Ravinia Festival News

Ravinia Festival today announced the launch of its first internet radio station called 'Ravinia Radio.' A partnership with Chicago-based internet company AccuRadio.com, Ravinia Radio will feature dozens of musical artists from North America's oldest summer music festival featured during the 2010 season, as well as classical music compositions performed at Ravinia this summer.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. The Stephen Sondheim concert at Ravinia, Northwestern's 'A Celebration of Stephen Schwartz,' 'Spring Awakening' and 'Come Fly Away' tours, Drury Lane Theatre's 2011 season, more....

Bass-baritone John Relyea will sing the role of Figaro, and Ailyn Perez will play the Countess in Ravinia Festival's production of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6, and 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 8, in the Martin Theatre.

On Saturday, July 31, stage favorites Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, Michael Cerveris and George Hearn teamed up with the Ravina Festival and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in tribute to Stephen Sondheim. Directed by Lonny Price and conducted by Paul Gemignani, the concert featured Sondheim classics from shows such as A Little Night Music, Sunday in the Park with George, Sweeney Todd, West Side Story, Gypsy and more. BroadwayWorld brings you coverage of the concert below.

Ravinia Festival's 2010 Gala Benefit Evening will honor the 80th birthday of the great American composer Stephen Sondheim with a program featuring an incredible lineup of soloists who have been featured in Ravinia's Sondheim celebrations since they began in 2001. The evening reunites the on-stage and behind-the-scenes talent that created Ravinia's acclaimed productions of Sondheim's shows, several of which have gone onto other cities. The evening will star Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, George Hearn and Michael Cerveris.

Drury Lane Theatre continues their acclaimed 'Year of the Director' by presenting award-winning director and choreographer David H. Bell's exuberant international smash hit musical HOT MIKADO.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Shrek,' 'Carousel,' summer theaters, 'Hot Mikado,' 'Candide,' Windy City Times Theater Series, more....

Drury Lane Theatre continues their acclaimed 'Year of the Director' by presenting award-winning director and choreographer David H. Bell's exuberant international smash hit musical HOT MIKADO.

Ravinia celebrates opera with Mozart's Così fan tutte and The Marriage of Figaro featuring the Chicago Symphony Orchestra led by James Conlon and joined by all-star casts as well as members of the Chicago Symphony Chorus. Both operas will be presented in the Martin Theatre and will receive two performances, Così on Aug. 5 and 7 and Figaro on Aug. 6 and 8. Cosi fan tutte features 'one of America's finest artists and singers' (New York Times), mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, portraying Despina; Grammy Award winning soprano Ana Maria Martinez, who last appeared at Ravinia with Plácido Domingo at the festival's 2007 Gala, as Fiordiligi; Romanian mezzo-soprano Ruxandra Donose, who recently appeared as Veronica Quaife in The Fly at L.A. Opera, making her Ravinia debut as Dorabella; Russian baritone Rodion Pogosov, who made his Metropolitan Opera debut playing Papageno in the 2004 production of Die Zauberflöte, portraying Guglielmo in his festival debut; and Albanian tenor Saimir Pirgu, who made his US debut singing Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi at LA Opera, conducted by Conlon and directed by Woody Allen, appearing as Ferrando in his festival debut.

Linda Eder will perform in 'Linda Eder's Christmas Show' at New Jersey's State Theatre, the theatre has announced on its official website. The concert will take place on December 10 at 8pm and will feature popular standards and holiday favorites.

Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key administration posts: · Howard L. Gottlieb, Member, President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities · Elaine Wynn, Member, Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

A new developmental production of Platinum (www.PlatinumTheMusical.com) starring Tony Award nominee Liz Larsen (The Most Happy Fella, A New Brain) and Sarah Litzsinger (Beauty and the Beast, Amour) will be presented by UnsungMusicalsCo. Inc. as part of the 2010 New York International Fringe Festival.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Shrek,' 'Rock Of Ages,' Ravinia Festival, 'The Emperor's New Clothes,' 'She Loves Me,' more....

Erich Steinbock (Managing Director) is pleased to welcome world-renowned baritone and Tony Award-winner (South Pacific) Paulo Szot to open the Fall season in the legendary Café Carlyle.

Join us at Center Stage Fontana for this rare opportunity to see Broadway Sensation Linda Eder in an elegant and intimate setting. This is the Broadway Star's final Southern California appearance this year!

Join us at Center Stage Fontana for this rare opportunity to see Broadway Sensation Linda Eder in an elegant and intimate setting. This is the Broadway Star's final Southern California appearance this year!

Caramoor International Music Festival maintains its deep commitment to presenting great opera with a spectacular lineup for the festival's 14th annual Bel Canto at Caramoor series led by Director of Opera Will Crutchfield.

Mexico-born pianist Jorge Federico Osorio joins the Chicago Symphony Orchestra led by Ravinia Music Director James Conlon to perform the complete Beethoven concertos over two days beginning with an 8 p.m. concert on Thursday, July 15, featuring concertos No. 1, 2 and 3. The July 15 concert continues Ravinia's celebration of the 200th anniversary of Mexican Independence, with the festival teaming with its hometown city of Highland Park, which maintains a strong sister cities relationship with Puerto Vallarta. Puerto Vallarta will send a cultural delegation, including its mayor, to the festival for the July 15 concert. Chef Thierry Blouet, owner of the acclaimed Café des Artistes in Puerto Vallarta and Café des Artistes del Mar in Punta Mita, will be a guest chef in Ravinia's Park View restaurant on July 15 and 16.

Join us at Center Stage Fontana for this rare opportunity to see Broadway Sensation Linda Eder in an elegant and intimate setting. This is the Broadway Star's final Southern California appearance this year!

Caramoor International Music Festival maintains its deep commitment to presenting great opera with a spectacular lineup for the festival's 14th annual Bel Canto at Caramoor series led by Director of Opera Will Crutchfield.