Overview
- The Hunter Pavilion reopened for Ravinia’s 2026 season with a private preview concert for workers and donors followed by a public season opener by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, July 11.
- The renovation added a new orchestra shell with movable walls and ceiling reflectors, expanded stage space, upgraded lighting and ventilation, and replaced seating with wider, ADA‑compliant cushioned chairs that reduced pavilion capacity from 3,350 to 2,840.
- Musicians and conductor Marin Alsop reported improved onstage hearing at rehearsals, noting softer brass, fewer loud 'hot' spots and more diffuse sound after consultation with Threshold Acoustics.
- Backstage facilities were modernized with two full loading docks, a video production room, new green rooms and dressing areas, an enlarged underground footprint and a climate‑controlled Chicago Symphony Orchestra library and instrument storage.
- The work is part of Ravinia’s Setting the Stages campaign supported by the Hunter Family Foundation and other donors, with total reported costs ranging from about $70 million to $75 million to ready the venue for a 94‑program summer season.