WYNNE DELACOMA
Wynne Delacoma was not only classical music critic for the Chicago Sun-Times from 1991 to 2006, she is also on the faculty of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and a regular contributor to Ravinia Program Magazine.
Wagner: Overture to The Flying Dutchman
All the orchestral color and surging tension you could wish to evoke a mighty, storm-tossed sailing ship. Cue it up on your iPod the next time you visit Santiago Calatrava’s Milwaukee Art Museum. Your heart will soar at the sound of Wagner’s music and the sight of the museum poised like a glistening, white bird on the Lake Michigan shore.
Mozart: Act I Trio, “Soave sia il vento” (May the wind be gentle), from Così fan tutte Three minutes of tenderly sublime singing as the opera’s two sisters wish Godspeed to the lovers they think are heading off to war. That the lovers and the old gentleman who joins them in the farewell are playing a cruel trick on the young women doesn’t undermine the lustrous moment.
John Adams: Grand Pianola Music
Movement III, “On the Dominant Divide”
Opening with a brassy rustle in the orchestra, it builds to a thrilling outpouring of relentless, glittering arpeggios on the pianos, culminating in what Adams correctly calls a “flag-waving, gaudy tune.’’ It’s impossible to listen to its heroic bombast without wanting to dance grandly across a very large room.
Dvořák: Aria, “O silver moon,’’ from Rusalka
Sometimes one turn of melody or shift in harmony is enough to bring on the goose bumps. Listen to Renée Fleming or the soprano of your choice nestle into the slowly unfolding peak of this folk-tinged love song and feel your heart melt.
J.S. Bach: Chaconne from Partita No. 2 in D minor (BWV 1004) for solo violin
Noble, austere, full of rhythmic vitality and endlessly inventive melody, this is Bach at his most profoundly moving.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
What Are Your Five Classical Music Picks?
In the current issue of Ravinia Program Magazine, we asked several music professionals to select five pieces that they thought might “hook” a first-time classical listener. Here are my selections. Feel free to tell us what works you would choose. In the coming weeks, we will share other answers with you too. So stay tuned!
John Schauer
Associate Director of Communications, Publications
Ravinia Festival
Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 2
First movement: [Allegro]
Perhaps more than any other Baroque piece, this work for me typifies the thrilling sound of brilliant Baroque orchestration. It’s like Las Vegas neon turned into glorious sound.
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67
First movement: Allegro con brio
Sometimes it’s hard not to believe that this is the most thrilling symphonic movement of all time. The final coda—that moment when you first think the movement will end, but instead Beethoven takes off on a final, frantic flight—can really take your breath away.
Rossini: Overture to Guillaume Tell
Baby Boomers and those even older will forever associate the final portion of the “William Tell Overture,” as it is usually called, with The Lone Ranger television and radio series, but that still doesn’t destroy the incredible excitement it can generate.
Donizetti: Sextet from Lucia di Lammermoor
Here is a selection that has been lampooned by many artists, not the least of which are the Three Stooges. When properly sung, it clearly demonstrates the glory of human voices joined in a gorgeous ensemble. And that tune! Just try to get it out of your head.
Tchaikovsky: “Waltz of the Flowers” from The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker is performed to death by countless ballet companies every Christmas, but that still hasn’t dulled the luster of this catchy piece. The sudden minor-key interlude by the cellos inevitably brings tears to my eyes.
John Schauer
Associate Director of Communications, Publications
Ravinia Festival
Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 2
First movement: [Allegro]
Perhaps more than any other Baroque piece, this work for me typifies the thrilling sound of brilliant Baroque orchestration. It’s like Las Vegas neon turned into glorious sound.
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67
First movement: Allegro con brio
Sometimes it’s hard not to believe that this is the most thrilling symphonic movement of all time. The final coda—that moment when you first think the movement will end, but instead Beethoven takes off on a final, frantic flight—can really take your breath away.
