Ravinia for the Fourth

What better activity for a warm summer evening than to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence with friends at the Ravinia Festival.  We are in the middle of an obscene heat wave in Chicago and much of the Midwest (c’mon, Atlanta wasn’t even this hot last year) so outdoor activities have been carefully rationed lately. 

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra began their summer residency at Ravinia with a program of patriotic, Americana, musical theater, and Disney selections.  Under the baton of Steven Reineke and featuring Broadway performer (and guitarist?) Ashley Brown, their pops performance was entertaining and energetic. 

The program contained both the obligatory and a few head scratchers:

Smith:  The Star-Spangled Banner
Williams:  Liberty Fanfare
Gould:  American Salute
Rodgers:  Almost Like Being in Love/This Can’t Be Love
Kern:  “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man” from Showboat
Fogerty & Kern/arr. Reineke:  River Medley: Proud Mary, Shenandoah, Ol’ Man River Various/arr. Barton:  Disney Medley
Reineke:  Celebration Fanfare
Reineke/arr. Wendel:  A George M. Cohan Overture
Kander/arr. McKibbens:  Ring Them Bells
Arlen:  Over the Rainbow
Grofé:  March for Americans
Ward (arr. Dragon):  America the Beautiful
Ward (arr. Hayman/Kessler):  Armed Forces Salute
Berlin (arr. Kessler): God Bless America

I’m willing to say that it was exceeded by the variety and creativity that inspired our friends’ food preparations!  Aimee missioned herself off to Dominick’s and returned with the ingredients for Quinoa Tabbouleh.  The traditional ingredient, fine bulgar wheat is replaced by quinoa (not a grain!) in this recipe. 

With temperatures right about 100 degrees (in the shade), we had the added challenge of keeping things cool. Or eating really fast.  So on the first anniversary of our drive home from Atlanta and the 236th anniversary of signing the Declaration of Independence, it was great to relax in the ease and comfort of friends, thankful for the music and freedom that is so closely linked with our culture and country.