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Joyce DiDonato & Time For Three in Emily – No Prisoner Be
Feb 10, 2026 — 7:30 PM
Overview
Renowned mezzo-soprano and 2025/26 CSO Artist-in-Residence Joyce DiDonato takes center stage in Emily – No Prisoner Be, an extraordinary collaboration with the classical-roots string trio Time For Three. Set to music by Pulitzer Prize–winning composer Kevin Puts, the work shapes 24 poems by Emily Dickinson into a continuous musical journey. Presented with special lighting and subtle staging, the performance blends music and theater in a way that feels immediate and intimate. Voice and strings move in close conversation, drawing listeners into Dickinson’s inner world — a place of emotional depth, spiritual searching and fierce individuality.
Program
Kevin Puts
Emily – No Prisoner Be
Performers
Time For Three String Trio
Ranaan Meyer double bass and vocals
Nick Kendall violin and vocals
Charles Yang violin and vocals
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 »
Postconcert CD Signing
Please join us for a postconcert signing with Joyce DiDonato and Time For Three in the Rotunda. Merchandise can be purchased at the Symphony Store and Orchestra Hall lobby prior to the signing. This event is free and open to all ticketholders.
Listen
Sponsors & Partners
The Artist-in-Residence at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is made possible through a generous gift from James and Brenda Grusecki.
This concert is generously sponsored by Lori Julian for the Julian Family Foundation.
The appearance of Time For Three is made possible by Ann Reiland.
Discover more on Experience CSO
This season's Artist-in-Residence Joyce DiDonato speaks with Frank Villella, the CSOA's director of the Rosenthal Archives, for a wide-ranging conversation.
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Time For Three believes that unconventional blend of styles in Kevin Puts' "Emily – No Prisoner Be" allows the music to express the “absolute freedom” that 19th-century poet Emily Dickinson found in her writing.
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Of his "Emily – No Prisoner Be," inspired by Emily Dickinson's poetry, composer Kevin Puts says, “When you actually read this poetry, it’s astounding how powerful it is and really how musical it is.”
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