Ms. Lauryn Hill, Carrie Underwood, John Legend, Buddy Guy and the annual six-week summer residency of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra are among the offerings at Ravinia this year, it was announced Thursday.
The Highland Park venue released its full schedule of more than 100 concerts, with programming slated from June 6 to Sept. 10. Fifty artists will be making their Ravinia debut this season.
“From shining a spotlight on women composers across multiple genres to bringing the best in pop, rock, jazz, and classical to our varied stages, Ravinia’s summer offerings reflect the wide-ranging musical tastes of Chicago and beyond,” said Ravinia president and CEO Jeffrey P. Haydon.
Some of this year’s highlights include:
- The return of Breaking Barriers (July 21-23), a multi-year series focusing on women in classical music. Curated by Ravinia’s chief conductor Maron Alsop, this year’s showcase is women composers; programming includes three concerts, composer workshops, panel discussions and more. Fourteen-time Latin Grammy winner Natalia Lafourcade makes her Chicago-area debut July 22, and Grammy-winning composer/jazz orchestra leader Maria Schneider makes her Ravinia debut July 23 as part of the series.
- Guest conductor Ted Sperling and the CSO salute legendary women singer/songwriters Joni Mitchell, Carole King and Carly Simon with vocalists Andréa Burns, Morgan James and Capathia Jenkins (July 29).
- Alsop conducts the CSO in the full-length, semi-staged Mozart opera “The Magic Flute,” featuring Janai Brugger, Kathryn Lewek, Tiffany Choe, Diana Newman, Ashley Dixon, Taylor Raven, Matthew Polenzani, Christian Sanders, Joshua Hopkins, David Leigh, Adam Lau and the Apollo Chorus of Chicago (Aug. 4 and Aug. 6).
- Michael Feinstein and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, June 14, Martin Theatre
- Ms. Lauryn Hill, June 17
- Charlie Puth, June 24
- Santana, June 30-July 1
- Ne-Yo, July 7
- Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite, Aug. 3, The Carousel
- Boz Scaggs and Keb’ Mo’, Aug. 6
- John Legend, Aug. 13-14
- Jethro Tull, Aug. 18
- Buddy Guy and George Benson, Aug. 23
- Boyz II Men and The Isley Brothers, Aug. 26
- Brandi Carlile, Aug. 31
- Carrie Underwood, Sept. 1-2
- Shakti and Béla Fleck, Sept. 3
Also on the schedule: “Encanto” movie screening (Aug. 27) and “Jurassic Park” (Aug. 29) 30th anniversary movie screening, both with with live score accompaniment performed by the Chicago Philharmonic.
Dance programming includes the Ruth Page Civic Ballet & Friends (June 15 and June 17), and the Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project: “Metamorphosis: (Sept. 7).
Tickets for all performances go on sale May 1 at ravinia.org; the complete schedule also can be found at the website.
