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This summer, on its 100th birthday, Ravinia is more colorful than ever, thanks to a small herd of brilliantly decorated horses that can be seen cavorting throughout the park.
These unique works of art are here in anticipation of the "Carousel Concert" on September 12. The concert pays tribute to the legendary carousel that delighted visitors young and old during Ravinia's early days as an upscale amusement park. Some of Chicago's most creative artists were asked to decorate the life-size replicas, similar to the famous Cows On Parade that captivated Chicago residents and tourists alike five years ago.
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The Concert
The beautifully painted ponies (maybe that's why cowboys used to call them "old paint") are here for two reasons. The first is to audition. The concert, directed by actor John de Lancie, will be a free-spirited, costumed romp at which the carousel horses (and eventually a zoo-worthy string of other animals) will audition for a space on a new carousel to commemorate Ravinia's centennial, to the accompaniment of such favorite music as Saint-Saëns's Carnival of the Animals and Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel. De Lancie's mixtures of music and theater (A Midsummer Night's Dream, 2001; The Romeo & Juliet Project, 2002; Le bourgeois gentilhomme, 2003) have become highly anticipated events each summer, and this year's Carousel Concert promises to live up to its distinguished predecessors. This menagerie of music and mirth, which begins at 6:30 PM, will feature soprano Sylvia McNair, bass-baritone Rodney Gilfry and Luna Negra Dance Theater with the Ravinia Festival Orchestra conducted by Erich Kunzel. Click here for tickets.
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Sylvia McNair
Erich Kunzel |
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The Auction
The horses are here to do more than just entertain; they will also help raise funds for Ravinia Festival. Everyone is invited to stay after the concert (and bid!) as the Ravinia Women's Board auctions off the distinctive horses from the Pavilion stage.
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The Horses
Take some time to wander through the park and enjoy these wonderfully whimsical artworks. The horses-and their creators-include: Hi-Yo . . . by Krueck & Sexton Architects; Cotton Candy by Fay Peck; Moonlight Sonata by Powell/Kleinschmidt Interior Architecture; Miss O'Hara by Paul Munro; Music as Ritual by Marwen alumni Maria Gaspar, Sarah Hess, Christian Ortiz and Sadie Woods; Maggie's Mare by Winifred Godfrey; Music For A While by Richard Hunt; Galaxy Horse by Martyl; Centennial Marking by John David Mooney; Star Pinto by Ed Paschke; and
Satellite Horse by Dennis Kowal.
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| Click images to enlarge.
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 Hi-Yo...
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 Cotton Candy
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 Moonlight
Sonata
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 Miss O'Hara
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 Music As
Ritual
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 Maggie's Mare
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 Music For A
While
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 Galaxy Horse
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 Centennial
Marking
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 Star Pinto
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 Satellite
Horse
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The Artists
Click here to learn more about the artists who created these maginficent works of art.
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The Party
Join us for our
End-of-Summer Carousel Celebration!
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Join the Women's Board for a fabulous end-of-summer party on September 12th, the final birthday bash of our spectacular centennial season! Party tickets, which are $100, include:
- An exclusive pre-concert buffet dinner with cocktails at 5pm
- A post-concert champagne reception followed by a live auction, where our stable of centennial horses will be sold to the highest bidders
Call 847-266-5045 to reserve your place at this once-in-a-century opportunity!
Concert tickets are sold separately.
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