| The Cleveland Orchestra announces 2025 Blossom Music Festival |
 (Photo credit: Kevin Libal) Seven spectacular classical programs feature Carmina Burana, Mahler’s “Titan” Symphony, Beethoven’s Violin Concerto and “Pastoral” Symphony, Elgar’s Enigma VariationsA dazzling array of pops favorites light up Blossom, from Cynthia Erivo and the Music of Dolly Parton to The Billy Joel Songbook and A Rodgers & Hammerstein Celebration Blockbuster movies come alive with performances of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Disney’s The Lion King live in concert Eight soloists and four conductors make their Cleveland Orchestra debuts CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Orchestra is delighted to announce its 2025 Blossom Music Festival, promising an unforgettable summer of performances at Blossom Music Center. The festival runs July 3 through September 7 at the Orchestra’s scenic home in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. This exciting lineup features timeless classics, Blockbuster film scores, Broadway hits, and performances by some of today’s biggest stars. The festival kicks off on July 3 and 4 with the beloved Salute to America concerts featuring the Blossom Festival Band. These family-favorite patriotic performances include stirring marches and a salute to the Armed Forces, culminating in a spectacular fireworks display that marks the official start of the 2025 Blossom season. The Cleveland Orchestra presents Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stoneon July 5 and 6. Audiences can experience the magic of the film as the Orchestra performs John Williams’s enchanting score live, immersing fans in the wizarding world like never before. July 12 features a grand performance of Orff’s Carmina Burana, conducted by Osmo Vänskä who is joined by the Blossom Festival Chorus, The Cleveland Orchestra Children’s Chorus, and vocalists Shelén Hughes, Reginald Mobley, and John Brancy. The evening also includes Sibelius’s bittersweet tone poem En Saga. The Orchestra brings Schumann’s youthful “Spring” Symphonyto life with conductor Petr Popelka on July 19. The work is paired with Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, featuring violinist Veronika Eberle in her Cleveland Orchestra debut. Conductor Jonathon Heyward also makes his Cleveland Orchestra debut the following week with Beethoven’s countryside-inspired “Pastoral” Symphony in a joyous program including the Kent Blossom Chamber Orchestra on July 26. He’ll also lead Jess Gillam in a performance of Anna Clyne’s Glasslands, a new saxophone concerto. The incomparable Cynthia Erivo takes the Blossom Music Center stage on July 27 with conductor Edwin Outwater. During An Evening with Cynthia Erivo, the Oscar-nominated and Tony, Grammy, and Emmy Award–winning performer joins the Orchestra for both original and legendary hits. The concert follows the annual Blossom Summer Soirée, a special event to benefit the Orchestra’s summer home. Conductor Daniele Rustioni and pianist Alessio Bax both make their Cleveland Orchestra debuts on August 2 in a program featuring Liszt’sdemanding Piano Concerto No. 1 and Brahms’s rich and powerful Symphony No. 1. Elim Chan returns to Blossom on August 9 to lead a performance of Maher’s turbulent and triumphant Symphony No. 1, often nicknamed “Titan.” The program also includes Ravel’s Arabian Nights-inspired Shéhérazade with soprano Christiane Karg in her Cleveland Orchestra debut. The Billy Joel Songbookwith vocalist and pianist Tony DeSare on August 10 pays tribute to the Piano Man. The Cleveland Orchestra performs symphonic orchestrations with DeSare’s unique take on some of Billy Joel’s biggest hits, including “Only the Good Die Young,” “Just the Way You Are,” and “New York State of Mind.” August 16 offers a captivating evening led by Cleveland Orchestra Associate Conductor Daniel Reith. It starts with a new work by Gabriella Smith, co-commissioned to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, followed by Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 2 with Cleveland Orchestra Assistant Concertmaster Stephen Tavani. The evening concludes with Elgar’s Enigma Variations, aheartfelt tribute to friendship. Blossom favorite Andy Einhorn returns on August 17 to conduct A Rodgers & Hammerstein Celebration. Vocalists Hugh Panaro, Scarlett Strallen, and Ben Davis join the Orchestra to bring the golden age of musical theater to Blossom Music Center. The classical experience continues on August 23 with Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 3, inspired by the moors of Scotland and conducted by Stephanie Childress in her Blossom Festival debut. The program also includes Saint-Saëns’s Cello Concerto No. 1, performed by acclaimed cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason. Over Labor Day weekend, The Cleveland Orchestra presents Disney’s The Lion Kingon August 29, 30, and 31. The Orchestra performs Hans Zimmer’s unforgettable score alongside the 1994 original animated film, conducted by Sarah Hicks and featuring the Blossom Festival Chorus. The 2025 Blossom Music Festival concludes on September 7with Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony, an innovative multimedia experience featuring Dolly on screen, leading audiences on a journey through her songs, life, and stories. Accompanied by guest vocalists and musicians, Threads highlights new and innovative orchestrations of Dolly’s hit songs woven together into an evening of symphonic storytelling with The Cleveland Orchestra. 