Rossini: Overture to Guillaume Tell
Baby Boomers and those even older will forever associate the final portion of the “William Tell Overture,” as it is usually called, with The Lone Ranger television and radio series, but that still doesn’t destroy the incredible excitement it can generate.
Donizetti: Sextet from Lucia di Lammermoor
Here is a selection that has been lampooned by many artists, not the least of which are the Three Stooges. When properly sung, it clearly demonstrates the glory of human voices joined in a gorgeous ensemble. And that tune! Just try to get it out of your head.
Tchaikovsky: “Waltz of the Flowers” from The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker is performed to death by countless ballet companies every Christmas, but that still hasn’t dulled the luster of this catchy piece. The sudden minor-key interlude by the cellos inevitably brings tears to my eyes.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Ravinia's 2008 Gala
Ravinia was recently abuzz with preparations for the 2008 Gala Benefit Evening. Everyone seemed to be working on last minute details to make the night a huge success. I really did not know what to expect, but I did know that I would have the opportunity to get all dolled up which is one of my favorite things to do.
The event is all made possible by the Ravinia Women’s Board, which is made up of 132 talented women from all over the Chicagoland area who are essentially ambassadors for the festival. The members’ goals are to enhance the park experience for everyone and raise money for Ravinia, which is not-for-profit. They host themed nights like the Latin Dance Night, advocate for amenities like the Ravinia Festival Gift Shop, help fund beautiful artwork around the park, continue the festival’s commitment to education and outreach, and so much more.
The Gala co-chairs Bobbie Besant Denison and Claudia Stewart Lane and Women’s Board chairman Jane Casper had been tirelessly planning and organizing this past year to create the fantastic showcase of the park. With Kehoe Designs constructing the romantic décor inside the tent, Jewell Catering prepared exquisite food, and Kiri Te Kanawa showcased the evening performing with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with James Conlon conducting.
The 1,000 guests enjoyed a cocktail reception sponsored by BMO Capital Markets, while the dinner was sponsored by Aon Corporation, and Howard Stotler sponsored the evening concert for the second year in a row for the largest event hosted by the Women’s Board. Overall the Gala raised about $1.2 million which will help fund Ravinia Festival’s education and community projects.
Words cannot describe the beauty of the night adequately, so I have attached some pictures below to help recreate the grand celebration of Ravinia Festival.
Germaine Maschoff
Communications Intern
The event is all made possible by the Ravinia Women’s Board, which is made up of 132 talented women from all over the Chicagoland area who are essentially ambassadors for the festival. The members’ goals are to enhance the park experience for everyone and raise money for Ravinia, which is not-for-profit. They host themed nights like the Latin Dance Night, advocate for amenities like the Ravinia Festival Gift Shop, help fund beautiful artwork around the park, continue the festival’s commitment to education and outreach, and so much more.
The Gala co-chairs Bobbie Besant Denison and Claudia Stewart Lane and Women’s Board chairman Jane Casper had been tirelessly planning and organizing this past year to create the fantastic showcase of the park. With Kehoe Designs constructing the romantic décor inside the tent, Jewell Catering prepared exquisite food, and Kiri Te Kanawa showcased the evening performing with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with James Conlon conducting.
The 1,000 guests enjoyed a cocktail reception sponsored by BMO Capital Markets, while the dinner was sponsored by Aon Corporation, and Howard Stotler sponsored the evening concert for the second year in a row for the largest event hosted by the Women’s Board. Overall the Gala raised about $1.2 million which will help fund Ravinia Festival’s education and community projects.
Words cannot describe the beauty of the night adequately, so I have attached some pictures below to help recreate the grand celebration of Ravinia Festival.
Germaine Maschoff
Communications Intern
Friday, August 08, 2008
Nothing Beats a Full House
While this may not be accurate in Texas Hold ‘Em, when it comes to filling Ravinia’s pavilion on those magical summer evenings when the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s annual residency is in full swing, this is unquestionable.
