Ravinia Festival ... A Fond Reminiscence
Monday, July 7, 2008 at 11:44PM 
For the first twelve years of our marriage TG and I lived in Northwest Indiana, a/k/a "da region" (essentially the greater Chicagoland area), where we met and where our courtship took place. All four of our children were born at the same hospital there, all delivered by the same doctor. (Every three years from 1980 until 1989, the labor and delivery nurses knew to expect me, expecting.) We bought our first house there. For six years TG attended night school to obtain his master's degree at DePaul University in Chicago. We moved away in 1991 and although we have never missed the Midwestern climate, we often speak longingly of how much fun it was to live a scant 30 miles from one of the greatest cities in America.
Despite the potential for eyebrow-high snowdrifts, temperatures that can freeze a notion even as it forms in your brain, the wind whipping off Lake Michigan that will blow a person into the middle of the next week, and relentless, uber-draconian traffic on some of the worst roads in the country, Chicago is pretty much my favorite place. If you know and love Chicago, you'll understand where I'm coming from.
Candles are lit against the gathering dusk and although thousands of people are present, the ambience is calm and marvelously peaceful.
Each year when the ice and snow of winter had reluctantly receded and fickle spring finally gave way to a generally hot and sticky summer, one of our favorite places to go was Ravinia Festival in tony and pastoral Highland Park, Illinois, about 20 miles north of downtown Chicago. In addition to being the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, each season Ravinia plays host to dozens of world-class performers, from classical to pop to jazz and everything in between. As if that isn't enough, Ravinia Park is a stunningly beautiful place to spend a summer evening.
The first time TG and I visited Ravinia was in July of 1984 when our dear friend Lorna offered us two tickets for seats in the concert pavilion. She couldn't use the tickets and didn't want them to go to waste. We were overjoyed at the opportunity to leave our two girls with a babysitter and enjoy an evening of lovely music, and although I was familiar with Ravinia, nothing could have prepared me for how magical it really was. My first sight of the iconic arched gate with its rustic lettering was thrilling. From that moment I have always felt at home at Ravinia, whether strolling or sitting on the expansive lawn, listening raptly to the exquisite music drifting up into thousands of lighted trees.
At Ravinia you have so many choices. If you don't want to pay for a seat in the open-air pavilion, you can purchase a much cheaper ticket and sit on the lawn. There are restaurants where everything from simple snacks to box lunches to elaborate dinners are available. If you prefer, you can bring lawn chairs and a portable table and a picnic meal you have prepared at home. The park opens three hours before concert time and folks start getting comfortable right away. Candles are lit against the gathering dusk and although thousands of people are present, the ambience is calm and marvelously peaceful.
As eight o'clock draws near the already-quiet crowd on the lawn and in the pavilion goes even quieter. Those walking on the many paths among the al fresco diners somehow make their footfalls completely silent. Conversation all but ceases. Twilight obscures the middle distance. Candles wink more brightly as the first ambrosial notes emanate from the acoustically sublime stage and, carried along by soft breezes and a discreet state-of-the-art parkwide sound system, settle on the grateful ears of eagerly waiting listeners. You can almost sense the tension easing from tired shoulders and worrisome thoughts leaving overworked minds. If you close your eyes, or lie back and stare up into the trees at trembling illuminated leaves, the experience is pretty close to perfect.
*sigh*
This Wednesday, July 9th, one of my favorite musicians, violinist Joshua Bell, is scheduled to perform with the CSO at Ravinia. I think that at twilight I will put his CD Romance of the Violin on the stereo, broadcast it to the pool area out back via our speakers that look like rocks (rock music as it were), light the tiki torches and a candle, fix a snack, and sit on my swing as he plays Puccini's O Mio Babbino Caro, Debussy's The Girl With The Flaxen Hair, and Dvorak's Songs My Mother Taught Me. For a few blissful moments as Mr. Bell interprets the music as only he can, I'll close my eyes and imagine I am among the quiet, the reverent, the very fortunate throng ... once again, at Ravinia.
