Ravinia 2023 Issue 6

BENJAMIN EALOVEGA (EHNES) JAMES EHNES One of the most sought-after musicians on the international stage, violinist James Ehnes frequently guests with major orches- tras, recently making highlight appearances with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, Leipzig’s Gewandhaus Or- chestra, Munich Philharmonic, and the San Francisco, London, and NHK Symphonies. Over the 2023–24 season, he will debut with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Zurich’s Tonhalle Orchestra, and the Israel Philharmonic, as well as continue as Artist in Residence with the National Arts Centre of Canada and Artistic Partner with Artis– Naples. Equally devoted to solo and small ensemble repertoire, including as leader of the Ehnes Quartet and the Artistic Director of the Seattle Chamber Music Society, Ehnes maintains a wide-ranging recital calendar. He performs regularly at London’s Wigmore Hall—where he has presented Beethoven’s complete violin sonatas (2019–20) and the complete violin and viola works of Brahms and Schumann (2021–22)—as well as at Car- negie Hall, Chicago’s Symphony Center, Am- sterdam’s Concertgebouw, Montreux, Verbier Festival, Dresden Music Festival, and Festival de Pâques in Aix-en-Provence. Ehnes has an extensive discography and has received abun- dant recognition for his recordings, including two Grammy, three Gramophone , and 11 Juno Awards. In 2021 he was named Artist of the Year by Gramophone , honoring his ongoing work while concert halls were closed in 2020. Ehnes recorded the six Bach Solo Sonatas and Partitas and six Ysaÿe Solo Sonatas from his home with state-of-the-art equipment, releasing them across a six-episode online series and subsequently on the Onyx label. After beginning violin studies at age 5, Ehnes became a protégé of Francis Chaplin at age 9, made his orchestral debut with the Montreal Symphony at 13, and continued studies with Sally Thomas at the Meadowmount School of Music and The Juilliard School through 1997. He is a Member of the Order of Canada and the Order of Manitoba, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and an honorary fellow of the Royal Academy of Music, where he is a Visiting Professor. James Ehnes made his Ra- vinia debut in 1994 with a solo recital, then returned in 1997, 2004, and 2013 for perfor- mances with the Chicago Symphony and Ra- vinia Festival Orchestras. MUSIC OF THE BAROQUE Long recognized as one of the region’s top classical groups, Music of the Baroque is one of the leading ensembles in the country devoted to the performance of 18th-century works. The 2022/23 season marked the 20th anniversaries of music director Dame Jane Glover and prin- cipal guest conductor Nicholas Kraemer. Andrew Megill was named chorus director in April 2022. Highlights of the milestone season included Handel’s Jephtha in September 2022 and Bach’s St. Matthew Passion in April 2023, as well as a program of Mozart and Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, with pianist Gabriela Montero in January 2023. Dubbed “Heaven & Earth,” Music of the Baroque’s present season features Mozart’s Requiem in September and a Vivaldi celebra- tion in October; evenings of Bach with the St. John Passion in March and concertos with violinist Viktoria Mullova in January, on a program with suites by Lully and Rameau; a musical explora- tion of the animal kingdom in April; and a dramatic evening with guest conductor Patrick Dupre Quigley of Seraphic Fire. Music of the Baroque has presented premier performances of many early masterpieces, in- cluding Monteverdi’s operas and 1610 Vespers, Telemann’s Day of Judgment , Mozart’s Idomeneo , and many of Handel’s operas and oratorios. The ensemble has received critical praise throughout its 50-year history for its performances of the major choral and orchestral works of J.S. Bach as well as Handel, Mozart, and Haydn. Reaching audiences across the Chicago metropolitan area, Music of the Baroque appears regularly at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Chicago’s Millennium Park and the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, as well as at intimate Chicago and suburban churches. The ensemble also reaches listeners nationally through recordings and live concerts broadcast on the WFMT radio network. Most recently Music