Price is right for CSO tickets at Ravinia

The best bargain of the summer is shaping up to be Chicago Symphony Orchestra pavilion tickets for $25 at the Ravinia Festival.

Through a promotion called “2,500 at $25,” almost three-fourths of the 3,400 pavilion seats for each of 14 CSO concerts this season will be sold at a steep discount, including the annual gala benefit on July 27 with superstar pianist Lang Lang, and a concert version of Verdi’s “Aida” on Aug. 3. Pavilion seats usually cost $80 apiece for CSO programs.

The CSO’s residency, which runs to Aug. 16, begins with two all-Beethoven programs, conducted by Christoph von Dohnanyi, on Thursday and Friday.

Welz Kauffman, president and CEO of the Ravinia Festival, said the price reduction was inspired by this summer’s 25th anniversary celebration of the festival’s Steans Institute: “In this hectic world where so many cultural opportunities compete for audience time and money, we didn’t want price to be an obstacle to experiencing the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Ravinia.”

Ravinia will offer the discounts next summer, too.

Lawn seats for CSO dates are $10 and free to students with IDs at the box office on the night of each program.

Dorothy Andries is a freelance contributor.