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Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Poulenc Gloria & Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony
May 14-16, 2026
Overview
Juraj Valčuha conducts three works that are distinctively French in their refinement, charm and ingenuity. Ravel’s “five children’s pieces” brim with delight and affection while Poulenc’s Gloria evokes, in his words, “frescoes with angels sticking out their tongues.” Saint-Saëns is simply epic in his Organ Symphony.
Program
Ravel
Mother Goose Suite
Poulenc
Gloria
Saint-Saëns
Symphony No. 3 (Organ)
Performers
Extras
Enhance your concert experience.
Preconcert Dining
Explore Symphony Center’s on-site dining options for a seamless preconcert experience. Preorder a Sound Bites meal to enjoy in the Rotunda before the concert — or make a reservation to dine at the Thomas Club, offering a prix fixe menu featuring traditional American fare and a spectacular view of Lake Michigan. View menus and learn more »
Preconcert Conversation
Explore the music in a free preconcert conversation featuring Weston Williams in Orchestra Hall 75 minutes before the performance. The talk will last approximately 30 minutes. No additional tickets are needed.
Sponsors & Partners
The appearance of the Chicago Symphony Chorus has been made possible by a generous gift from The Grainger Foundation.
These concerts are supported in part by the League of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association Endowed Concert Fund.
Discover more on Experience CSO
Four Chicago Symphony Orchestra Chorus members reflect on Poulenc's Gloria , which has been described as reverent but never pious.
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Juraj Valčuha believes that the best European orchestras routinely program opera or vocal works because it gives them adaptability: "They play as a group, but they react as one person."
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Symphony Center’s 1998 Casavant Frères Opus 3765, which has 44 stops and 3,414 pipes, can "really pack a punch," declares organ virtuoso Paul Jacobs.
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