Chicago Music and Theater

AUGUST SAILS IN WITH COOL OFFERINGS OF MUSIC AND THEATER
By Joseph Cunniff
 

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AT RAVINIA: The CSO is celebrating their 90th annual summer residency at Ravinia with programs in thenewly designed and acoustically enhanced Hunter Pavillion.
 

Highlights should include CSO Music Director Designate Klaus Makela making his Ravinia debut with two programs. On Aug. 6 he will conduct the Sibelius Violin Concerto with soloist Daniel Lozakovich followed by the majestic “An Alpine Symphony” by Richard Strauss.
 

On Aug. 7 he will conduct selected orchestral pieces by Debussy plus the complete ballet score of “The Firebird” by Igor Stravinsky.
 

There is great anticipation and excitement around the appearances of Makela, the charismatic young conductor who is in international demand.
 

August 16 will bring the annual Tchaikovsky Spectacular, featuring the “1812 Overture.” Visit tickets@ravinia.org. (847) 266-5100.
 

GRANT PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL:The Grant Park Symphony Orchestra sounds better than ever, and continues to delight audiences in the Pritzker Pavillion at Lakefront Millennium Park. But when the sounds ofnearby rock concerts can also fill thelakefront air, the festival will move into the Harris Theater, and that’s where a memorable Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 took place.
 

Pianist Sara Davis Buechner was the soloist in a brilliant and dramatic performance, with Edwin Outwater conducting.Of the three less familiar opening pieces, Jimmy Lopez’s “Loud,” Lou Harrison’s “Elegiac,” Amy Woodforde-Finden’s “Kashmiri Song,” the latter clearly charmed the audience, and had some of the orchestra members smiling as well.
 

Upcoming programs include Grant Park Symphony Music Director Giancarlo Guerrero leading a program including Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with popular soloist Garrick Ohlsson followed by Tchaikovsky’s vivid “Capriccio Italien” on Wednesday, Aug. 5,at 6:30.
 

On Wednesday, Aug. 12, Guerrero leads the John Adams “Short Ride in a Fast Machine,” the Philip Glass Violin Concerto No. 1 with soloist Anne Akiko Meyers, and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9, “From the New World.”
 

The festival will conclude on Friday, Aug. 14 at 6:630 and Saturday, Aug. 15 at 7:30 with soloists and the Grant Park Symphony Chorus joining Guerrero and the orchestra for Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Visit GPMF.ORG. (312) 742-7647.
 

GIFT THEATER is launching its 25th season with the Chicago premiere of Marina Carr’s “Marble.” Directed by Kay Martinovich, it is described as a tense drama exploring illusions of class, privilege, and morality as two wealthy couples navigatethe consequences of loss and of affairs. 
 

Opening August 2 and running through August 30 at the Copernicus Center, 5216 W. Lawrence Ave. Visit boxoffice@thegifttheater.org. (773) 283 7071. 
 

THEATER WIT is hosting the premiere of “Adolescent Salvation,” Tim Venable’s coming-of-age comedy/drama following three teenagers over a chaotic night filled with tequila and Tayor Swift. Aug. 13 through Oct. 3 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Visit info@theaterwit.org. (773) 975-8150
 

WRITER’S THEATER presents the Midwest premiere of “Sisters” by Matthew Libby. Directed by Jessica Thebus, the play explores the 90-year bond between a woman and her artificial intelligence sister.
 

Aug. 13 through November 8 at Writer’s Theater, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. boxoffice@writerstheatre.org. (847) 242 6000.
 

JAZZ SHOWCASE: Every August is Charlie Parker Month at the Showcase, honoring the great saxophonist whose earthly life was short (1920-1955) but whose influence is long, leading up to today. August highlights at the Showcase should include saxophonist Jerry Weldon’s Quartet Aug. 13 through 16; saxophonist Tim Warfield’s Quartet Aug. 20-23; and saxophonist Eric Schneider’s Quartet Aug. 27-30.
 

The Sunday afternoon 4 p.m. matinees at the Showcase, with a discount for students and seniors, remain as popular as the evening shows.806 S. Plymouth Court, in the big red brick Dearborn and Polk building. (312) 3620-0234.