Wolf Trap Presents Pat Benatar, Blondie, The B-52s, La boheme & More This August

Wolf Trap Kicks up the Energy with Rockers Pat Benatar, Blondie, Synth-pop Stalwarts the B-52s, a Night at the Opera with Puccini's La bohéme, and Jazz Legend Johnny Mathis

Pat Benatar, Blondie and the Donnas
Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.
$25 lawn; $42 in-house

Pat Benatar
A pioneer for female rockers worldwide, Pat Benatar rose to fame with her rebellion-inspired hits throughout the '70s and '80s. Arguably the preeminent female rock vocalist of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, Benatar's hits include "Love Is A Battlefield" and "Hit Me with Your Best Shot." Benatar released nine albums in the span of 10 years, with seven of those certified platinum, and two gold. Four Grammy wins later Pat Benatar's legendary status as the toughest of rock queens has yet to fade, and she currently holds spots on the VH1 Top 100 Sexiest Artists, Greatest Hard Rock Artists, and Greatest Women of Rock 'n' Roll charts.

Blondie
Led by front woman Deborah Harry, new wave/punk outfit Blondie joins Benatar on the bill for a second round of hard-edged, individualistic anthems from the signature era of punk. The retro- themed Blondie continues to maintain a large cult following even after a 16-year hiatus between 1982 and 1999. Enjoying early fame in the U.K., initial success came in the U.S. with their '79 hit "Heart of Glass," which hit No. 1 and drove over 20 million in album sales. Two more followed- "Call Me" and "The Tide is High," which reached number one in both the U.K and U.S. After their triumphant rebirth in 1998, Blondie introduced the song "Maria," which became the No. 1 song in 14 countries. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 with 11albums under their belt, Blondie just keeps on rockin'!

The Donnas
The Donnas first formed their band in the 8th grade, wowing people from the start. With a mix of some old melodies and some new punk-rock, the Donnas successfully joined the girl-power movement of the '90s. Their albums The Donnas Turn 21 (2001), Spend the Night (2002), and Bitchin' (2007) have earned the band top spots on Billboard charts. Their newest album, Greatest Hits Vol. 16, celebrates 16 years of the girl-empowering band.

NSO@Wolf Trap - Puccini La bohéme
Friday, August 7, 2009 at 8:15 p.m.
$25 lawn; $42 in-house

Long time collaborators Wolf Trap Opera Company and National Symphony Orchestra join forces with The Choral Arts Society of Washington and Alexandria Choral Society's Children's Choir for a night of Puccini's La Bohéme, Wolf Trap's featured opera at the Filene Center this summer. Led by NSO conductor Stephen Lord, the Italian opera will be performed in a special multimedia concert staging, including a Plexiglas textured background commissioned specifically for this performance by Katie Tucker. Known as one of the most famous operas in the world, La bohéme is a tale of impossible love between the poet Rodolfo and the flirtatious, ill-fated Mimi. Join Wolf Trap for a night in Paris and see why La bohéme has drawn crowds for over a century.

The B-52s
Saturday, August 8, 2009 at 8 p.m.
$25 lawn; $40 in-house

Celebrated for catchy tunes and energetic live performances, The B-52s hit the Wolf Trap stage for a night of infectious dance songs and funky throwbacks to the '80s. Making their ascent into popular culture over 25 years ago, the B-52s 1989 album, Cosmic Thing¸ went double platinum with the hit "Love Shack." Famous for their big hair and original style, the band has expanded their reach with their newest album, Funplex. The new album fuses old beats and contemporary sounds, including music from the Rapture and the Killers, attracting long time fans as well as a new, hipster crowd. As People Magazine put it, "Can you imagine any band on the planet being more fun to hang out with than The B-52s?"

Johnny Mathis
Sunday, August 9, 2009 at 8 p.m.
$22 lawn; $45 in-house

Johnny Mathis has charmed the world with his distinctive voice and romantic ballads for over half a century and he's still going strong. Mathis's self-titled debut album appeared in 1956; spawning two hit singles, "Wonderful, Wonderful" and "It's Not for Me to Say." These songs are some of Mathis' best known work in his catalogue. Following his initial success, Mathis struck gold with his No.1 hit, "Chances Are," which was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame along with his hit "Misty." Over the years Mathis has performed with stars Ray Charles and soprano Deniece Williams, and at many presidential events. Now a household name, Mathis has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and in 2003 won the Lifetime Achievement Award given by the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

Tickets can be purchased by calling 1 (877) WOLFTRAP; or online at www.wolftrap.org. For more information, call Wolf Trap at (703) 255-1868.

Wolf Trap is metro accessible! Our environmentally friendly Wolf Trap Express Bus travels from the West Falls Church metro stop every 20 minutes starting two hours prior to show time. For more information, please visit, http://www.wolftrap.org/Plan_Your_Visit/Access_by_Metro.aspx

Photo credit Walter McBride