From the Archives: Happy 105th Birthday, Ravinia Festival!
Saturday, August 15, 2009 at 11:58AM On this day in 1904, Ravinia Festival opened its historic gates for the first time. The A.C. Frost Company created 'Ravinia Park' as an amusement park to lure riders on the Chicago & Milwaukee Electric Railroad, the park boasted an electric fountain, a refectory or casino building with dining rooms and a dance floor, Ravinia Theatre (which still exists today as the Martin Theatre) and a baseball diamond.
For this week's From the Archives, we went way back in the files, dusted off a few folders, and found the flyer from opening day 1904! Opening night included a performance of "Vivian's Papas"--a play from the era written by Leo Ditrichstein--by the Powers Theatre Chicago.
;)
"No intoxicating liquors sold or allowed to be used in the park." ...I think we changed that policy.
Happy 105th birthday Ravinia Festival!
If you have your own piece of Ravinia Festival history or memorabilia, please share it with us at backstage@ravinia.org.
Matthew Dolkart
Development Writer
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Reader Comments (1)
Dear to my Heart Ravinia:
After a minute of debating between Beethoven's 9th at Millenium Park and Rigoletto, we made a last minute decision to go to Ravinia Saturday night. We packed a quick picnic, chairs, and a bottle of wine. What a quintessential Ravinia experience it was! A gorgeous night under the stars with the added bonus of a big screen with subtitles! We so enjoyed a truly memorable performance - where all stars aligned - the conducting, chorus, CSO, and glorious singing.
The audience on the lawn was respectful, appreciative, and rapt. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
We are so lucky to have such a wonderful venue in our back yard.