CSO at Ravinia
Kim Novak on ‘Vertigo,’ Hitchcock and her farewell to Hollywood
“Blondes make the best victims,” Alfred Hitchcock once observed. “They’re like virgin snow that shows up the bloody footprints.” What…
The Williams/Spielberg creative partnership remains a match of the titans
Steven Spielberg picked up the phone at his Universal Studios office. “You gotta get over here!” Martin Scorsese breathlessly told him….
Ryan Center alumna J’Nai Bridges connects with the moment
Mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges “discovered” her exceptional voice when as a senior, she auditioned for the high school choir near her…
Williams’ score for ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ pays homage to classic serials
The movie opens with the Paramount Pictures mountain centered on a backdrop of clouds rolling across the screen. The logo…
Pianist Simon Trpčeski takes hold of his music’s roots
Macedonia is among the smaller nations of Europe, so it’s not surprising that few of its musicians have reached the…
Marin Alsop reflects on her creative bond with longtime mentor Bernstein
Marin Alsop, the first-ever artistic curator at the Ravinia Festival, believes that Leonard Bernstein, her mentor, granted her the ultimate gift:…
Leonard Bernstein’s neglected 1971 opus finally achieves critical mass
When Leonard Bernstein’s Mass was christened at the 1971 opening of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the work faced…
James Conlon returns to one of his favorite summer venues — Ravinia
Though James Conlon marked the finale of his 10-year tenure as music director of the Ravinia Festival with a triumphant…
Jazz pianist Makoto Ozone believes in making the classics swing
With more than 40 recordings to his credit and a history of collaborations with such heavy-hitters as Gary Burton, Branford…
Pianist Igor Levit believes in speaking out and standing up for a cause
Hailed for “his potent mixture of powerful art and political candor,” Berlin-based pianist Igor Levit doesn’t believe in compartmentalizing his…
Broadway star Audra McDonald believes in a simple motto: ‘Sing Happy’
With a record six Tony Awards, Audra McDonald certainly qualifies as Broadway royalty. So for her latest disc, “Sing Happy,”…