Ravinia 2025 Issue 5

PAVILION 7:30 PM SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2025 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA LIDIYA YANKOVSKAYA, conductor † RAY CHEN, violin WAGNER Overture to Tannhäuser BRUCH Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, op. 26 Prelude: Allegro moderato Adagio Finale: Allegro energico Ray Chen –Intermission– DEBUSSY La mer De l’aube à midi sur la mer Jeux de vagues Dialogue du vent et de la mer † Ravinia debut Tonight’s concert is performed in memory of Keene H. Addington II . Pre-Concert Talk Free and open to all ticketholders! Join us for a talk by music historian, composer, and author Robert Greenberg , featuring projected visuals and musical excerpts to illuminate expressive, historic, and philosophical highlights. RICHARD WAGNER (1813–1883) Overture to Tannhäuser Scored for two flutes and piccolo, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, three trumpets, two tenor and one bass trombones, tuba, triangle, cymbals, tambourine, timpani and strings Wagner created his “grand Romantic opera” Tannhäuser for the Royal Saxon Court Theater in Dresden, where he was installed as Ka- pellmeister on February 2, 1843. This three-act work, composed between 1842 and 1845, was Wagner’s third and last operatic premiere in Dresden (following Rienzi and The Flying Dutchman ). Its text, with the original title Der Venusberg , was written by Wagner himself. The score underwent seven revisions after the pre- miere and continuing until 1875—primarily ad- aptations for the French stage. Tannhäuser, a handsome Thuringian knight, dwells as a semi-god in the hedonistic palace of Venus—the Venusberg. However, he has grown tired of sensual diversions and longs for his earthly home. Back on terra firma , he encoun- ters a wandering band of pilgrims in front of the Wartburg Castle. Recognizing their lost com- rade, the pilgrims convince Tannhäuser to join them in the Hall of Song at the Wartburg. There, his beloved Elisabeth is offered as the prize to the winning minstrel. Tannhäuser competes in the song contest but his salacious tune in praise of Venus offends the moral sensibilities of ev- ery gathered minstrel. As penance for his sins, Tannhäuser must make a pilgrimage to Rome. The Pope has withheld absolution, saying that his staff would sprout leaves before Tannhäuser would receive salvation. With few earthly op- tions remaining, the defeated knight elects to re- turn to the Venusberg. Elisabeth offers her own life for his redemption. Crying out to the holy saints, Tannhäuser dies. A chorus of pilgrims returning from Rome recounts a wondrous mir- acle: the Pope’s staff has sprouted leaves. Tann- häuser’s soul has been saved. Richard Wagner RAVINIAMAGAZINE • AUG. 4 – AUG. 17, 2025 66