“Let the door be shut and bolted”

Esa-Pekka Salonen joins the CSO for a two-week residency focusing on Bartók. In week one, Salonen pairs the Concerto for Orchestra with his own Sinfonia Concertante for organ and orchestra, while in week two Bluebeard’s Castle shares the stage with Beethoven’s Second Symphony. As of this afternoon, there are still ample tickets available for Bluebeard’s Castle, and anyone who can go should.

It is one of the spookier pieces of music out there, and Bartók’s vocal writing is excruciatingly demanding. I’ve seen it staged on a double bill with Schoenberg’s expressionist masterpiece Erwartung. But, it was my first experience with the opera, a semi-staged concert performance in Seattle that is firmly planted in my memory. Gerard Schwarz pulled out all of the stops to make it a memorable evening. Schwarz’s production was unforgettable, partially thanks to Charles Simonyi’s support, which enabled the creation of glass sculptures by Dale Chihuly representing six of the seven doors opened by Judith and Duke Bluebeard. This striking production has since traveled to other venues, undoubtedly thrilling audiences.

While Chicago’s performance won’t feature Chihuly’s vibrant sculptures, it boasts its own impressive draw: Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting, alongside soloists Ekaterina Gubanova and Christian Van Horn.