Ravinia 2026 Issue 2

itinerary TEEMING BYWYNNEDELACOMA OST TOP-TIER classical music conductors are jetsetters. How else to handle schedules that o en have them conducting opera in Milan or Berlin one week and orches- tral concerts in London or Paris or New York or Chicago the next? But among that well-traveled cohort, Marin Alsop has to be one of the most frequent yers. In addition to mark- ing her sixth season as Ravinia’s chief conductor this summer, Alsop has been the principal guest conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra since . She became chief conductor of the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra in and is now the orchestra’s Honor- ary Conductor. She is also artistic di- rector and chief conductor of the Polish National Radio Symphony and principal guest conductor of the Philharmonia Orchestra in London. From to she was principal conductor, then music director, of the São Paulo State Sympho- ny Orchestra in Brazil. She is currently the orchestra’s Conductor of Honor. Alsop has conducted the nal piano concerto rounds of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, TX, and will work with the Cliburn as it adds a conducting compe- tition in coming years. She has debuted at the Metropolitan Opera and became the rst woman to conduct the presti- gious Last Night of the Proms concerts that close the annual BBC Proms season at London’s Royal Albert Hall. And for more than two decades, Alsop has shep- herded a conducting program focused on female conductors that she founded in , now known as the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship. Asked about her lengthy, far- ung list of professional commitments, Alsop seemed a bit taken aback in a recent video interview. “I don’t feel like it’s so many things,” she said thoughtfully. “I’m actually trying to do less.” But a er a pause, she added with a smile, “It’s not going well.” Accepting the principal guest con- ductor post in Philadelphia was an o er she simply couldn’t refuse. “I love that orchestra,” Alsop said. “It was one of the very rst orchestras to give me a subscription concert early in my career, so I have a long association with them. I love Yannick [Nézet-Séguin, Philadelphia’s music and artistic direc- tor]. I have tremendous respect for him. “I think Philadelphia is a very for- ward-thinking orchestra,” she contin- ued. “ at’s curious because, when you think of Philadelphia, you think of the old tradition—the ‘Philadelphia Sound,’ the old days, and all that. But in the last few decades they’ve really transformed themselves. ey’re an orchestra that’s vibrant, that’s very much of its time. Like most orchestras, they have a lot of young players who are really engaged.” Alsop worked with Jeremy Rothman, Philadelphia Orchestra’s chief artistic o cer, when he held a similar role at m the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. As music director in Baltimore from the mid- s through the - season, she was the rst woman to head a major American orchestra. She continues that association as the orchestra’s conductor laureate. “Jeremy and I have a long history as well,” she said. “He’s very innovative. [Philadelphia’s artistic team is] really curious about new music, about new projects.” Alsop was on the Philadelphia podium last year for the world premiere of Gabriela Lena Frank’s Pica or: A Fu- ture Myth , which won this year’s Pulitzer Prize for Music. She is excited about a future Philadelphia project that will combine live music with a lm featuring stop-animation clay gures. “I haven’t seen the score yet, so I re- ally can’t comment on it,” she said. “But the idea of it is pretty cool.” RAVINIAMAGAZINE • JULY 20 – AUGUST 2 , 2026 8 RAVINIA / KYLEDUNLEAVY