Ravinia lineup to feature new names, old favorites
The 2010 Ravinia Festival will feature 117 events this summer - including a number of big-name first timers.
The season, details of which were released today, will start June 3 using the catchphrase "What will you celebrate?"
One of the major reasons to celebrate Ravinia 2010 will be the many new faces to appear at the Highland Park venue.
"We are going to have more Ravinia debuts - 50 - than we've ever had in history," said Ravinia president and CEO Welz Kauffman. "For example, the Moody Blues have seemingly been around forever, and we're finally having them for the first time."
Other notable debuts include that of Sting, who will appear July 17-18 with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. Other newcomers on the popular and jazz schedule include Earth, Wind and Fire; Crosby, Stills and Nash; Train; Vince Gill; and Dave Grusin, along with many returning favorites such as Carrie Underwood, Sheryl Crow, Backstreet Boys, Jethro Tull, Buddy Guy, Dave Brubeck, Nancy Wilson, Buena Vista Social Club, the BoDeans and many more.
The season will also celebrate numerous milestones as a follow-up to last year's hugely successful Ravinia participation in the statewide Abraham Lincoln bicentennial.
"In the classical music world, we love to celebrate an anniversary. It's something we find really fun," Kauffman said.
Kauffman noted "a plethora of anniversaries" in 2010, including the 200th anniversary of the birth of composers Frederic Chopin and Robert Schumann, the 150th birthday of Gustav Mahler and the 150th anniversary of the birth of Annie Oakley, depicted in Irving Berlin's legendary musical "Annie Get Your Gun," the centerpiece of this summer's music theater program.
The three "Annie Get Your Gun" performances Aug. 13-15 will star Patti LuPone in the title role and Brian Stokes Marshall as Frank Butler. Paul Gemignani will conduct the CSO with Lonny Price the stage director. The Aug. 13 performance falls on Oakley's birthday.
Another celebration will take place at Ravinia's annual gala benefit evening on July 31, when Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim is honored in his 80th birthday year. The concert program will feature Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, George Hearn and George Cerveris reprising hit songs from Ravinia's "Sondheim 75" series. Gemignani will conduct the Chicago Symphony.
The CSO's annual summer residency will include two staged performances apiece in the 850-seat Martin Theatre of Mozart's operas "Cosi fan tutte" and "The Marriage of Figaro."
One favorite not scheduled this summer is Tony Bennett, a Ravinia regular for more than three decades.
"He's taking some time off in anticipation what should be a very busy year celebrating his 85th birthday in 2011, when we're planning to have him back," Kauffman said.
Ravinia is also noting the 200th anniversary of Mexican independence with various programs throughout the summer. The celebration actually kicks off this weekend at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago when Ravinia copresents, with the Auditorium and Ballet Folklorico de México, dance programs at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 13, and 3 p.m. Sunday, March 14. For tickets, call (800) 982-ARTS or visit ticketmaster.com
For additional information on the season, which runs from June 3 to Sept. 7, visit ravinia.org. Tickets for the general public go on sale April 22.