2025 Tickets Individual tickets for the 2025 Blossom Music Festival go on sale on January 21. For tickets, contact the Severance Music Center Ticket Office by phone at 216-231-1111 or by emailing boxoffice@clevelandorchestra.com. Tickets can also be purchased online at clevelandorchestra.com. Lawn Ticket Books are a great way to save on tickets for the entire Blossom Music Festival season and can be used for most Blossom Music Festival concerts, including movie nights. Lawn Ticket Books, which include 10 adult vouchers, 20 Under 18s Free vouchers, and two free upgrade passes, are available for $200. Some exclusions apply. Under 18s Free Under 18s Free helps make attending Blossom Music Festival concerts more affordable for families. With each regular-priced adult ticket purchased, a family can get two free Lawn vouchers for children 17 and under. Under 18s Free is a 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 to fund programs to develop new generations of audiences for Cleveland Orchestra concerts in Northeast Ohio. 2025 Blossom Music Festival Sponsors<> The Cleveland Orchestra is proud to partner with The J.M. Smucker Co. as the Presenting Sponsor of the 2025 Blossom Music Festival. We thank Festival Partners The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and Ohio CAT, our Movie Night Presenter NOPEC, and our Blossom Family Engagement Sponsor Acme Fresh Markets A Special Thank You We share our deepest thanks to the following funders, whose support makes magical summer evenings at the Blossom Music Festival possible: The J. M. Smucker Co., Festival Presenting Sponsor Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Festival Partner Ohio CAT, Festival Partner Acme Fresh Markets, Blossom Family Engagement Sponsor NOPEC, Blossom Movie Night Presenter Akron Children’s Hospital Akron Community Foundation The William Bingham Foundation Mr. and Mrs. C. Perry Blossom Laurel Blossom Callahan Carpet Cleveland Area BMW Centers The Mary S. and David C. Corbin Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Chester F. Crone Mary and Dr. George L. Demetros Charitable Trust Nancy and Richard Dotson GAR Foundation Barbara and Michael J. Kaplan Cynthia Knight Richard and Christine Kramer Milton and Tamar Maltz and The Milton and Tamar Maltz Family Foundation Mrs. Jane B. Nord The M. G. O’Neil Foundation Douglas and Noreen Powers The Esther and Hyman Rapport Philanthropic Trust Charles E. & Mabel M. Ritchie Memorial Foundation Patricia J. Sawvel The Ralph and Luci Schey Foundation The Sisler McFawn Foundation Lloyd L. and Louise K. Smith Memorial Foundation Sandra and Richey* Smith Mr. and Mrs.* Richard K. Smucker Tom and Shirley* Waltermire The Welty Family Foundation Thank you to everyone in the community who supports the Blossom Fund and The Cleveland Orchestra’s Annual Fund. We thank members of the Blossom Committee and the Blossom Friends of The Cleveland Orchestra for their leadership, time, and support of the Blossom Music Festival. We also recognize the following supporters, who established Endowed Funds in support of Blossom Music Center and Blossom Festival, providing vital support every year: Blossom Festival Guest Artist Dr. and Mrs. Murray M. Bett The Hershey Foundation The Payne Fund Mr. and Mrs. William C. Zekan Blossom Festival Family Concerts David E. and Jane J. Griffiths Landscaping and Maintenance The William Bingham Foundation Family and friends of Emily Blossom The GAR Foundation John S. and James L. Knight Foundation About Blossom Music Center, Summer Home of The Cleveland Orchestra Blossom Music Center was created as the summer home of The Cleveland Orchestra and opened in July 1968 with performances of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony conducted by George Szell. The 200-acre music park features the award-winning and acoustically acclaimed Blossom Pavilion, designed by renowned Cleveland architect Peter van Dijk and seating more than 5,000 people under cover. The adjoining Blossom Lawn accommodates as many as 15,000 more outside on an expansive natural-bowl amphitheater of grass surrounded by bucolic woods. In the more than half-century