune) CSO podium debut, David Afkham returns to lead a diverse program featuring Haydn’s emotionally charged Mourning Symphony, Strauss’ tone poem portraying a man’s journey through death and Brahms’ radiant Third Symphony, which Clara Schumann described as “one beat of the heart, every movement a jewel!”

26 SAT 8:00 SCP Special Concert

Montreal Symphony Orchestra PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 1 (Classical) RACHMANINOV Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini BARTÓK Concerto for Orchestra

Brahms 3 HAYDN Symphony No. 44 (Mourning) R. STRAUSS Death and Transfiguration BRAHMS Symphony No. 3

Sonata No. 2 in A Major, Op. 2, No. 2 Sonata No. 16 in G Major, Op. 31, No. 1 Sonata No. 22 in F Major, Op. 54 Sonata No. 19 in G Minor, Op. 49, No. 1 Sonata No. 4 in E-flat Major, Op. 7

A survey of Beethoven’s complete piano sonatas on the Symphony Center Presents Piano series opens 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).

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Julian Rachlin conductor and violin cso debut

A captivating program of music by Vivaldi, Mozart and Piazzolla features the CSO debut of Julian Rachlin, 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 tango-inspired take.

CSO Main

PIANO

Vivaldi The Four Seasons

Farruquito Named “one of the great flamenco dancers of this new century” (The New York Times), Farruquito mesmerizes audiences with his lightning-fast movements and intense drama. Experience the entrancing rhythms and fiery passion of his authentic style of improvised flamenco.

Kent Nagano conductor Denis Matsuev piano

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).

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christian tetzlaff

27 SUN 3:00 SCP Chamber Music

riccardo muti

Christian Tetzlaff

leonidas kavakos

VIOLIN

/ Lars Vogt

rudolf buchbinder

PIANO

BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 6 in A Major, Op. 30, No. 1 SHOSTAKOVICH Violin Sonata KURTÁG Tre Pezzi FRANCK Violin Sonata

stephanie jeong

7 THU B/I 8:00 9 SAT B/G 8:00 12 TUE A 7:30 CSO Main

CSO Main

10:00 / 11:45 CSO Main

Muti, Kavakos & Beethoven Violin Concerto BEETHOVEN Violin Concerto RANDS DREAM for Orchestra

world premiere, cso commission

STRAVINSKY Divertimento from The Fairy’s Kiss

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor Leonidas Kavakos violin

The season-long Beethoven celebration continues with the composer’s dazzling Violin Concerto performed by the renowned Leonidas Kavakos, “the most deeply satisfying violinist performing today” (Philadelphia Inquirer). Riccardo Muti conducts this towering work alongside Stravinsky’s imaginative homage to Tchaikovsky and the world premiere of a work by Pulitzer Prize–winning composer Bernard Rands.

6 WED 8:00 Beethoven Piano Sonata Cycle

Rudolf Buchbinder BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN

PIANO

Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2, No. 1 Sonata No. 3 in C Major, Op. 2, No. 3 Sonata No. 20 in G Major, Op. 49, No. 2 Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, Op. 57 (Appassionata)

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor Stephanie Jeong violin Kenneth Olsen cello

Brahms’ final orchestral composition calls for deep lyricism and virtuosic technique from its soloists to create the illusion of a single instrument. CSO Associate Concertmaster Stephanie Jeong and Assistant Principal 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.

9 SAT

1 FRI B 1:30 2 SAT A/F 8:00 5 TUE B 7:30

Muti Conducts Brahms Double Concerto WAGNER Overture to The Flying Dutchman BRAHMS Double Concerto SCHUMANN Symphony No. 3 (Rhenish)

Christian Tetzlaff and Lars Vogt, each eloquent soloists with a long history of performing together, make 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 in new and haunting ways. “With Christian Tetzlaff and Lars Vogt, everything sounds bigger and better.

Brilliant musicianship” (The Boston Globe).

NOV

kenneth olsen

Once Upon a Symphony®

BUNTROCK HALL / SYMPHONY CENTER

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!

NOTE: This program also will be performed on December 7 and February 8 at the times and location listed here.

