CSO Celebrates Beethoven's B-Day With Discounted Tix

By Alexander Hough in Arts & Entertainment on Dec 17, 2009 5:40PM

Happy kinda sorta birthday, Ludwig van Beethoven! The Beethovens weren't great record-keepers, so all we know for sure is that the composer was baptized on December 17, 1770, which means, in all likelihood, he was actually born on the 16th. But whatever his exact birth date was, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is celebrating by offering a discount to select concerts during June's Beethoven Festival.

From today through Sunday, use the promotional code 10672 when ordering online or say "special 20%" when ordering over the phone (312-294-3000) or in person (220 S. Michigan) to get 20% off of the following all-Beethoven, Bernard Haitink-led concerts (some restrictions apply):

• Thursday, June 3, at 8:00 p.m.

  Symphony No. 5, Symphony No. 8, and Overture to "Fidelio"

• Tuesday, June 8, at 7:30 p.m.

  Symphony No. 2, Symphony No. 3

• Friday, June 11, at 8:00 p.m.

  Symphony No. 4, Symphony No. 6, and "Leonore" Overture No. 2

• Wednesday, June 16, at 8:00 p.m.

  Symphony No. 1, Symphony No. 7, and "Leonore" Overture No. 3

And don't forget about the CSO's still-valid Chicagoist Gift Guide special, which gets you two tickets for the price of one to a selection of January concerts. Pick from one or more of the following shows, all of which are part of the CSO's celebration of Pierre Boulez's 85th birthday:

• Thursday, January 14, at 8:00 p.m.

  Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra Music Director David Robertson leads the CSO in a performance of Igor Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring," Olivier Messiaen's "Les offrandes oubliées," and Alban Berg's Violin Concerto with soloist Kyoko Takezawa.

• Tuesday, January 19, at 7:30 p.m.

  Same program as January 14.

• Thursday, January 21, at 8:00 p.m.

  Pierre Boulez conducts the full version of Stravinsky's "The Firebird," his own "Livre pour cordes," and Béla Bartók's Concerto for Two Pianos, Percussion, and Orchestra, featuring Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Tamara Stefanovich on piano.

To get the deal, call or stop by the Symphony Center box office and mention code "Special 2-for-1" (some restrictions apply).