The CSO and James Conlon to present two Mozart operas at Ravinia

The Ravinia Festival, the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, has released its full schedule for 2022, with more than 100 concerts from May 21 to Sept. 18.

The first half of the CSO’s annual residency, programmed by Marin Alsop, Ravinia’s chief conductor and curator, was announced in February. It covered concerts from July 15 to 30, mainly led by Alsop. Among the highlights of the rest of the CSO’s six-week engagement are two Mozart operas: Don Giovanni (Aug. 11 and 13) and La clemenza di Tito (Aug. 12 and 14). Both will be conducted by James Conlon, Ravinia music director from 2005 to 2015, in Ravinia’s Martin Theatre and will feature the Apollo Chorus of Chicago.

Aug. 3, an all-American evening: In his Ravinia debut, conductor-pianist Wayne Marshall leads the CSO in an all-American program of works by Bernstein and Gershwin, along with an improvisation on a Sondheim song.

Aug. 5, Latin fiesta: Carlos Miguel Prieto, a favorite on the Orchestra Hall podium, conducts a Latin-themed program with music by Debussy, Ravel, Gabriela Ortiz, Moncayo and Copland. The concert also marks the CSO debut of pianist Conrad Tao.

Aug. 7, Yours, Stephen Sondheim: Conductor Kevin Stites makes his CSO and Ravinia debuts in a concert celebrating the legacy of Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim, who died in 2021. Rob Lindley conceived and directs the program, which features vocalists Alexandra Billings (Ravinia debut), Brian Stokes Mitchell and Heather Headley.

Aug. 11 and 13, Don Giovanni: Mozart’s dramma giocoso, conducted by James Conlon, stars baritone Lucas Meachem (CSO and Ravinia debuts) as the devilish Don, bass-baritone Craig Colclough as Leporello, bass Kristinn Sigmundsson as the Commendatore, soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen as Donna Anna (CSO and Ravinia debuts), tenor Saimir Pirgu as Don Ottavio, soprano Nicole Car as Donna Elvira (CSO and Ravinia debuts), bass Brent Michael Smith as Masetto (CSO and Ravinia debuts) and soprano Erica Petrocelli as Zerlina (CSO and Ravinia debuts). With harpsichordist and assistant conductor Vlad Iftinca (CSO debut) and director Garnett Bruce (Ravinia debut).

Aug. 12 and 14, La clemenza di Tito: Billed as the first complete performance of the Mozart opera seria by the CSO, and also conducted by Conlon, this version features tenor (and Evanston native) Matthew Polenzani as Tito, soprano Guangqun Yu as Vitellia (CSO and Ravinia debuts), mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo as Sesto (CSO debut), soprano Janai Brugger as Servilia, mezzo-soprano Ashley Dixon as Annio (CSO debut) and bass Kristinn Sigmundsson as Publio, with harpsichordist and assistant conductor Louis Lohraseb (CSO and Ravinia debuts) and stage director Harry Silverstein. 

Aug. 19, Oundjian & Perlman: Returning after two decades, Peter Oundjian leads the CSO in works by Coleridge-Taylor and Mussorgsky, with his mentor Itzhak Perlman in the Mendelssohn Violin concerto.

Aug. 19, Once Upon a Time: Alan Menken’s Broadway: Steven Reineke conducts a program of the composer’s Oscar, Grammy and Tony Award-winning music with guest vocalists Katie Rose Clarke, Montego Glover, Jordan Donica (all in CSO and Ravinia debuts) and Matt Doyle.

Aug. 21, Tchaikovsky Spectacular: Guest conductor Emil de Cou, lauded for his Merry, Merry Chicago! podium appearances downtown, leads Ravinia’s annual all-Tchaikovsky event, with violinist Inmo Yang (CSO debut).

OTHER CLASSICAL MUSIC EVENTS

Performances are in the Martin Theatre, unless otherwise noted.

June 21, Miriam Fried and Jonathan Biss: The mother-and-son duo of violin and piano performs works by Bartók, Janáček and Mozart.

June 28, Emerson String Quartet: As part of its farewell tour, the ensemble surveys works by Barber, Brahms and Schubert.

July 26, Matthias Goerne: The German baritone, with piano accompanist Alexandre Kantorow, presents a recital of Schubert lieder.

July 28, Chanticleer: The San Francisco-based male a cappella ensemble, known for its annual Symphony Center Presents yuletide concerts at the Fourth Presbyterian Church downtown, surveys works from the Renaissance to modern times.

July 31, Because, with the Chicago Sinfonietta: As part of the Breaking Barriers Festival celebrating women conductors, Chicago’s most diverse orchestra performs Because, based on Mo Willems’ story of chance, with music by Jessie Montgomery, CSO Mead Composer-in-Residence. The work, conducted by Jeri Lynne Johnson, comes to Ravinia after its world premiere by the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. (Bennett Gordon Hall).

Aug. 4, Alexander Malofeev: In his Ravinia debut, the 20-year-old pianist presents an all-Russian recital, with works by Medtner, Prokofiev, Rachmaninov and Scriabin.

Aug. 17, Emily D’Angelo and Kevin Murphy: The mezzo-soprano and pianist offer a program featuring late-Romantic composers.

Aug. 23, The Virtuosic Fugue, Vol. 2: Pianist Bryan Wallick, gold medalist at the 1997 Vladimir Horowitz International Piano Competition, gives a recital of works by J.S. Bach, Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Shostakovich (Bennett Gordon Hall).

Aug. 27, Liaisons: Reimagining Sondheim from the Piano: With pianist Anthony de Mare (Bennett Gordon Hall). 

Aug. 28, NEXUS Chamber Music in Dancing with the Shadow: The ensemble presents the world premiere of Felipe Tovar-Henao’s String Trio and Eleanor Alberga’s duo from her Dancing With the Shadow, along with Bartók’s Contrasts and Mozart’s String Trio (Bennett Gordon Hall).

Aug. 29, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra: The New York-based ensemble appears with violinist Vadim Gluzman in Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, along with works by Geminiani and Hailstork.

Sept. 3, Music of the Baroque: Chicago’s early music ensemble, conducted by Dame Jane Glover, its longtime music director, performs works by Bach, Handel and Haydn, and is joined by pianist Garrick Ohlsson in Mozart’s Jeunehomme Concerto (Pavilion).

Sept. 11, Lincoln Trio in Chicago and Chopin: The chamber music group offers works by Stacy Garrop, Shulamit Ran and Chopin (Bennett Gordon Hall).

Sept. 13, The Knights in The Kreutzer Project: Led by conductor Eric Jacobsen, the chamber orchestra presents The Kreutzer Project, reimaginings of Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 9, including the Midwest premiere of Shorthand by former CSO Mead Composer-in-Residence Anna Clyne.