If there is a dominant trend in Chicago classical music for the first half of the 1985-86 season, it is that there is no dominant trend.
Most of the city`s major producers of music–and many of our minor ones as well–have operated in a kind of holding pattern since about the early 1970s. Building a wider following for local musical events generally has lagged behind the developing of new audiences for other performing arts, notably theater.
Why this should be relates more to a lack of professional audience-development expertise on the part of these groups than to a lack of consistent artistic quality. But the problem also relates to the traditionally cautious nature of the classical-music beast in general, and the failure of many organizations to break free of conventional program molds. For better or worse, the public wants to be excited, challenged, even on occasion provoked, by things it hasn`t heard before. With few exceptions, the Chicago music establishment has not met them on that level.
This does not mean, of course, that there is no important, innovative or stimulating activity ahead; a glance at the fall-winter highlights listed below will quickly dispel that notion. What it does mean, simply, is that the old rules of the cultural marketplace still very much apply. Chicago music remains a series of mutually suspicious islands. Each group is pursuing its own predefined artistic objectives, anxiously watching the effect of increased costs and fluctuating funding on budgets. Most of these organizations are concerned more with basic survival than breaking free of the status quo.
It promises to be a slim season for major composer anniversaries compared with 1984-85, with its floodtide of Bach and Handel observances. Still, 1986 is a double anniversary for Franz Liszt–the 175th anniversary of his birth and 100th of his death–whose music Georg Solti and the CSO are helping to celebrate. The CSO also will offer several Shostakovich works in honor of the 80th anniversary of the Russian composer`s birth. And American composers Aaron Copland and William Schuman will receive tributes from the CSO.
Worthwhile music may be happening all over the metropolitan area, but the center of our musical life remains Orchestra Hall and its famous resident ensemble, the Chicago Symphony.
Solti will conduct the first three subscription programs of the orchestra`s 95th season, which begins on Sept. 26 literally with a bang
–Tchaikovsky`s ”1812 Overture” heads the agenda. Returning conductors include Erich Leinsdorf for four weeks, Klaus Tennstedt for two and Daniel Barenboim for two, including a concert performance of Wagner`s ”Tristan und Isolde,” Act II, with singers Rene Kollo and Johanna Meier. Expectations also are running high over the local podium debuts of Ivan Fischer, Kurt Sanderling and Neeme Jarvi.
The CSO`s presenting arm, Allied Arts, traditionally has been responsible for most of the major visiting recitalists and orchestras that Chicago hears in Orchestra Hall. The Allied Arts lineup for 1985-86 is stronger than ever in the vocal area: Hermann Prey and Jose Carreras both will give recitals (Oct. 13 and Dec. 18, respectively), while the touring division of the New York City Opera will bring in a concert version of Gounod`s ”Faust” Nov. 13.
Otherwise, the fall schedule is dominated by such familiar artists as pianists Emil Gilels (Dec. 1) and Andre Watts (Oct. 20), and violinist Nathan Milstein (Nov. 3). Among the visiting orchestras are the Munich Philharmonic under Lorin Maazel (Oct. 30) and Vienna Symphony under Wolfgang Sawallisch
(Nov. 15). Not on the Allied Arts schedule, but decidedly an interesting orchestral import, is the Hungarian State Symphony at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall in Evanston on Nov. 16.
Of course, all that glitters in local music this fall and winter is not exclusively the product of the CSO organization. Lyric Opera will enter its fourth decade of presenting grand opera at the highest international level on Sept. 21. Verdi`s ”Otello” is the season opener, starring Placido Domingo, Margaret Price and Sherrill Milnes, with Bruno Bartoletti conducting.
Four of the nine operas will be new to the Lyric repertory. Handel`s
”Samson” (opening Oct. 12) stars Jon Vickers as the biblical strongman, with Julius Rudel conducting and Elijah Moshinsky directing. Donizetti`s
”Anna Bolena” marks the Lyric return after a decade`s absence of La Stupenda herself, soprano Joan Sutherland; it opens Oct. 30. The season`s second bel canto opera, Bellini`s ”I Capuleti e i Montecchi,” teams Tatiana Troyanos and newcomer Cecilia Gasdia in a production directed by Giulio Chazalettes, designed by Ulisse Santicchi and conducted by Donato Renzetti
(Nov. 15). The fourth new-to-Lyric work will be Puccini`s ”La Rondine,”
starring Ileana Cotrubas. Opening Dec. 18, it marks Lyric`s first venture into opera with English subtitles.