10 SUN 3:00 SCP Piano E/B Beethoven Piano Sonata Cycle

Rudolf Buchbinder BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN

PIANO

Sonata No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 10, No. 1 Sonata No. 6 in F Major, Op. 10, No. 2 Sonata No. 7 in D Major, Op. 10, No. 3 Sonata No. 18 in E-flat Major, Op. 31, No. 3

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 the composer boldly experimenting. He closes the program with the jocular No.18, nicknamed “The Hunt” for its horn-call theme. the appearance of rudolf buchbinder is generously sponsored by js charitable trust.

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.

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yannick nÉzet-sÉguin

19 TUE 7:30 SCP Orchestras

juanjo mena

sally matthews

Yannick Nézet-Séguin conductor Joyce DiDonato mezzo-soprano

29 FRI 7:30 30 SAT 7:30 * 1 SUN 3:00 * CSO at the Movies

Yannick Nézet-Séguin, “the greatest generator of energy on the international podium” (The Financial Times), and “a Brucknerian to be reckoned with” (MusicWeb International), brings his Montreal ensemble to Symphony Center for a performance of the composer’s stirring Fourth Symphony. A mezzo-soprano of “flawless virtuosity” and “glowing beauty of tone” (The Daily Telegraph), Joyce DiDonato performs two of Mozart’s most famous arias.

* CSO

Special Concert

* CSO at Wheaton

Holst The Planets LEE III Sukkot Through Orion’s Nebula BARBER Two Scenes from Antony and Cleopatra HOLST The Planets

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Juanjo Mena conductor Sally Matthews soprano cso debut Women of the Chicago Symphony Chorus 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 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.

23 SAT 11:00 A / 12:45 B CSO Family Matinee

CSO Family Matinee: Bold Voices

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire™ in Concert Chicago Symphony Orchestra Get ready to fight a dragon, swim with merpeople and find out just who put Harry’s name in the Goblet of Fire™.

Rediscover the magic of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire™ while the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performs 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.

21 THU B/I 8:00 22 FRI 7:30 * 23 SAT C 8:00 24 SUN A 3:00 CSO Main

missy mazzoli

NOV / DEC

Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal MOZART Ch’io mi scordi di te? ...

Non temer, amato bene MOZART Parto, parto from La clemenza di Tito BRUCKNER Symphony No. 4 (Romantic)

vienna boys choir

harry potter publishing rights ©️ jkr. (s19)

30 SAT 2:00 SCP Special Concert

Vienna Boys Choir: Christmas in Vienna Captivating millions around the globe, the Vienna Boys Choir is one of the world’s oldest and most celebrated choral groups. The ensemble returns to Symphony Center for an enchanting performance of popular folk songs, beloved classical music and cherished holiday favorites.

DEC 2 MON 7:00 CSO Main

MusicNOW

HARRIS THEATER FOR MUSIC AND DANCE / 205 E. RANDOLPH

MusicNOW celebrates renowned composer Michael Gordon with a program of his works and music by up-and-coming composers he has influenced. 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.

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!

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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

3 TUE 7:30 4 WED 7:30

CSO Main

SCP Special Concert

A Chanticleer Christmas

CSO Main

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 as a backdrop, Chanticleer performs Christmas music spanning centuries and continents with awe-inspiring clarity and precision.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Manfred Honeck conductor Jan Lisiecki piano cso debut

Austrian conductor Manfred Honeck leads a program of richly melodic dance music by the Strauss family and Mozart’s virtuosic Piano Concerto No. 21 featuring Jan Lisiecki, whose “pristine, lyrical and intelligent playing 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.”

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 & Tchaikovsky 4 HIGDON blue cathedral WIENIAWSKI Violin Concerto No. 1 TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 4

Chicago Symphony Orchestra John Storgårds conductor Ray Chen violin

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 first CSO performance of the deeply moving blue cathedral by Jennifer Higdon, winner of the 2018 Nemmers Prize in Music Composition. The dazzling Ray Chen, making his Orchestra Hall debut, brings his “liquid tone 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.

6 FRI 7:00 7 SAT 3:00 8 SUN 3:00 CSO Special Concert

BATES Resurrexit MOZART Piano Concerto No. 21 Works by JOHANN STRAUSS, JR. and JOSEF STRAUSS

FOURTH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH / 126 E. CHESTNUT

5 THU C/E 8:00 6 FRI A 1:30 7 SAT A/E 8:00 10 TUE B 7:30

A Night in Vienna: Honeck Conducts Mozart & Strauss

Home Alone in Concert

CSO Special Concert

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Merry, Merry Chicago!

Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Chicago Symphony Chorus Ring in the holidays with Symphony Center’s annual spectacular featuring Members of the CSO, the ful Chicago Symphony Chorus and special guests performing festive favorites. It’s the perfect celebration for the entire family!

18 WED 8:00 SCP Special Concert

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass Experience the staggering power and razor-sharp precision of the legendary brass section of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in a program of traditional favorites and symphonic masterworks arranged for brass ensemble. this concert is presented in collaboration with the midwest clinic, an international band and orchestra conference.

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

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edo de waart

leila josefowicz

bugs bunny at the symphony

anne-sophie mutter

19 THU A/F 8:00 20 FRI A 1:30 21 SAT D 8:00 22 SUN A 3:00 CSO Main

Stravinsky & Dvořák 8 JOHN ADAMS The Chairman Dances STRAVINSKY Violin Concerto DVOŘÁK Carnival Overture DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 8

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Edo de Waart conductor Leila Josefowicz violin

Dvořák’s Eighth Symphony is a lyrical masterpiece that The Guardian calls “35 minutes of life-enhancing joy.”

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.

3:00 & 7:30

SCP Special Concert

22 WED 7:30 SCP Chamber Music

25 SAT 7:30

WARNER BROS. PRESENTS

Warner Bros. Symphony Orchestra George Daugherty conductor

tm & © warner bros. entertainment inc. (s19)

Anne-Sophie Mutter

VIOLIN

BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 4 BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 5 (Spring) BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 9 (Kreutzer)

Lambert Orkis piano

NFM Wrocław Philharmonic Orchestra LUTOSŁAWSKI Symphonic Variations BARTÓK Piano Concerto No. 3 BRAHMS Symphony No. 1

Giancarlo Guerrero conductor Piotr Anderszewski piano

The NFM Wrocław Philharmonic Orchestra has been growing in international acclaim since the opening of its 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’ sublime First Symphony and Bartók’s final completed work with Polish pianist Piotr Anderszewski, celebrated for his “intellectual power and keen imagination” (The Daily Telegraph).

Bugs Bunny at the Symphony 30th Anniversary Edition

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 shorts Coyote Falls and Rabid Rider. Created by George Daugherty and David Ka Lik Wong.

paul lewis

Anne-Sophie Mutter returns with her longtime collaborative pianist Lambert Orkis to perform three of 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 of deafness.

SCP Orchestras

JAN 18 SAT

giancarlo guerrero

JAN / FEB 30 THU C/D 8:00 31 FRI A 1:30 1 SAT A/F 8:00 4 TUE A 7:30 CSO Main

Lewis Plays Beethoven TIPPETT Little Music for String Orchestra BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 1 TIPPETT Praeludium for Brass, Bells and Percussion BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Sir Andrew Davis conductor Paul Lewis piano

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.

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SEASON HIGHLIGHT

CSO MAIN

FEB 6 THU A/F 8:00 7 FRI C 8:00 8 SAT C 8:00 Muti Conducts Mascagni

Cavalleria rusticana

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor Anita Rachvelishvili mezzo-soprano santuzza Piero Pretti tenor turiddu Luca Salsi baritone alfio Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director Beloved by opera audiences around the world, Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana is an impassioned story of tormented love wrapped in music of fervent vibrancy. Riccardo Muti, whose command of 19th-century Italian opera is “virtually without peer” (Bachtrack), leads concert performances of the complete one-act opera with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and an international cast.

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9 SUN 4:00

SCP Special Concert

Jordi Savall: Splendor of the Iberian Baroque IN THE TIME OF LOPE DE VEGA & CALDERÓN DE LA BARCA

j. lawrie bloom

20 THU B/H 8:00 21 FRI D 8:00 22 SAT A/E 8:00 23 SUN A 3:00 CSO Main

world premiere, cso commission

BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5

SCP Piano E/B

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PIANO

Yuja Wang has captivated audiences around the world with her dazzling performances. Witness her charismatic artistry as she returns to Symphony Center in recital. “Wang’s combination of technical ease and sheer power has always been remarkable…but there is an ever-greater depth to her musicianship, drawing you into the world of each composer with compelling immediacy” (The Financial Times).

