

89th Residency Opening Night
CSO + Marin Alsop, conductor / Bruce Liu, piano
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DateJuly 11, 2025
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VenuePavilion
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Event Starts7:30 PM
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Donor Gates4:30 PM
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Public Gates5:00 PM
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Ticket Prices$15–$95
An order processing fee will be added to your cart at checkout.
Reserved Seat Ticket: $35–$95
Reserved Block Ticket: $35
Price per person; must reserve full block of 2, 4, or 6
General Admission Ticket: $15
Special pricing for guests ages 15 and under: More Info
Wintrust Chair & Table Rental Reservation
The Park View and Lawn Bar are open for dinner and drinks, and the Freehling Room is open to eligible Ravinia donors. Reservations are recommended for dinner.
The Tree Top Lounge is closed for a private event.
Ravinia Café and Concession Stands are open with hot bites plus chilled grab-and-go food and drinks, ice cream, and snacks.
Cashless: Cash will not be accepted at Dining Pavilion restaurants, bars, or concessions. Please bring a credit/debit card or other cashless forms of payment.
Know Before You Go
Getting to Ravinia: Parking, Rideshare & Train
$10 Parking • Park and Ride Open • Free Metra UP-N Train
Park in the West Parking Lot at 201 Ravinia Park Rd. The lot opens 1 hour before the listed “Public Gates” time.
Shuttles from the free Park and Ride lot in downtown Highland Park begin running 30 minutes before the listed “Public Gates” time.
Alert your driver: Uber, Lyft, and other car services must use one of the following parking lots to drop off and pick up guests.
- West Parking Lot (201 Ravinia Park Rd) — inbound access allowed up to 30 minutes before the end of the performance
- Braeside Train Station (10 N. St. Johns Ave) — ¼ mile walk from Ravinia
- Ravinia Train Station (680 St. Johns Ave) — ½ mile walk from Ravinia
- No drop-offs or pick-ups are allowed on public streets. If Highland Park Police or Ravinia staff redirect traffic, please follow those instructions.
Ride the Metra Union Pacific North Line train to and from our main entrance for free with your Ravinia ticket.
More Train Info
About the Performance
Ravinia is grateful for the support of
Hunter Family Foundation
Spotlight Sponsor
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra begins its 89th summer season at the Ravinia Festival under the dynamic leadership of Chief Conductor Marin Alsop. The opening-night program features a captivating lineup of music that blends contemporary brilliance with timeless masterworks, starting with Amen, a powerful and evocative work by American composer and Grammy nominee Carlos Simon. Inspired by the rich traditions of Black gospel music, Amen vividly captures the youthful energy and spiritual fervor of a Pentecostal church service, layering rhythmic vitality with lush harmonies to create an uplifting and deeply expressive experience.
Following this stirring opening, acclaimed pianist Bruce Liu—praised by Le Monde for his “magician’s fingers and soul of integrity”—takes the stage for his anticipated Ravinia and CSO debut. Liu offers his virtuosic interpretation of Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, a dazzling set of variations that explores the full spectrum of pianistic expression, from playful wit to thunderous intensity. The piece’s famous 18th variation, with its soaring, lyrical melody, stands among Rachmaninoff’s most beloved musical moments.
The evening reaches its climax with the mystic vigor of Igor Stravinsky’s revolutionary 1913 ballet score The Rite of Spring. With its bold harmonies, driving rhythms, and primitive energy, this work caused a riot at its Paris premiere and forever changed the course of music history.
Performers
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Marin Alsop, conductor
Bruce Liu, piano
Program
Carlos Simon: Amen
Serge Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
–Intermission–
Igor Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring
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