Ravinia 2025 Issue 4

the Sound and the Flavor BYWEBBEHRENS “IFMUSICBETHEFOODOFLOVE,PLAYON,” wrote William Shakespeare in Twelfth Night . That might well be a cheer com- ing from audience members during Ravinia Festival’s Breaking Barriers festival this summer—if their mouths aren’t too full. Now in its fourth year, Ravinia’s Breaking Barriers programming breaks new ground: three days of celebrating the ineffable, delectable intersection of food and music and their women lead- ers. The July 25–27 weekend includes two Pavilion concerts featuring the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, sand- wiching a chamber-ensemble concert with musicians from the CSO and Ra- vinia’s Steans Institute, and each event is paired with coordinating culinary creations, from tasting dishes or small bites curated by eight guest celebrity chefs to special restaurant menus. The events are curated by the in- ternationally renowned Marin Alsop, chief conductor at Ravinia, and ac- claimed food writer Molly Yeh, a Glen- view native and star of Food Network’s Girl Meets Farm . It’s hard to imagine a better place for combining these two great joys in life than the beloved Highland Park venue, with its century-long history of combining food and music. “It’s so quintessentially American, this idea of sitting out on the lawn, listening to the music, and watching the sky,” reflects Alsop. “When I came to Ravinia, it felt like coming home to that concept—but maybe on steroids, because some of the people really go wild with their picnics. That gusto was a big inspiration for pursuing this theme. “As I was thinking about this season, well, I love cooking shows,” she con- tinues. “Although I’m a terrible cook, I’m a very good cooking-show watcher. And I’ve always thought that building a great [concert] program is very much like building a great menu. You have to have variety, but there has to be a theme of connection.” An annual festival within the Festival, Breaking Barriers focuses on women leaders, starting with conductors in 2022 and composers in 2023. Last year, Alsop broadened the scope, exploring the fascinating cross-section of music and astronomy. This year’s iteration seems RAVINIAMAGAZINE • JULY 21 – AUG. 3, 2025 6 KYLEDUNLEAVY/RAVINIA