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor J. Lawrie Bloom bass clarinet

Opening with the most famous four notes in all of classical music, Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony is a staggering masterwork that became a symphonic blueprint for all subsequent composers. Riccardo Muti leads a program that also features the composer’s buoyant, humorous Second Symphony and a world premiere concerto performed by CSO Bass Clarinet J. Lawrie Bloom.

FEB / MAR 27 THU A/G 8:00 28 7:30 * 29 SAT D 8:00 CSO Main

* CSO at Wheaton

Jordi Savall treble viol and director Hespèrion XXI La Capella Reial Catalunya

Yuja Wang

Muti Conducts Beethoven 2 & 5 BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 2 BACRI Ophelia’s Tears

Sibelius & Nielsen: A Nordic Celebration SIBELIUS Finlandia NIELSEN Violin Concerto NIELSEN Helios Overture SIBELIUS Symphony No. 5

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Hannu Lintu conductor cso debut Pekka Kuusisto violin

From its expansive opening to its transcendent climax, Sibelius’ Fifth Symphony is one of the most vivid orchestral works of the 20th century. Finnish conductor Hannu Lintu, in his CSO debut, pairs this with the composer’s best-known work, Finlandia. Pekka Kuusisto performs Nielsen’s spirited Violin Concerto.

“Nielsen was a folk fiddler and Kuusisto made it show in the gorgeous looseness of his rhythms and strippedback grit of his sound” (The Guardian).

One of the most versatile musical personalities of his generation, Jordi Savall has been researching, teaching and performing early music for more than 50 years. With an ensemble of period instruments, he brings to Symphony Center a rich program of rediscovered baroque gems from the Iberian peninsula. “Jordi Savall testifies to a common cultural inheritance of infinite variety. He is a man for our time” (The Guardian).

16 SUN 3:00

daniil trifonov

1 SUN 3:00 SCP Piano E/A

Daniil Trifonov

PIANO

Russian piano star Daniil Trifonov, acclaimed for his outstanding performances, returns to the Symphony Center Presents Piano series. “One was struck not only by Trifonov’s comprehensive technique and aptly gigantic sound but by the precision and sonic depth of his performance” (Chicago Tribune).

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leonidas kavakos, emanuel ax and yo-yo ma

herbert blomstedt

once upon a symphony

SCP Chamber Music

Emanuel Ax

PIANO

/ Leonidas Kavakos

VIOLIN

/ Yo-Yo Ma CELLO

CSO Main

Blomstedt Conducts Brahms 2 MOZART Piano Concerto No. 23 BRAHMS Symphony No. 2

Once Upon a Symphony®

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Herbert Blomstedt conductor Bertrand Chamayou piano cso debut

BUNTROCK HALL / SYMPHONY CENTER

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!

NOTE: This program will also be performed on April 25 and May 16 at the times and locations here.

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In a vibrant program of classical music inspired by the jazz revolution of the 20th century, two of George Gershwin’s iconic works are paired with one he undoubtedly influenced, Ravel’s jazzy Piano Concerto in G Major.

Ravel’s most famous work, the mesmerizing Boléro, brings the program to a rousing close.

CSO at the Movies

After leading a 2018 CSO performance of Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony full of “tensile strength and spirited dynamism” (Chicago Classical Review), distinguished conductor Herbert Blomstedt returns to conduct 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.

10:00 / 11:45 CSO Main

Chicago Symphony Orchestra André de Ridder conductor Inon Barnatan piano

13 FRI 7:30 15 SUN 3:00 *

5 THU B/H 8:00 6 FRI B 1:30 7 SAT A/F 8:00

7 SAT

Rhapsody in Blue & Boléro GERSHWIN, ARR. BENNETT Porgy and Bess, A Symphonic Picture GERSHWIN Rhapsody in Blue RAVEL Piano Concerto in G Major RAVEL Boléro

BEETHOVEN Piano Trio in C Minor, Op. 1, No. 3 BEETHOVEN Piano Trio in E-flat Major, Op. 70, No. 2 BEETHOVEN Piano Trio in B-flat Major, Op. 97 (Archduke)

3:00 * 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 Center that the Chicago Tribune praised as “warmly engaged and richly communicative… no wonder the fans erupted in an affirmative roar at the end. Chamber music playing doesn’t get any better than this.”

