The Ravinia Festival announced its 2024 summer programming Thursday, running June 7 to Sept. 15. The lineup, spanning more than 100 concerts, includes 59 artist debuts and the programming details of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s annual six-week residency.
Among the musicians appearing at the Highland Park festival for the first time Violent Femmes, playing their debut album with the Chicago Philharmonic (June 21); Ben Platt, who originated the title role in “Dear Evan Hansen” (June 28); singer-songwriters KT Tunstall (June 29) and Meshell Ndegeocello, the latter sharing a bill with vocal luminary Angélique Kidjo (Aug. 8); and prolific pianist/composer/producer Robert Glasper (Aug. 14).
The effervescent vocalist Samara Joy also makes a festival debut this year, bubbling to the top of the festival’s jazz billing (Aug. 25). So do the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra and the Captain Black Big Band, squaring off in a “battle of the big bands” alongside singer Kurt Elling, bassist Rufus Reid and Steans Music Institute fellows (June 16). The following month, Norah Jones and Mavis Staples perform together at the Pavilion in another high-wattage double bill (July 14).
Festival first-timers also headline the eighth annual Fiesta Ravinia: singer-songwriter Julieta Venegas and the very danceable Grammy darlings La Santa Cecilia (Sept. 15).
Ravinia’s other resident festival, Breaking Barriers, technically continues this year, but in truncated form. Ravinia’s chief conductor Marin Alsop — her “curator” title has been dropped as of this season — started the series in 2022 to champion women in classical music. In 2024, however, it drops from three days to two, and includes just one mainstage program: the CSO playing Holst’s “Planets” and a suite from Amanda Lee Falkenberg’s “The Moons Symphony” (July 26).
That’s apparently enough to justify branding this year’s theme as “women leaders in music and space” — a Milky Way-sized stretch, even with University of Chicago astrophysicist Angela Olinto as a guest speaker. (Coincidentally, Olinto is the wife and stepmother, respectively, of Sérgio and Clarice Assad, performing with Third Coast Percussion at Ravinia on Aug. 27.)
At least the CSO’s opening weekend is genuinely stellar. Soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha and pianist Michelle Cann do double duty on July 12, performing Barber’s “Knoxville: Summer of 1915” and Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.” (Cann’s eloquent “Rhapsody” got rained out at Grant Park last summer, so let’s hope the piece’s centenary is a good-luck charm this time.) Abel Selaocoe’s “Where Is Home” was one of 2022’s best albums, in any genre; in his first CSO appearance on July 13, the cellist and composer performs his own concerto, “Four Spirits,” inspired by his upbringing in a township outside Johannesburg.
Per festival tradition, former Ravinia music director James Conlon leads a Mozart concert opera in the Martin Theatre. This year, it’s “Idomeneo” (Aug. 8 and 10), starring tenor Matthew Polenzani.
Other CSO traditions to count on include the Tchaikovsky spectacular, featuring violinist Desirée Ruhstrat, of local chamber groups Lincoln Trio and Black Oak Ensemble (July 28); the Ravinia gala concert, this time a tribute to film composer Henry Mancini, who would have been 100 this year (Aug. 4, with singers Jessie Mueller, Norm Lewis and Karen Mason); and the returns of pianist Jorge Federico Osorio (Aug. 2, playing Beethoven’s “Emperor”) and violinist Rachel Barton Pine (Aug. 18, playing a rarity by José White Lafitte which she’s long championed).
A 50th anniversary program by Kronos Quartet, which just announced the retirement of founding members John Sherba and Hank Dutt (June 13), crowns a packed classical roster this year. Also in the mix are pianist Aaron Diehl, his trio and chamber orchestra The Knights playing Mary Lou Williams’ “Zodiac Suite” (June 29); Midori’s inaugural performance as head of Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute, alongside pianist Marc-André Hamelin, violist Kim Kashkashian, cellists Frans Helmerson and Clive Greensmith, and fellow faculty violinist Mihaela Martin (July 6); a wide-ranging recital matchmaking guitarist Miloš Karadaglić and the Viano String Quartet (July 18); soprano Karen Slack in “African Queens,” a song project co-commissioned by Ravinia (Aug. 1); and Gustavo Dudamel, breaking his local silence with the National Children’s Symphony of Venezuela (Aug. 6).
Ravinia’s 2024 dance series is small but mighty. Representatives from Ruth Page Professional Dance & Friends, the Chicago Human Rhythm Project and Moonwater Dance Project unveil commissions by Mexican choreographers Adrián Marcelo Sáenz and Francisco Aviña (June 20 and 22). Later, music by the late Ramsey Lewis (formerly Ravinia’s artistic director of jazz) inspires another world premiere by Joffrey Ballet, parking at the festival for a weekend-long residency (Sept. 13-14).
Additional headliners of note: James Taylor (June 8-9), Robert Plant & Alison Krauss (June 12), Little Feat and Los Lobos (June 22), Lyle Lovett (June 30), Daryl Hall and Elvis Costello (both July 6), The Beach Boys with John Stamos (July 7), the Indigo Girls and Melissa Etheridge (both Aug. 11), O.A.R (Aug. 23), The Roots (Aug. 24), ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd (both Aug. 29) and Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit (Sept. 8).
Tickets for most performances go on sale April 24; ravinia.org
Hannah Edgar is a freelance critic.
The Rubin Institute for Music Criticism helps fund our classical music coverage. The Chicago Tribune maintains editorial control over assignments and content.
RAVINIA FESTIVAL SUMMER 2024
All performances are on the Pavilion mainstage except where noted.
