Name: Mäkelä Conducts Mahler 3
Start: 2025-04-26T19:30:00
Location: Symphony Center

Experience the grandeur of Gustav Mahler’s symphonic wonders this spring in Chicago and Naperville! From the emotive 'Love Letters' by Chicago Sinfonietta to the celestial 'Mahler 3' conducted by Mäkelä, the city is set to resonate with the timeless brilliance of Mahler's compositions. Don't miss the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's exclusive previews before their Amsterdam performances, featuring symphonies that explore the depth of human experience.

Mahler’s Masterpieces: A Grand Musical Journey in Chicago & Naperville

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is set to dazzle audiences with a compelling lineup for the 2024-2025 season, blending classical masterpieces with festive celebrations. From Mendelssohn's profound 'Elijah' to the jubilant 'Merry, Merry Chicago!' and the powerful 'Mass in Time of War,' this season promises a rich tapestry of sound. Experience Mahler's all-encompassing Third Symphony and Berlioz's dramatic 'The Damnation of Faust,' each event unraveling a unique story through music. Join us as we explore the intricacies of these events and the talented individuals bringing them to life.

Diverse Musical Narratives: Chicago Symphony Orchestra's 2024-2025 Season Highlights

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra's upcoming season promises a feast of musical narratives that span biblical tales, wartime pleas, earthly existence, and mythical damnation. From Mendelssohn’s revered oratorio Elijah to Berlioz’s The Damnation of Faust, the program is a rich tapestry woven with performances of Haydn and Mahler. With renowned conductors like James Conlon and Riccardo Muti at the helm, and a stellar lineup of singers, each performance promises an unforgettable journey through sound and story.

A Symphony of Stories: Exploring Chicago Symphony Orchestra's Upcoming Season

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is set to dazzle audiences with a new season that explores profound themes and showcases remarkable talent. From Mendelssohn's 'Elijah' to Berlioz's 'The Damnation of Faust,' each event promises a unique and immersive experience. Conductor James Conlon leads a stellar cast, including Lucas Meachem, in a powerful rendition of 'Elijah.' Meanwhile, Manfred Honeck brings Haydn's 'Mass in Time of War' to life, and Klaus Mäkelä presents Mahler's exploration of earthly existence in his massive Third Symphony. Riccardo Muti rounds out the season with Berlioz's dramatic opera, ensuring an unforgettable musical journey.

A Symphony Season to Remember: Exploring Themes of Humanity, War, and Redemption

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is set to captivate audiences with an array of spectacular performances. From Mendelssohn's dramatic oratorio 'Elijah' to Haydn's 'Mass in Time of War,' the CSO promises a musical journey through history and emotion. With performances led by renowned conductors and featuring some of the world's finest vocalists, this season's lineup delves into profound themes and showcases timeless compositions. Each event promises not just a concert but an immersive experience where music tells stories that resonate across ages.

Epic Symphonic Journeys: Chicago Symphony Orchestra's Unforgettable Lineup

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra's 2024-2025 season promises an array of captivating performances. With Mendelssohn's 'Elijah,' Haydn's 'Mass in Time of War,' Mahler's Third Symphony, and Berlioz's 'The Damnation of Faust,' the CSO offers an immersive experience into the depths of storytelling through music. This season features renowned conductors like James Conlon and Riccardo Muti, and performers such as Lucas Meachem, bringing these historical narratives to life at the Symphony Center. Embark on a journey across time and emotion, as the CSO explores themes of prophecy, war, existence, and redemption.

A Symphony of Stories: Chicago Symphony Orchestra's 2024-2025 Season Highlights

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is set to bring a captivating series of events that promise to enrich the cultural calendar with a rich blend of oratorios and orchestrations. From the dramatic narratives of Mendelssohn’s 'Elijah' and Berlioz’s 'The Damnation of Faust' to the symphonic splendor of Haydn’s 'Mass in Time of War' and Mahler’s 'Third Symphony', these events, featuring world-renowned conductors and performers, are poised to offer audiences an unforgettable experience. Each performance encapsulates powerful themes, showcasing both historical and contemporary creative works.

Exploring Timeless Masterpieces: Chicago Symphony's Upcoming Oratorios and Orchestrations

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is set to host an exciting lineup of events, blending timeless classics with innovative performances. From Mendelssohn's 'Elijah' to the whimsical tales of 'The Little Red Hen,' and a dance spectacle with the Joffrey Ballet, the season is packed with diverse offerings. Not to be missed are performances by the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and the globally revered tabla maestro, Zakir Hussain. This season promises a journey through various cultures and musical genres, captivating audiences with every note.

A Symphony of Stories: Exploring the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's Upcoming Season

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is set to enthrall audiences with a year-long extravaganza of performances featuring diverse musical themes and outstanding artists from around the world. From the dramatic storytelling of Mendelssohn's 'Elijah' to the whimsical charm of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, the series showcases the rich tapestry of orchestral music. Artists like Lucas Meachem, Emanuel Ax, and Zakir Hussain join forces with the CSO, promising unforgettable experiences through a blend of classical mastery and innovative interpretations.

Exploring the Dynamic Soundscapes of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra: A Year of Musical Marvels

Step into the world of classical music as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra presents three captivating events that reimagine timeless stories through powerful compositions. Experience the spiritual journey of 'Elijah', the exploration of humanity in 'Mahler's Symphony No. 3', and the thrilling narrative of temptation and redemption in 'The Damnation of Faust'. With a stellar lineup of conductors and performers, these events promise to deliver unforgettable musical experiences that resonate with contemporary audiences, bridging the gap between the past and present.

