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- The Negaunee Foundation has given Ravinia Festival $38 million, the largest gift in its history.
- The Martin Theatre, built in 1904 in Arts and Crafts style, is the only original building remaining at Ravinia.
- Architect Michael Barnes will lead the renovation, due for completion by July 2028, ahead of Ravinia's 125th anniversary in 2029.
The Ravinia Festival has received a $38 million gift from The Negaunee Foundation to renovate the historic Martin Theatre. The festival announced the gift this week.
It is the largest gift in Ravinia's history. The money will fund a full renovation and upgrade of the Martin Theatre, the only remaining original building at Ravinia. The 1904 Arts and Crafts-style theater stands just inside the park's main gate in Highland Park, Illinois.
Jeffrey P. Haydon, President and CEO of Ravinia Festival, framed the project within a broader capital campaign. "Ravinia is a premier summer destination for music," Haydon said in a statement. "To best position Ravinia to thrive for future generations and an ever-expanding range of artists and audiences, we announced an ambitious plan two years ago to renovate our stages leading up to our 125th anniversary in 2029."
The festival has already completed two of its six stages. It converted the Sandra K. Crown Theater in 2025 for live music performances. This summer it unveiled the $70 million Hunter Pavilion renovation, which opened to critical acclaim.
The Martin Theatre project has a deadline: July 2028. "Today, we are thrilled to announce that Ravinia will fully renovate and upgrade the beloved Martin Theatre by July 2028 thanks to a generous gift from The Negaunee Foundation," Haydon said.
Architect Michael Barnes will lead the design. Barnes led the Hunter Pavilion renovation and designed The Audrey and other signature elements of Ravinia's modern-day park setting. He will regroup the same design and construction teams for the Martin Theatre. The plan calls for preserving the building's historic elements and original 1904 character while modernizing production capabilities, backstage amenities and accessibility for guests.
"We can't wait to share it with our audiences in our 2028 season," Haydon said.
The completed theater will arrive one year before Ravinia marks its 125th anniversary in 2029, completing a central piece of the festival's campus-wide renewal plan.
Source: Opera Wire
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