Full House® is Ravinia Festival’s grass-roots campaign to increase the average pavilion attendance of CSO concerts. The problem that we must face each season is how exactly do we, nay, all organizations promoting classical music, encourage a younger audience to attend? Or, how do we encourage those who already attend to bring their friends and family?
One of the ways that we at Ravinia go about finding answers to these all-important questions is to host Full House tent parties following designated CSO performances. At these parties, members of Ravinia’s staff, Board of Trustees, and Women’s Board ask concert goers to share their thoughts regarding their experience at that evening’s concert and give us suggestions as to how we can entice new listeners to give us a try.
The feedback that we have received thus far is phenomenally insightful, but we are always happy to hear from our guests. If you attended a CSO concert this summer and would like to tell us about your experience in the park, please visit the Full House section of our website for additional information about the Full House program, and to complete a brief survey.
I would like to extend a big “thank you!” to all those who attended our Full House events, and to everyone who came out to see the CSO this summer. This has been a truly remarkable year, and I am already looking forward to Ravinia’s announcement of the 2009 CSO season this fall!
Ashley Ciesielka
Communications Coordinator
Full House® is Ravinia Festival’s grass-roots campaign to increase the average pavilion attendance of CSO concerts. The problem that we must face each season is how exactly do we, nay, all organizations promoting classical music, encourage a younger audience to attend? Or, how do we encourage those who already attend to bring their friends and family?
One of the ways that we at Ravinia go about finding answers to these all-important questions is to host Full House tent parties following designated CSO performances. At these parties, members of Ravinia’s staff, Board of Trustees, and Women’s Board ask concert goers to share their thoughts regarding their experience at that evening’s concert and give us suggestions as to how we can entice new listeners to give us a try.
The feedback that we have received thus far is phenomenally insightful, but we are always happy to hear from our guests. If you attended a CSO concert this summer and would like to tell us about your experience in the park, please visit the Full House section of our website for additional information about the Full House program, and to complete a brief survey.
I would like to extend a big “thank you!” to all those who attended our Full House events, and to everyone who came out to see the CSO this summer. This has been a truly remarkable year, and I am already looking forward to Ravinia’s announcement of the 2009 CSO season this fall!
Ashley Ciesielka
Communications Coordinator
Friday, August 01, 2008
Exrtaordinary Performances at Ravinia
The honor of presenting Leon Fleisher is one of the great joys of an arts administrator. To be able to present this legend so soon after his 80th birthday and in Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto is icing on the cake. And as a longtime Ravinia patron mentioned to me, she believes it was 60 years ago yesterday that the late, great, and much lamented William Kapell played the same Beethoven Concerto – a fitting and sublime coincidence for two extraordinary American pianists.
It has also been a pleasure this week to see the fascinating Lang Lang profile in the New Yorker and, in the same magazine, mention of the latest Broadway opening for Bill T. Jones, one of Ravinia’s commission-ees for the Lincoln Bicentennial in 2009.
But the true event of recent days was James Conlon’s much lauded performance of the Mahler Eighth Symphony with the CSO, the CSO Chorus in celebration of their 50th anniversary, the Milwaukee Symphony Chorus, Chicago Children’s Choir and eight terrific soloists. Even the cicadas were charmed, silencing their ecstatic rattle just before the phrase. “The ineffable here is accomplished…”
Welz Kauffman
President/CEO
It has also been a pleasure this week to see the fascinating Lang Lang profile in the New Yorker and, in the same magazine, mention of the latest Broadway opening for Bill T. Jones, one of Ravinia’s commission-ees for the Lincoln Bicentennial in 2009.
But the true event of recent days was James Conlon’s much lauded performance of the Mahler Eighth Symphony with the CSO, the CSO Chorus in celebration of their 50th anniversary, the Milwaukee Symphony Chorus, Chicago Children’s Choir and eight terrific soloists. Even the cicadas were charmed, silencing their ecstatic rattle just before the phrase. “The ineffable here is accomplished…”
Welz Kauffman
President/CEO
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