CSO Main

valery gergiev

12 THU C/E 8:00 14 SAT B/G 8:00 17 TUE A 7:30

MAR 2 MON 7:30

andrÉ de ridder

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS

* CSO

Special Concert

Casablanca in Concert Chicago Symphony Orchestra Richard Kaufman conductor “Probably on more lists of the greatest films of all time than any other single title” (Roger Ebert), this romantic story of a man torn between love and virtue returns to Symphony Center. Don’t miss this timeless classic brought to life by the CSO performing Max Steiner’s evocative score together with the full feature film.

20 FRI D 8:00 22 SUN 3:00 * CSO Main

* Note: the SUN

concert is on the SAT C series

Gergiev Conducts Shostakovich Leningrad SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 7 (Leningrad)

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Valery Gergiev conductor

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).

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musicnow

23 MON 7:00 CSO Main

nicholas kraemer

MusicNOW

amanda forsythe

iestyn davies

HARRIS THEATER FOR MUSIC AND DANCE / 205 E. RANDOLPH

Quince Vocal Quartet, “the Anonymous 4 of new music” (Opera News), performs the world premiere of a major new work by Courtney Bryan, composed specifically for Quince and musicians from the CSO, as well as works by Gilda Lyons, David Remnick and others. 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.

sir andrÁs schiff

29 SUN 3:00 SCP Piano E/A Beethoven Piano Sonata Cycle

26 THU C/D 8:00 27 FRI C 8:00 28 SAT B/H 8:00 CSO Main

Bach & Handel BACH Orchestral Suite No. 3 HANDEL Selected Arias PURCELL Chacony in G Minor PURCELL Dido’s Lament from Dido and Aeneas HANDEL Suite No. 2 from Water Music

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Nicholas Kraemer conductor and harpsichord Amanda Forsythe soprano Iestyn Davies countertenor cso debut

31 TUE 8:00 Beethoven Piano Sonata Cycle

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 program is Bach’s best-known orchestral suite, which includes the much-loved “Air on the G String.”

CSO Family Matinee: New Voices Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Edwin Outwater conductor 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 how every musical innovation is built on the shoulders of preceding generations of musicians. Perfect for ages 5 and up!

Sir András Schiff BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN

PIANO

Sonata No. 24 in F-sharp Major, Op. 78 Sonata No. 25 in G Major, Op. 79 Sonata No. 26 in E-flat Major, Op. 81a (Les Adieux) Sonata No. 27 in E Minor, Op. 90 Sonata No. 28 in A Major, Op. 101

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 Archduke Rudolph following his exile from Vienna by Napoléon Bonaparte.

Sir András Schiff BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN

PIANO

Sonata No. 12 in A-flat Major, Op. 26 Sonata No. 13 in E-flat Major, Op. 27, No. 1 (Quasi una fantasia) Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2 (Moonlight) Sonata No. 15 in D Major, Op. 28 (Pastoral)

For Sir András Schiff, surveying the piano sonatas of Beethoven is “the most stupendous journey. They give 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 Family Matinee

jakub hrŮŠa

APR 2 THU A/G 8:00 3 FRI B 1:30 4 SAT A/F 8:00 CSO Main

Brahms 4 ADÈS Dances from Powder Her Face DVOŘÁK Piano Concerto BRAHMS Symphony No. 4

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Jakub Hrůša conductor 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.

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mitsuko uchida

jaap van zweden

emmanuel krivine

joseph moog

APR

19 SUN 3:00

5 SUN 3:00

Mitsuko Uchida

SCP Special Concert

SCP Piano E/B

BEETHOVEN Six Bagatelles, Op. 126 BEETHOVEN Diabelli Variations

Beethoven Piano Sonata Cycle

The Symphony Center Beethoven celebration continues as Mitsuko Uchida performs the composer’s adventurous Diabelli Variations and meditative Six Bagatelles. “Uchida’s performance of the Diabelli Variations 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).

