2 days ago
Grant Park Music Festival begins 2025 season with "Rhapsody in Blue"
The 101-year-old classic "Rhapsody in Blue" filled Chicago's front lawn Wednesday night, during the first performance of the year for the Grant Park Music Festival.
The free concert was held at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park.
"Rhapsody in Blue" may make you think of United Airlines and the cascading neon lights of the Sky's the Limit installation at the United Terminal at O'Hare International Airport, or it may inspire you close your eyes imagine Jazz Age New York City.
On Wednesday night, crowds enjoyed George Gershwin's groundbreaking 1924 fusion of classical and jazz to the sight of Chicago's majestic skyline — the Aon Center and One and Two Prudential Plaza to the north, the Diamond Building and the historic buildings of the Michigan Avenue Streetwall to the west.
Conductor and pianist Andrew Litton led the Grant Park Orchestra in the performance of "Rhapsody in Blue" Wednesday night. The program also included "Three Latin Ameriacn Dances" by Gabriela Lena Frank, and Suites from "The Three-Cornered Hat," by Manuel de Falla.
On Friday and Saturday evening this week, Christopher Bell leads the Grand Park Orchestra in Gustav Holst's "The Planets."
On Wednesday of next week, newly appointed Grant Park Music Festival artistic director and principal conductor Giancarlo Guerrero leads the orchestra in a program headlined by Felix Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto, featuring Jeremy Black on violin. On Friday, June 20, and Saturday, June 21, Guerrero leads the orchestra in Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 1.
From classics to movie scores and more, the festival is putting on performances just about every week this summer.
The full concert schedule for the summer can be found at the Grant Park Music Festival website.