A Symphony of Stories: Classical Themes Reimagined at Chicago Symphony Orchestra

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is set to captivate audiences with an enthralling lineup of events that promise to explore profound themes through symphonic storytelling. From the timeless oratorio of Mendelssohn's Elijah to the sweeping expanse of Mahler's Symphony No. 3, and the dramatic depths of Berlioz's The Damnation of Faust, each performance brings together exceptional artists and compelling narratives. Join us as we delve into the heart of these performances, celebrating the artistry and cultural richness they bring to the Symphony Center stage.

A Symphony of Stories: The Chicago Symphony Orchestra's Upcoming Season Highlights

Klaus Mäkelä

Wiebke Lehmkuhl

James Bass

Josephine Lee

Chicago Symphony Chorus

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Uniting Voices Chicago

A young duckling is teased for being different. After facing loneliness and other struggles, the duckling matures into a stunning swan, realizing true beauty comes from within. Explore this musical portrait of self-discovery, acceptance and inner strength.

Once Upon a Symphony: The Ugly Duckling

There’s nothing like hearing holiday music played by a world-renowned orchestra and chorus. Head to Orchestra Hall — decked in boughs of holly — for a program of popular carols, holiday favorites and festive surprises. Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Chorus perform lavish, stirring arrangements that are sure to inspire holiday cheer in all.

Merry, Merry Chicago!

Hailed as one of the greatest films of all time, Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi epic 2001: A Space Odyssey — renowned for its stunning visuals and groundbreaking use of classical music — features the opening of Richard Strauss’ Also sprach Zarathustra, Johann Strauss Jr.’s The Blue Danube and the ethereal works of György Ligeti. André de Ridder leads the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in breathtaking live-to-picture performances of this iconic score.

A Live Presentation of 2001: A Space Odyssey

Mexico’s leading orchestra, the Sinfónica de Minería, makes its Symphony Center debut led by Carlos Miguel Prieto, a conductor praised for his “extraordinary ferocity and drive” (The Guardian). Revueltas’ vibrant portrait of Mexico’s pre-Columbian heritage shares a program with concertos by Haydn and Paquito D’Rivera, performed by the esteemed Venezuelan trumpeter Pacho Flores.

Sinfónica de Minería

Join pianist and polymath Kirill Gerstein for a program exploring Liszt and Brahms, two Romantic-era luminaries. Celebrated for his “insightful, boldly projected playing” (Chicago Classical Review), Gerstein opens with Liszt’s gem-like Three Petrarch Sonnets and fantastical Dante Sonata. The second half features Brahms’ youthful and impetuous Scherzo and the majestic warmth of his Sonata No. 3.

Kirill Gerstein

Over a misty landscape of storybook castles and deeply carved valleys, a solitary horn calls out at dawn. Bruckner’s Romantic Symphony begins its four-movement journey, encompassing birdsong, forest dances and hymns of thanksgiving. Chicago favorite Daniil Trifonov takes on Beethoven’s Second Piano Concerto, a work that crackles with invention and ends with a rollicking, dance-like finale.

Salonen, Trifonov & Beethoven

Embark on a thrilling voyage over two striking visions of the ocean — Debussy’s ravishing La mer and Gabriella Smith’s showpiece for cello, Lost Coast. Inspired by a hiking trip along the rugged Northern California coastline, the concerto features Chicago native Gabriel Cabezas — for whom it was written. Another evocative marvel, Debussy’s Images conjures up French folk dances, English-Scottish jigs and a Spanish street festival.

Salonen Conducts La mer

Renowned mezzo-soprano and 2025/26 CSO Artist-in-Residence Joyce DiDonato takes center stage in Emily, an extraordinary collaboration with the classical-roots string trio Time For Three. Together, they bring to life 24 vivid poems by Emily Dickinson, set to music by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Kevin Puts (The Hours, Silent Night). Bold, enigmatic and deeply evocative, Dickinson’s poetry finds new resonance in this captivating musical journey.

Joyce DiDonato in Emily – No Prisoner Be

Sensational teen Himari illuminates Bruch’s First Violin Concerto in her CSO subscription debut. Blacknificent 7 composer Joel Thompson’s To See the Sky, “a shifting palette of grooves, colors and moods” (Bachtrack), and Mozart’s electrifying Jupiter Symphony frame the program.

Jaap van Zweden, Himari & Mozart Jupiter

CSO at Wheaton: Jaap van Zweden, Himari & Mozart Jupiter

Wheaton College

It isn’t hard to guess the identity of the central character in A Hero’s Life, Richard Strauss’ extravagant showpiece filled with action, valor and romance — it’s undeniably the composer himself. Zell Music Director Designate Klaus Mäkelä pairs the work with music from his native Finland: Sibelius’ Lemminkäinen, a symphonic portrait of the life and romantic escapades of the country’s folk hero.

Mäkelä Conducts Ein Heldenleben

Marc-André Hamelin, a pianist celebrated for his astonishing technique and profound musicality, explores the music of two restless visionaries: Ives, whose Concord Sonata salutes Transcendentalist thinkers from Emerson to Thoreau, and Scriabin, represented by his turbulent and soul-searching Third Piano Sonata. Robert Schumann’s mercurial Fantasy Pieces span humor, joy and brooding intensity.

Marc-André Hamelin

In his Third Symphony, Mahler portrays the whole of earthly existence. Its six movements — written for a massive orchestra, two choruses and a contralto soloist — explore humanity’s relationship with nature using fanfares, marches, folk dances and bird calls. Children’s voices portray angels while the sixth movement is a pantheistic love song to all of creation.

Mäkelä Conducts Mahler 3

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