Additional repertoire and guest soloists announced, including three more debuts and the return of music icons to Blossom Music Center
Soloists include Michael Sachs, Garrick Ohlsson, Michelle Cann, Benjamin Grosvenor, Stefan Jackiw, Behzod Abduraimov, Sayaka Shoji, and Jonathan Biss
Three works performed by The Cleveland Orchestra for the first time: Mary D. Watkins’s Soul of Remembrance, Florence Price’s Concerto in One Movement, and Caroline Shaw’s Watermark
July 4 concert date added due to demand
Under 18s Free, signature program of The Cleveland Orchestra, continues into its 10th season
CLEVELAND – Individual tickets for The Cleveland Orchestra’s 2021 Blossom Music Festival season are on sale today, presented by The J.M. Smucker Co. and supported by festival partner The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. The Festival returns this summer, following last year’s cancelation due to the global pandemic, with an inspiring lineup of concerts, presented in accordance with local, state, and federal health guidelines.
With the addition of a performance on July 4, twelve concerts are part of the 2021 Blossom Music Festival, which runs from Fourth of July through Labor Day weekends (July 3 – September 5) at the Orchestra’s scenic summer home in Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Select repertoire and details were announced in April at this link. Information below adds to the repertoire previously announced:
The explosive and patriotic An American Celebration concerts on July 3 and 4 will feature celebrated pianist Michelle Cann making her Cleveland Orchestra debut performing the Cleveland Orchestra premiere of Florence Price’s Concerto in One Movement. The program also includes a moment of reflection for those we’ve lost during the pandemic with the Cleveland Orchestra premiere of Soul of Remembrance by American composer Mary D. Watkins. These concerts led by Brett Mitchell also feature music by American composers Adolphus Hailstork, Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, and John Philip Sousa — plus Tchaikovsky’s booming 1812 Overture.
On July 11, an all-Mozart program under the baton of Dame Jane Glover will now include his Piano Concerto No. 20 performed by Benjamin Grosvenor, a pianist described as “one in a million…several million” by The Independent. Mozart’s Divertimento for Strings in D major rounds out the program, adding to the previously announced Symphony No. 40.
Violinist Stefan Jackiw returns to Blossom for Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2 on July 25. Jackiw last thrilled audiences with his Blossom debut in 2017 performing Korngold’s Violin Concerto. Venezuelan conductor Rafael Payare makes his Cleveland Orchestra debut leading a program that also features Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 (“From the New World”).
On August 1, legendary conductor Herbert Blomstedt is joined by iconic American pianist Garrick Ohlsson for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4. Ohlsson has a long and celebrated history with The Cleveland Orchestra, most recently at Severance Hall in 2019 performing Busoni’s Piano Concerto. The evening concludes with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7.
Cleveland Orchestra principal trumpet Michael Sachs and rising-star pianist Behzod Abduraimov will perform Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1 on August 15. American conductor Karina Canellakis makes her Cleveland Orchestra debut leading a program that also features Dvořák’s The Wood Dove and Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony.
Celebrated Japanese violinist Sayaka Shoji, youngest-ever winner of the Paganini Competition in Genoa, makes her Cleveland Orchestra debut with Brahms’s lyrical Violin Concerto. She joins audience favorite Jahja Ling who leads a romantic all-Brahms program on August 22 that also features the composer’s Third Symphony.
Saturday, August 28, will be an evening of firsts: pianist Jonathan Biss makes his Blossom Music Festival debut and conductor Elim Chan makes her Cleveland Orchestra debut. Biss will be the featured soloist during The Cleveland Orchestra’s premiere of Caroline Shaw’s Watermark — having previously performed on the world-premiere of Shaw’s work in 2019. A Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, Shaw wrote Watermark as a response to Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3. The Orchestra will also perform Beethoven’s Coriolan Concert Overture and Elgar’s Enigma Variations.
Previously announced programs that remain unchanged: The Great American Songbook on July 18, Classical Mystery Tour: A Tribute to the Beatles on August 8, and Hollywood Under the Stars on September 4 & 5.
Further details of the 2021 Blossom Music Festival season, including a list of Cleveland Orchestra and Festival debuts, are available in the Calendar section below and online at clevelandorchestra.com.
2021 INDIVIDUAL TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Pavilion tickets start at $25 for adults and $15 for students and children. Individual lawn tickets start at $25. Two Under 18s Free lawn tickets are available for every one adult lawn ticket purchased.
For all individual ticket and subscription offerings, and for questions about this summer’s procedures, contact the Severance Hall Ticket Office at 216-231-1111 or 1-800-686-1141 or by e-mailing boxoffice@clevelandorchestra.com. Tickets and packages can also be purchased online at clevelandorchestra.com. The Blossom Box Office will be open throughout the summer season on festival performance days, starting three hours prior to each concert.
Lawn Ticket Books – 2020 books valid
All Lawn Ticket Books (including Under 18s Free passes) originally sold for the 2020 Blossom Music Festival can be used for any of the 12 Cleveland Orchestra concerts this summer. Due to social distancing guidelines, lawn capacity will be limited, so we advise those using Lawn Book tickets to arrive early to guarantee a spot. New Lawn Ticket Books are not currently being offered due to limited capacity.
Premier Subscription Series
The 2021 Blossom Music Festival features a six-concert “Classics” and four-concert “Pops” series. Ticket packages are on sale now with a savings of up to 20% off individual ticket prices. Ticket packages start at $80, which includes free Lot B parking and access to Kulas Plaza. Box-seat ticket packages include complimentary parking in First Energy Lot A behind the main Box Office and access to Kulas Plaza. Premier subscribers can also request one free Pavilion youth ticket for each adult subscription ticket purchased as part of our Under 18s Free program (box seats not included).
Create-Your-Own Series
A Create-Your-Own Series package is being offered again this season. When purchasing four or more concerts, there is a savings of approximately 10% off individual ticket prices. All subscribers receive free parking in Lot B.
Group Ticket Sales
Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more who are socially distancing together. Call the Cleveland Orchestra Group Sales Office at Severance Hall at 216-231-7493 for more information.
UNDER 18s FREE
Under 18s Free is a signature program of The Cleveland Orchestra’s Center for Future Audiences. The Center, created with a lead endowment gift from the Maltz Family Foundation, was established in 2010 to fund programs to develop new generations of audiences for Cleveland Orchestra concerts in Northeast Ohio. Under 18s Free continues to develop young audiences by making attending Orchestra concerts affordable for families, once again offering free Lawn tickets to young people (17 and under) for every Blossom Music Festival concert this season. With the cancelation of the 2020 season, the 2021 festival will now mark the program’s 10th season.
At Blossom Music Festival, Under 18s Free lawn vouchers (two per regular-priced adult paid admission) are offered to any Blossom Music Festival subscription concert. Under 18s Free is also included on Premier Subscriptions, with one free pavilion youth ticket offered for each adult subscription ticket purchased.