The CSO returns to Ravinia for 15 concerts from July 9 to Aug. 15

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra returns to the Ravinia Festival for its 85th annual residency, as Marin Alsop assumes the role of chief conductor and curator. 

The CSO will perform 15 concerts from July 9 through Aug. 15, with guest conductors James Conlon, Teddy Abrams and Michael Stern alternating with Alsop on the podium.

The lineup (all concerts are in the pavilion):

July 9, 8 p.m., Osorio Plays Mozart: Marin Alsop, conductor. Joan Tower’s Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman, No. 1; Jorge Federico Osorio in Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23; Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7. 

July 10, 8 p.m., Celebrating Hidden American Talents: Marin Alsop, conductor, and Jonathan Rush, guest conductor. Laura Karpman’s All American; Stacy Garrop’s The Battle for the Ballot, narrated by Jaye Ladymore; Carlos Simon’s Fate Now Conquers, led by Rush, and 
James P. Johnson’s Harlem Symphony and Victory Stride.

July 16, 8 p.m., Midori Plays Prokofiev: Marin Alsop, conductor, and Midori, violin. Jessie Montgomery’s Banner, Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto and Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 (Italian).

July 17, 8 p.m., Vondráček and the “Emperor”: Marin Alsop, conductor, and Lukáš Vondráček, piano. Ravel’s Le tombeau de Couperin, Ginastera’s Variaciones concertantes and Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 (Emperor).

July 18, 6 p.m., Gala Benefit Concert, Legendary Women’s Voices: Marin Alsop, conductor, and Cynthia Erivo, vocalist. The program, to be announced, will showcase standards by some of the greatest female singers of all time and orchestral works by female composers.

July 22, 8 p.m., Bullock Debuts with Mahler: Marin Alsop, conductor, and Julia Bullock, soprano. Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 1 (Classical) and Mahler’s Symphony No. 4.

July 23, 8 p.m., McGill Plays Copland: Marin Alsop, conductor, and Anthony McGill, clarinet. Haydn’s Symphony No. 60 (Il distratto), Copland’s Clarinet Concerto and Brahms’ Variations on a Theme by Haydn.

July 27, 8 p.m., Broadway Today! Steven Reineke, conductor; Betsy Wolfe and Matt Doyle, vocalists, in hits by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Sondheim and more. 

July 29, 8 p.m., Zukerman Plays and Conducts: Pinchas Zukerman, conductor and violin. Mozart’s Adagio for Violin and Orchestra, K. 261, and Rondo for Violin and Orchestra, K 373; Elgar’s Serenade for Strings, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2.

Aug. 6, 8 p.m., Conlon Leads Mozart: James Conlon, conductor, and William Hagen, violin. Mozart’s Overture to La clemenza di Tito, Violin Concerto No. 5 and Symphony No. 41 (Jupiter).

Aug. 7, 8 p.m. Unboxing Bernstein: A Live Revue: Teddy Abrams, conductor. Selections from Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story, Candide, On the Town and his musical inspirations.

Aug. 8, 5 p.m., Sinfonia and Mozartiana: Yue Bao, conductor; Stella Chen, violin, and Matthew Lipman, viola. Chen Yi’s Duo Ye No. 1 for Chamber Orchestra; Mozart’s Sinfonia concertante for Violin and Viola, and Tchaikovsky’s Suite No. 4 (Mozartiana).

Aug. 12, 8 p.m., Voice and the Violin: Michael Stern, conductor; Joshua Bell, violin, and Larisa Martínez, soprano. Arias by 
Mendelssohn, Mozart and Hérold; overtures by Rossini and Berlioz; violin works by Dvořák, Chopin and Sarasate; Bernstein’s West Side Story medley.

Aug. 13, 8 p.m., Bell Plays Beethoven: Michael Stern, conductor, and Joshua Bell, violin. Stravinsky’s Dumbarton Oaks Concerto; Kodály’s Dances of Galánta and Beethoven’s Violin Concerto.

Aug. 15, 5 p.m., Tchaikovsky Spectacular: George Stelluto, conductor. Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture, Symphony No. 5 and 1812 Overture with cannons.