Arts in Chicago - "Orion" at the Ravinia Festival

Philip Glass and his Orchestra performs "Orion" at Ravinia. Originally composed for the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Glass captures the essence of numerous world cultures. This moving composition combines didgeridoo, flute, Chinese instruments, with percussion, piano, and synthesizer into a harmonic blend. Early on a lone voice calls out it what seems a lament to the loss of traditional culture and values to modernization and so-called progress. Glass sends a message that change comes at price: for all we gain we lose something sacred. The first two movements of this composition were directly meaningful to us for how it combined east, west, and Australian aboriginal overtones; capturing the very essence of our current existence. The third movement was reminiscent of an Irish jig and low and behold young people on the lawn actually broke out in dance! This was followed with a diverse combination of world cultures including song in a native African tongue combined with African instruments. Indian sitar follows this backed by an ethereal blend of instruments allowing the sitar to glide as if floating through the air gently easing above, below, and through the clouds. The end finishes in a grand crescendo with each musician from around the world playing side by side in, a model of harmony for the people of the world. True Art 5*. Performed 21-Jun-05.