PIANO

CSO Main

van Zweden Conducts Mahler 6 MAHLER Symphony No. 6

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Jaap van Zweden conductor

Featuring some of the most passionate and heart-wrenching music he ever composed, Mahler’s Sixth Symphony is famous for the thunderous hammer blows of fate in its finale. Jaap van Zweden, music director of the New York Philharmonic, returns to conduct this tour de force with the CSO, whose “musical DNA is closely entwined with Mahler” (Chicago Tribune).

Renée Fleming and Evgeny Kissin in Recital A SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS AND LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO COLLABORATION 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 in leading roles around the world. Pianist and Chicago favorite Evgeny Kissin is internationally renowned for his astonishing virtuosity. They make a rare appearance together in recital at Symphony Center.

23 THU C/E 8:00 24 FRI D 8:00 25 SAT A/E 8:00 28 TUE A 7:30 CSO Main

9 THU B/I 8:00 10 FRI A 1:30 11 SAT D 8:00

julia fischer

riccardo muti

Muti, Fischer & Brahms Violin Concerto BRAHMS Violin Concerto STILL Mother and Child PRICE Symphony No. 3

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor Julia Fischer violin

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 painting by Sargent Johnson. Florence Price’s expressive Third Symphony gives a powerful voice to the African American experience. Julia Fischer brings her “burnished and splendid tone” (The Daily Telegraph) to Brahms’ lyrical Violin Concerto.

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 R. STRAUSS Burlesque BERLIOZ Symphonie fantastique

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Emmanuel Krivine conductor Joseph Moog piano cso debut

Emmanuel Krivine conducts Berlioz’s semi-autobiographical epic that portrays an artist’s obsessive, selfdestructive 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

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evgeny kissin

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george li

riccardo muti

thomas wilkins conducts a cso family matinee performance

SCP Piano E/A

George Li

CSO Main

PIANO

Muti Conducts Beethoven 4 & 7 MAZZOLI Orpheus Undone world premiere, cso commission

BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 4 BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor

Continuing the celebration this season, Riccardo Muti conducts two more of Beethoven’s immortal symphonies—the graceful Fourth, described as “a slender Greek maiden between two Norse giants” by composer Robert Schumann, and the mighty, driving Seventh, which many, including Beethoven himself, considered one of his greatest works. A world premiere by CSO Mead Composer-in-Residence Missy Mazzoli, “Brooklyn’s post-millennial Mozart” (Time Out New York), opens the program.

2 SAT 11:00 A / 12:45 B CSO Family Matinee

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Alain Altinoglu conductor Elena Sancho-Pereg soprano cso debut Benjamin Bliss tenor Elliot Madore baritone cso debut Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director Chicago Children’s Choir Josephine Lee artistic director

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 Second Suite from Roussel’s ballet about the legendary abduction and enchantment of Ariadne.

30 THU A/G 8:00 1 FRI 7:30 * 2 SAT B/G 8:00 3 SUN A 3:00 * CSO at Wheaton

Carmina burana SAINT-SAËNS Danse macabre ROUSSEL Suite No. 2 from Bacchus et Ariane ORFF Carmina burana

Program to include: HAYDN Sonata in E-flat Major, Hob. XVI:49 RAVEL Three Pieces from Miroirs SCHUMANN Carnaval Rising star George Li has rapidly established an international reputation for his brilliant virtuosity. He makes his Symphony Center debut with a program of glittering works by Haydn, Ravel and Schumann. “Li’s performance left no doubt that he combines staggering technical prowess, a sense of command and depth of expression” (The Washington Post).

CSO Main

evgeny kissin

7 THU B/I 8:00 8 FRI D 8:00 9 SAT A/F 8:00

APR / MAY 26 SUN 3:00

elena sancho-pereg

10 SUN 3:00 SCP Piano E/B Beethoven Piano Sonata Cycle

Evgeny Kissin BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN

PIANO

Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13 (Pathétique) Eroica Variations, Op. 35 Sonata No. 17 in D Minor, Op. 31, No. 2 (Tempest) Sonata No. 21 in C Major, Op. 53 (Waldstein)

Russian superstar Evgeny Kissin, “the world’s most acclaimed classical pianist” (The Economist), continues Beethoven’s 250th birthday celebration with some of the composer’s most well-known piano works, 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.

