Tchaikovsky Spectacular

The CSO’s 90th summer residency concludes with the nearly 50-year Ravinia tradition of an all-Tchaikovsky evening, including the triumphant exhilaration of the 1812 Overture punctuated with cannons for the finale. The thrilling performance welcomes back two Steans alumni to the Ravinia stage, Solti Conducting Award winner Earl Lee and violinist Stella Chen.

Praised for her “silken grace” and “brilliant command” (The Strad), the American violinist first gained international recognition as the winner of the 2019 Queen Elizabeth International Violin Competition and was named Young Artist of the Year at the 2023 Gramophone Awards. Speaking to her undeniable talent, Textura declares: “the combination of her gleaming tone and staggering technique makes for music that commands attention at every moment.”

Lee—a rising talent who has graced the stages of the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, and more–promises “nothing short of spectacular” (Boston Globe). He opens the program with the anticipatory rush of the Polonaise from Eugene Onegin, followed by Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, performed by Chen, and continuing with the irresistible Romeo and Juliet love theme.

Concluding the program is the exhilarating 1812 Overture, one of Tchaikovsky’s most iconic and dramatic compositions. With its soaring orchestral melodies, and thunderous cannon blasts, the 1812 Overture leaves audiences in a state of awe and celebration, perfectly wrapping up the CSO’s 90th summer residency at Ravinia.