Reader Comments (14)
Sounds fabulous. We have the Blue Grass festival, and the Blues festival locally. In Syracuse there is the most excellent Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, a huge jazz fest we have never attended, and probably a few more music events I don't know about.
Ahhhh. I'm relaxed just thinking about it. We have a Smooth Jazz festival "on the green" that my husband and I enjoy going to. Evening picnic on a green lawn with a zillion happy people and music to die for, all with my sweetheart for hours. Mmmmmmm. Oh, two things - one is, thanks for complimenting my fireworks photos - but I have a confession. My camera actually has a "fireworks" setting, and it does the work of figuring out how long the aperture has to remain open - I just have to hold still until it does its thing! AND, I would like to add you to my blogroll. I like your blog - and I really loved your scripture comment on Ruth's blog. You'd be the person I'd love to have a Bible study with!
@ windyridge ... it is fabulous and I miss it. There's just something about music under the stars, no?
@ Rosezilla ... I am honored that you'd add me to your excellent blog roll and even more that you'd want to have a Bible study with me! I think that would be more of a blessing for me than for you. And your pictures of the fireworks were great ... you may have a smart camera but you sure know how to use it! Thanks for reading and for your kind comments.
Loved the stories and all the descriptions. The music sounds like it was wonderful. Thanks for the descriptions.. Kayce
Oh, I'm afraid I'm going to make you envious. Michael and I were just looking at the schedule last night and deciding when to go to celebrate his birthday, which is the 14th. We're going on the 17th, weather permitting.
It is a magical place.
Oooh, that sounds nice! There are some great people on the list too - Kiri Te Kanawa, Gypsy Kings, and Itzhak Perlman! We saw Perlman at the Royal Albert Hall a few years back. Wonderful, wonderful evening!
On our recent holiday, we had tickets to the opening night at the Hollywood Bowl, which was magical, but the Ravinia sounds even better!
@ Kayce ... thanks luv. I hope you'll come back.
@ Ruth ... I'm a little envious but not at all surprised as I expected you to say you had plans to go! I hope you and Michael have a wonderful time and I hope you blog about it!
@ Jay ... I've heard Itzhak Perlman at Ravinia ... of course it was divine for he knows no other way to be, no matter where he is. What a great artist and another of my favorites. Have you ever heard his Cinema Serenade CD's? When our daughter got married we played Itzhak performing Tara's Theme from "Gone With The Wind" as I was being seated. That's on Cinema Serenade II. GWTW is Stephanie's favorite novel so it was most fittin' ... !
I've always wanted to visit the Hollywood Bowl (did you sit in a boat?) and also the Greek Theater in Los Angeles!
Sounds simply wonderful! I love outdoor concerts and plays. We saw Itzhak Perlman many years ago at the Hollywood Bowl when my sons were budding violinists. Because I had kids, the kind people at the Bowl permitted us to come earlier and watch the great Perlman rehearse for the evening's concert. It was unforgettable! Hope you make it to the Ravinia or its equivalent soon!
WOW, Keli! Your sons got to see Itzhak Perlman rehearse? And at the Hollywood Bowl? What an honor! I'm sure they will remember that all their lives. I do hope to visit Ravinia again very soon.
you bring the memory of this wonderful place to life for me... i long to spend an evening in its fresh air and candle lights.....
Paisley, thanks dear, and thanks for reading! I know you would love the Ravinia experience.
This post is making me a bit TOO relaxed! I better find some caffeine or else I'm going to fall asleep at my desk at work...
Did you spend time with Joshua? It sounded lovely!
@ Kev ... wake up, man! Kev? Kev! *slap slap*
@ Cheryl ... unfortunately a violent thunderstorm here barred me from doing that. I was so disappointed. I thought about him though, and wished him well!