since Blossom’s opening, headline makers and yet-to-be-discovered young artists across all genres have created unforgettable musical experiences for more than 21 million visitors. In a typical summer, Blossom serves more than 400,000 visitors, who attend concerts ranging from rock, country, and pop to classical. Live Nation operates Blossom under a long-term contract with The Cleveland Orchestra, dividing each year between the Orchestra’s Blossom Music Festival of orchestral performances, and a series of presentations from across many genres. Located 25 miles south of Cleveland and just north of Akron, Blossom is situated in the rolling hills of Cuyahoga Valley National Park, which preserves 33,000 acres of natural parkland along the Cuyahoga River. Blossom Music Center was named to honor the Dudley S. Blossom family, who have been major supporters of The Cleveland Orchestra throughout its history. Blossom lies within the city limits of Cuyahoga Falls, an Ohio community first settled in the early 1800s, at 1145 West Steels Corners Road in Summit County. The Cleveland Orchestra’s 2025 Blossom Music Festival SALUTE TO AMERICA Thursday, July 3, 2025, at 8 p.m. Friday, July 4, 2025, at 8 p.m. Blossom Festival Band* Blossom’s traditional, star-spangled celebration with the Blossom Festival Band returns with a mix of patriotic marches, Broadway favorites, an Armed Forces Salute, and more — concluding with a spectacular fireworks display.** *Please note: The Cleveland Orchestra does not appear on this concert. **Fireworks immediately following the performance, weather permitting. HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE Saturday, July 5, 2025, at 7 p.m. Sunday, July 6, 2025, at 7 p.m. The Cleveland Orchestra JOHN WILLIAMS Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (film with live orchestra underscore) Blossom Music Festival Movie Nights are Presented by NOPEC. CARMINA BURANA Saturday, July 12, 2025, at 7 p.m. The Cleveland Orchestra Osmo Vänskä, conductor Shelén Hughes, soprano Reginald Mobley, countertenor John Brancy, baritone Blossom Festival Chorus The Cleveland Orchestra Children’s Chorus SIBELIUS En Saga ORFF Carmina Burana BEETHOVEN’S VIOLIN CONCERTO Saturday, July 19, 2025, at 7 p.m. The Cleveland Orchestra Petr Popelka, conductor Veronika Eberle, violin BEETHOVEN Violin Concerto R. SCHUMANN Symphony No. 1, “Spring” BEETHOVEN’S PASTORAL Saturday, July 26, 2025, at 7 p.m. The Cleveland Orchestra Jonathon Heyward, conductor Jess Gillam, saxophone With the Kent Blossom Chamber Orchestra DVOŘÁK Carnival Overture ANNA CLYNE Glasslands BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral” AN EVENING WITH CYNTHIA ERIVO Sunday, July 27, 2025, at 7 p.m. The Cleveland Orchestra Edwin Outwater, conductor Cynthia Erivo, vocals Blossom Summer Soirée: This special fundraising event takes place before the concert. More information about the Blossom Summer Soirée, as well as ticket and table options, here. BRAHMS & LISZT Saturday, August 2, 2025, at 7 p.m. The Cleveland Orchestra Daniele Rustioni, conductor Alessio Bax, piano WAGNER Overture to Tannhäuser LISZT Piano Concerto No. 1 BRAHMS Symphony No. 1 MAHLER’S TITAN Saturday, August 9, 2025, at 7 p.m. The Cleveland Orchestra Elim Chan, conductor Christiane Karg, soprano RAVEL Shéhérazade MAHLER Symphony No. 1 THE MUSIC OF BILLY JOEL Sunday, August 10, 2025, at 7 p.m. The Cleveland Orchestra Stuart Chafetz, conductor Tony DeSare, vocals and piano *Please note: Billy Joel does not appear on this concert. ELGAR’S ENIGMA VARIATIONS Saturday, August 16, 2025, at 7 p.m. The Cleveland Orchestra Daniel Reith, conductor Stephen Tavani, violin GABRIELLA SMITH New Work (TCO Co-commission) BRUCH Violin Concerto No. 2 ELGAR Enigma Variations A RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN CELEBRATION Sunday, August 17, 2025, at 7 p.m. The Cleveland Orchestra Andy Einhorn, conductor Scarlett Strallen, vocals Hugh Panaro, vocals Ben Davis, vocals MENDELSSOHN’S SCOTTISH SYMPHONY Saturday, August 23, 2025, at 7 p.m. The Cleveland Orchestra Stephanie Childress, conductor Sheku Kanneh-Mason, cello BRITTEN Simple Symphony SAINT-SAËNS Cello Concerto No. 1 MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 3, “Scottish” DISNEY’S THE LION KING LIVE IN CONCERT Friday, August 29, 2025, at 7 p.m. Saturday, August 30, 2025, at 7 p.m. Sunday, August 31, 2025, at 7 p.m. The Cleveland Orchestra Sarah Hicks, conductor Blossom Festival Chorus HANS ZIMMMER Disney’s The Lion King (film with live orchestra underscore) Blossom Music Festival Movie Nights are Presented by NOPEC. DOLLY PARTON’S THREADS: MY SONGS IN SYMPHONY Sunday, September 7, 2025, at 7 p.m. The Cleveland Orchestra Enrico Lopez-Yañez, conductor *Please note: Dolly Parton does not appear on this concert. All programs, artists, and prices are subject to change. |