of the Baroque released Messiah—Live in Chicago , recorded in November 2021 with Kraemer con- ducting and guest soloists soprano Sherezade Panthaki, mezzo-soprano Allyson McHardy, tenor Brian Giebler, and bass-baritone Matthew Brook. Its discography also includes Bach’s B-minor Mass, recorded live in September 2019 with Glover conducting and guest soloists soprano Yulia Van Doren, mezzo-soprano Krisztina Szabó, tenor Jonas Hacker, and baritone Tyler Duncan, and On This Night , a collection of brass and choral works recorded during the ensemble’s 2017 and 2014 holiday concerts conducted by William Jon Gray. Through its “Strong Voices” program, Music of the Baroque conducts arts education to support and enhance music education pro- grams at Chicago public high schools. Music of the Baroque first performed at Ravinia in 1977 and is marking its sixth season with the festival. VIOLINS Gina DiBello concertmaster Kathleen Brauer asst. concertmaster Kevin Case Teresa Fream Michael Shelton Gabriela Lara Sharon Polifrone principal Ann Palen Rika Seko Paul Vanderwerf Paul Zafer VIOLAS Elizabeth Hagen principal Terri Van Valkinburgh Claudia Lasareff-Mironoff Amy Hess CELLOS Anna Steinhoff principal Judy Stone Mark Brandfonbrener BASSES Collins Trier principal Ian Hallas FLUTES Mary Stolper principal Alyce Johnson OBOES Anne Bach principal Erica Anderson Sam Waring BASSOONS William Buchman principal Edin Agamenoni HORN Oto Carrillo principal Greg Flint asst. principal Susanna Gaunt TRUMPET Barbara Butler principal Justin Kohan TIMPANI Douglas Waddell HARPSICHORD Mark Shuldiner RUTH PAGE FESTIVAL OF DANCE “To the history of dance, she left several chapters of innovation. … And to the world of dance, she left a legend.” —Ann Barzel, dance critic “Among our most American icons is this pioneer woman dedicatedly scanning the distant frontier.” —John Martin, New York Times For many, Ruth Page (1899–1991) and dance in Chicago are synonymous. She performed, toured, choreographed, and produced in all parts of the world, but her legacy was not just in being an acclaimed American balleri- na. She was an early creative force, breaking boundaries between classical and modern dance through a complex fusion of choreog- raphy beyond her classical training. She col- laborated with some of the greatest artists of the 20th century, including Irving Berlin, Antoni Clave, Aaron Copland, Sergei Diaghi- lev, Katherine Dunham, and Isamu Noguchi. Ruth Page also brought world-class dance to Chicago’s stages as Ballet Director of the Chi- cago Opera Ballet, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the Ravinia Opera. In 1965, Ruth Page presented Chicago with a beautiful holiday gift—original choreography of The Nutcracker that would become a be- loved classic for the entire family, performed annually at the Arie CrownTheater until 1997. This full-length work lives on in a dazzling annual production that celebrates young art- ists and international guests with an audience that includes countless generations of fans. In 1971, having already established herself as an internationally acclaimed artist and arts patron, Ruth Page created a performing arts center and school of dance where artistic excellence could thrive. The Ruth Page Cen- ter for the Arts stands today as an example of how far her legacy has grown. More than just a building, it is a hub for creative explo- ration, connection, and expression. The Ruth Page Center is widely recognized as an inte- gral part of the global dance community not only for its history of artistic excellence and innovation through its founder, but also for the progressive programs that are important to dance artists at every level of development. An enduring part of the Ruth Page legacy is the long-standing artistic relationship be- tween the Ravinia Festival and the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, which helps ensure that dance is represented as part of Ravinia’s an- nual programming. In partnership with Ra- vinia, the Ruth Page Festival of Dance pres- ents local, national, and international dance companies on the festival grounds or at one of Chicago’s large venues. To learn more about The Ruth Page Center for the Arts’ programs and initiatives, please visit www.ruthpage.org . RAVINIA MAGAZINE • AUGUST 28 – SEPTEMBER 10, 2023 36