Ravinia is the longest running and most programmatically diverse outdoor music festival in North America, welcoming about 400,000 guests to over 100 events each year. Passenger trains stop at our historic entrance during the summer, serviced by Metra’s Union Pacific North Line—a tie to our origin from a railroad company. Ravinia is the only private train stop in Illinois!

Schedule of Events

7:30pm: Morgan Freeman's Symphonic Blues Experience

CSO + Martin Gellner, conductor

The Symphonic Blues Experience bridges the soul-stirring music of the blues with the vibrant sound of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Accompanying this performance is a multimedia narration by Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman, who provides a transformative journey through the music, culture, and legacy of the Mississippi Delta—the birthplace of the blues. Freeman’s captivating voice guides the audience through a rich exploration of the Delta’s profound impact on global music, telling the story of how this unique region shaped not only the blues but also rock, gospel, and other popular genres.

The performance blends the energy of blues music seamlessly with symphonic arrangements performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. It will be conducted by Martin Gellner and accompanied by blues artists from Ground Zero Blues Club, one of the top blues clubs in the world, located in the heart of the Mississippi Delta.

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