June 7: The Flock featuring Jerry Goodman; Carousel Stage
June 8-9: James Taylor and His All-Star Band
June 12: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss and JD McPherson on the Can’t Let Go Tour
June 13: Kronos Quartet celebrates its 50th anniversary with Kronos Fifty for the Future; Martin Theatre
June 14: Hauser on his Rebel with a Cello tour
June 15: Family and Film Divi Roxx Kids; Carousel Stage
June 15: Michael Franti & Spearhead, Trevor Hall, and Bombargo on The Togetherness Tour
June 16: Jazz in June: Battle of the Big Bands featuring Adonis Rose and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra and Orrin Evans & the Captain Black Big Band; Carousel Stage.
June 19: Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue with Big Boi and Danielle Ponder
June 20: Jonathan Biss; Martin Theatre
June 20 and 22: Ruth Page Professional Dance, Jumaane Taylor and Moonwater Dance Project; Bennett Gordon Hall
June 21: Violent Femmes with Chicago Philharmonic
June 22: Little Feat and Los Lobos on the Can’t Be Satisfied Tour
June 23: Because of You starring Michael Feinstein and the Carnegie Hall Big Band in tribute to Tony Bennett
June 26: Family and Film “Birdman”; Martin Theatre
June 27: Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper; Carousel Stage
June 28: Ben Platt
June 29: The Knights and Aaron Diehl Trio; Martin Theatre
June 29: Roger Daltrey and KT Tunstall
June 30: Lyle Lovett and His Large Band, and Clint Black
July 2: Chamber orchestra A Far Cry; Martin Theatre
July 3: The King’s Singers; Martin Theatre
July 5: The Music of ABBA with Arrival From Sweden
July 6: Daryl Hall and Elvis Costello and The Imposters with Charlie Sexton
July 7: The Beach Boys with guest John Stamos
July 10: National Seminario Ravinia: Orchestras for All
July 11: The Reset: An Immersive Sound Experience with Davin Youngs; Carousel Stage
July 12: Chicago Symphony Orchestra opener with conductor Marin Alsop
July 13: Chicago Symphony Orchestra with South African cellist-composer Abel Selaocoe
July 14: Norah Jones with guest Mavis Staples
July 17: Takács Quartet; Martin Theatre
July 18: Miloš Karadaglić and the Viano String Quartet; Martin Theatre
July 19: Chicago Symphony Orchestra celebrates Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon
July 20: Family and Film Elena Moon Park; Martin Theatre
July 20: Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Mahler’s No. 9
July 21: Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Japanese pianist Hayato Sumino
July 25: Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Mendelssohn violin concerto
July 26: Chicago Symphony Orchestra Breaking Barriers
July 27: Family and Film “Wild Symphony”; Bennett Gordon Hall
July 27: Killer Queen: Tribute to Queen
July 28: Chicago Symphony Orchestra Tchaikovsky Spectacular
July 31: Gipsy Kings featuring Nicolas Reyes and Choco Orta with Caribe Project
Aug. 1: Karen Slack and Kevin Miller for “African Queens”; Martin Theatre
Aug. 2: Chicago Symphony Orchestra with conductor Valentina Peleggi
Aug. 3: Family and Film Laurie Berkner
Aug. 4: Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the music of film composer Henry Mancini
Aug. 6: Conductor Gustavo Dudamel leads the National Children’s Symphony of Venezuela
Aug. 7: Victor Wooten and the Wooten Brothers; Carousel Stage
Aug. 8: Angélique Kidjo and Meshell Ndegeocello
Aug. 9 and 11: Chicago Symphony Orchestra and a semi-staging of Mozart’s “Idomeneo”; Martin Theatre
Aug. 10: Chicago Symphony Orchestra in a Mozart program
Aug. 11: Indigo Girls and Melissa Etheridge
Aug. 13: Matthias Goerne with Anton Mejias; Martin Theatre
Aug. 14: Robert Glasper and J. Ivy
Aug. 15: Apollo’s Fire; Martin Theatre
Aug. 16: Family and Film “The Princess Bride”
Aug. 17: Family and Film “Up”
Aug. 18: Chicago Symphony Orchestra with conductor Jonathan Rush and Rachel Barton Pine
Aug. 20: Matthew Polenzani and Kevin Murphy; Martin Theatre
Aug. 22: Gaelic Storm and High Kings
Aug. 23: O.A.R., Fitz and the Tantrums, and DJ Logic
Aug. 24: The Roots, Digable Planets and Arrested Development
Aug. 25: String trios by Stella Chen, Matthew Lipman and Brannon Cho; Bennett Gordon Hall
Aug. 25: Samara Joy
Aug. 27: Third Coast Percussion; Martin Theatre
Aug. 28: Zlatomir Fung and Dina Vainshtein; Bennett Gordon Hall
Aug. 29: ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd on Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour
Aug. 31: Family and Film Fyütch; Bennett Gordon Hall
Sept. 1: David Kaplan presents “Quasi una fantasia”; Bennett Gordon Hall
Sept. 5: Yevgeny Kutik and Renana Gutman; Bennett Gordon Hall
Sept. 7: Family and Film Big Drum Small World; Bennett Gordon Hall
Sept. 8: Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit and Alejandro Escovedo
Sept. 10: Music of the Baroque led by Jane Glover; Martin Theatre
Sept. 11: Crowded House
Sept. 12: Aznavoorian Duo; Bennett Gordon Hall
Sept. 13: Joffrey Ballet presents “Rita Finds Home”
Sept. 14: Queen! featuring resident DJs Derrick Carter, Michael Serafini and Garrett David; Carousel Stage
Sept. 15: Fiesta Ravinia with Julieta Venegas and La Santa Cecilia
