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

5pm: Tchaikovsky Spectacular - CSO + Laura Jackson, conductor / Zlatomir Fung, cello

Renowned conductor and 2004 Taki Alsop Fellow Laura Jackson, Music Director of the Reno Philharmonic, returns to lead the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in Ravinia’s 46th annual Tchaikovsky Spectacular.

A masterpiece of sweeping melodies and emotional intensity, Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony takes listeners on a powerful journey through the composer’s struggle with fate and the search for free will. Its dramatic contrasts and stirring themes explore the inner turmoil and eventual triumph of the human soul, making it a deeply moving and personal work.

The program continues with a performance by the extraordinary young cellist Zlatomir Fung, who takes center stage to perform Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations. This work, known for its refined elegance and charm, is brought to life through Fung’s impeccable technique and emotional nuance.

Concluding the evening is the electrifying 1812 Overture, one of Tchaikovsky’s most iconic and dramatic compositions. With its exhilarating rhythms, soaring orchestral melodies, and thunderous cannon blasts, the 1812 Overture leaves audiences in a state of awe and celebration.

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