Rounding out the Lyric repertory will be Harold Prince`s controversial staging of Puccini`s ”Madama Butterfly” (Sept. 27), Verdi`s ”La Traviata” (Nov. 6) and Wagner`s ”Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg,” the latter featuring the Lyric debuts of Lucia Popp as Eva and Jose van Dam as Hans Sachs (Nov. 25).
Another major jewel in the city`s cultural crown is Music of the Baroque, which celebrates its 15th anniversary this fall. Thomas Wikman, our foremost Handelian, will open his season Oct. 16 with the first of five performances of Handel`s oratorio, ”Theodora.” Dec. 14-22 will bring the annual holiday concert of brass-choral music. The second season of MOB`s chamber/cantata series opens with an all-Bach program on Nov. 12-13 (various locations).
More Handel is on the way from the Chicago Chamber Choir: George Estevez will direct a performance of the oratorio ”Semele” Oct. 25, returning Dec. 1 and 8 for a holiday program of ”Messiah” excerpts (various locations).
Also on the choral front, the William Ferris Chorale will anticipate its scheduled engagement at England`s Aldeburgh Festival with a holiday concert Dec. 6 featuring music by British composer William Mathias. Concerts are held at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 690 W. Belmont Ave.
As of presstime, Chicago`s off-Loop new music organizations were keeping their season plans to themselves, which leaves the Oct. 17-18 residency of the Philip Glass Ensemble at Northwestern University and the Sept. 20-22 premiere of a new Robert Ashley video/opera at the Goodman Theater as the autumn`s most significant contemporary music events.
Along with a lecture-demonstration and an informal colloquium, the seven- member Glass ensemble will present a program that includes selections from Glass` music-theater works ”Einstein on the Beach” and ”Akhnaten.” All events will take place in Pick-Staiger hall.
Ashley, one of the pioneering composers of large-scale collaborative performance works, has written a comic opera, ”Atalanta (Acts of God),” on commission from the Museum of Contemporary Art, which will present the first performances as part of its exhibition series, ”The Electronic Language.”
The proliferation in the Chicago metropolitan area of groups dedicated to the performance of preclassic music, some using original instruments, has been one of the more heartening of recent developments. Leading the way is the Early Music at Newberry Library series, organized by resident musician Mary Springfels, who will take part in two programs, an Oct. 12 concert honoring the 400th anniversary of Heinrich Schutz`s birth, and a Nov. 23 program featuring Renaissance works by Josquin des Prez.
Things are scarcely less lively on the chamber music fro
Chamber Music Chicago will present the local debut of French duo pianists Katia and Marielle Labeque on Oct. 21. The series continues with concerts by the Vermeer Quartet on Dec. 2 and the Orpheus Chamber Ensemble on Dec. 16. All three programs are at the Civic Theater. Not to be outdone, the Chicago String Ensemble turns itself into the CSE Chamber Players for its opening concert Nov. 15 at St. Paul`s Church, 655 W. Fullerton Pkwy.
Visiting chamber ensembles include the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Octet on Oct. 11 at Pick-Staiger, and Duo Geminiani with cellist Anner Bylsma Nov. 1 in Mandel Hall.
A plethora of other musical adventures awaits in the first half of 1986. Stay tuned.
FIVE TO WATCH FOR
— Klaus Tennstedt conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in programs of Shostakovich and Mahler (Oct. 24, 25 and 27), Beethoven and Bruckner (Oct. 31, Nov. 1 and 2). Orchestra Hall.
— Soprano Joan Sutherland returns to the Lyric Opera roster after an absence of a decade to take the title role in a new production of Donizetti`s ”Anna Bolena,” conducted by Richard Bonynge, directed by Lotfi Mansouri and designed by John Pascoe and Michael Stennett. The opera, never before staged in Chicago, opens Oct. 30 for seven performances at the Civic Opera House.
— The Philip Glass Ensemble, one of the most popular groups at work within the minimalist wing of `80s experimental music, has a residency at Northwestern University on Oct. 17-18.
— Handel`s own favorite among his oratorios, ”Theodora,” helps Music of the Baroque celebrate its 15th anniversary season; soprano Lorna Haywood will assume the title role. Oct. 16, 18, 20, 22, and 23 at various city and suburban church locations.
— Emil Gilels, the great Soviet pianist, returns for his first Chicago recital in six years. Dec. 1, Orchestra Hall.