CSO Family Matinee: American Voices 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!

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robert chen

jurassic park

igor levit

beatrice rana

MAY

20 WED 8:00

14 THU A/F 8:00 16 SAT B/H 8:00

Beethoven Piano Sonata Cycle

CSO Main

All-Tchaikovsky TCHAIKOVSKY TCHAIKOVSKY TCHAIKOVSKY TCHAIKOVSKY

Capriccio italien Violin Concerto Marche slave Selections from The Nutcracker

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Jonathan Stockhammer conductor cso debut Robert Chen violin

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.

CSO at the Movies

* CSO

Special Concert

18 MON 7:00 CSO Main

MusicNOW

HARRIS THEATER FOR MUSIC AND DANCE / 205 E. RANDOLPH

MusicNOW celebrates the 55th anniversary of Chicago’s own Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), founded in May 1965. The AACM pays homage to the diverse styles of expression within the body of Black Music in the US, Africa and throughout the world, an experience that extends from ancient traditions to futuristic sounds. On May 18, the CSO will honor the organization’s long history and its profound impact on modern music.

BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN

Sonata No. 9 in E Major, Op. 14, No. 1 Sonata No. 10 in G Major, Op. 14, No. 2 Sonata No. 11 in B-flat Major, Op. 22 Sonata No. 29 in B-flat Major, Op. 106 (Hammerklavier)

Mozart Jupiter Symphony HAYDN Overture to L’isola disabitata BACH Keyboard Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 1052 BACH Keyboard Concerto No. 5 in F Minor, BWV 1056 MOZART Symphony No. 41 (Jupiter)

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Richard Kaufman conductor

™ & ©️ universal studios.

PIANO

21 THU B/H 8:00 22 FRI A 1:30 23 SAT D 8:00 26 TUE B 7:30

Jurassic Park in Concert

Relive the magic of Jurassic Park on the big screen together with a thrilling performance of John Williams’ 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!

Igor Levit

Igor Levit, recipient of the 2018 Gilmore Artist Award, performs four of Beethoven’s magnificent sonatas as part of the season-long Beethoven celebration. He takes on probably the composer’s greatest and most difficult sonata, the colossal Hammerklavier. “From the very first note, Levit radically changed the atmospheric pressure 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).

CSO Main

15 FRI 7:30 17 SUN 3:00 *

maurizio pollini

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Bernard Labadie conductor Beatrice Rana piano cso debut

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 keyboard concertos by Bach featuring rising star pianist Beatrice Rana in her CSO debut.

24 SUN 3:00 SCP Piano E/A Beethoven Piano Sonata Cycle

Maurizio Pollini

PIANO

BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109 BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 31 in A-flat Major, Op. 110 BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 32 in C Minor, Op. 111 Legendary pianist Maurizio Pollini brings the complete Beethoven Piano Sonata cycle at Symphony Center to a poignant close with the composer’s sublime final three sonatas. “Pollini’s immaculate performance of Beethoven’s final sonatas brought out the simmering undercurrents, the glinting colors, the swirling detail.

A majestic, peerless performance” (The Guardian).

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.

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CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS

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susanna mÄlkki

camilla tilling

joyce didonato

nikolaj szeps-znaider

28 THU C/E 8:00 29 FRI C 8:00 30 SAT B/G 8:00 CSO Main

piotr anderszewski

7 SUN 3:00

Mälkki Conducts Beethoven & Mahler 4 BEETHOVEN Namensfeier Overture BEETHOVEN Ah! perfido MAHLER Symphony No. 4

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Susanna Mälkki conductor Camilla Tilling soprano

SCP Piano E/B

Susanna Mälkki returns to the Orchestra Hall podium for Mahler’s magnificent Fourth Symphony, which portrays a journey toward innocence concluding with “The Heavenly Life,” sung by “luminous soprano” (The New York Times) Camilla Tilling. Two rarely heard Beethoven works—the dramatic concert aria Ah! perfido and the grand Namensfeier Overture—complete the program.

31 SUN 3:00 SCP Chamber Music

Joyce DiDonato

MEZZO-SOPRANO

/ Il Pomo d’Oro

Entrancing mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato makes her Symphony Center Presents Chamber Music series debut 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 instinctive feeling for the drama within each aria carried the day, enhanced at every turn by the wonderfully vivacious support she received from the fine young Pomo d’Oro” (Chicago Tribune).

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS

MENDELSSOHN Selections from Songs Without Words GRIEG Selections from Lyric Pieces GERSHWIN Song-Book GERSHWIN Preludes GERSHWIN Rhapsody in Blue

11 THU B/I 8:00 12 FRI A 1:30 13 SAT C 8:00 CSO Main

Muti Conducts Beethoven 6 & 8 BEETHOVEN Overture to The Ruins of Athens BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 8 BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 6 (Pastoral)

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor

18 THU C/D 8:00 19 FRI C 8:00 20 SAT B/H 8:00 21 SUN A 3:00

Ein Heldenleben Chicago Symphony Orchestra Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider conductor 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) rendition of Mozart’s spirited Piano Concerto No. 17.

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PIANO

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 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 MENDELSSOHN The Hebrides Overture MOZART Piano Concerto No. 17 R. STRAUSS Ein Heldenleben

Denis Kozhukhin

Denis Kozhukhin makes his series debut with a high-spirited program, closing out the Symphony Center Presents Piano season with a recital performance of one of Gershwin’s most celebrated works. “Kozhukhin’s sensitivity to the shifting moods and diverse rhythms set the scene well for Rhapsody in Blue. Vibrant musical colors mingled with foot-tapping rhythms to create a concert finale of heady exhilaration” (Bachtrack).

JUN CSO Main

denis kozhukhin

CSO Main

Muti Conducts Beethoven 9

FULL CONCERT DESCRIPTION ON FOLLOWING PAGES ➔

SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS

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2019/20

SEASON FINALE / June 18–21

Muti Conducts Beethoven

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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 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’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 Elena Stikhina

CONDUCTOR SOPRANO / CSO DEBUT

Jennifer Johnson Cano

MEZZO-SOPRANO / CSO DEBUT

Daniel Johansson

TENOR / CSO DEBUT

Franz-Josef Selig

BASS

Chicago Symphony Chorus CHORUS DIRECTOR

riccardo muti

Duain Wolfe

daniel johansson

elena stikhina

jennifer johnson cano

“Receive this embrace, you millions! This kiss is for friedrich schiller, ode to joy

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CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS

franz-josef selig

the whole world!”

AC C ESS • EDU CATION • TR AINI NG • SERVI CE AT T HE C HIC AGO S YMPHONY OR CHEST RA

The CSO’s Negaunee Music Institute provides broad access to the Orchestra through industry-leading programs that educate audiences, train young musicians and serve communities across Chicago and around the world.

CSO SCHOOL & FAMILY CONCERTS OPEN REHEARSALS

SUPPORT YOUR ORCHESTRA WITH A GIFT TODAY Gifts from generous friends and donors make it possible for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to continue to pursue artistic excellence, develop new audiences for symphonic music, provide innovative education and community engagement programs and bring the music you love to audiences here in Chicagoland and around the world.

Donors to the CSOA receive special privileges and benefits as a way of saying “thank you.” These include:

CIVIC ORCHESTRA OF CHICAGO

■ Invitations to attend CSO Open Rehearsals

SCHOOL & COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

■ Backstage tours

CHICAGO YOUTH IN MUSIC FESTIVAL PERCUSSION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM SIR GEORG SOLTI CONDUCTING APPRENTICESHIP INITIATIVE FOR A MORE PEACEFUL CHICAGO Visit cso.org/institute to learn more.

■ Membership in The Thomas Club at Symphony Center,

a private dining facility ■ Access to VIP ticketing services ■ Invitations to Salon Series events

…and more!

Make a Gift Today: cso.org/makeagift | 312-294-3100 Thank you for your support of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association.

OUR SPONSORS

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association is grateful for the generous support of these leading corporate and foundation sponsors.

Official Airline of the CSO

Maestro Residency Presenter

Zell Family Foundation

Walter E. Heller Foundation

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CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS

Julius N. Frankel Foundation

The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation

The Negaunee Foundation

Paul M. Angell Family Foundation

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