Prep the Picnic Baskets: Ravinia Schedule Released

By Chuck Sudo in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 10, 2011 4:20PM

In another sign of spring, Ravinia announced its full music lineup for the season today. As in previous years, this year's schedule is a good balance of popular acts, jazz and classical music. The name acts are a mix of today's popular acts and your parents' nostalgia acts: Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson, Maroon 5, Five for Fighting, Steely Dan, Tony Bennett's 85th birthday concert, Lyle Lovett, k d lang and Lynyrd Skynyrd are all on the schedule. The one we're penciling in is Robert Plant's June 16 concert, which has all the earmarks of selling out the fastest and seeing a rush to the lawn reminiscent of his 2008 Ravinia appearance with Allison Krauss or the benchmark for Ravinia lawn rushes, a 1998 Poi Dog Pondering concert.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra's annual summer residency at Ravinia is highlighted by an August 14 concert marking the CSO debut of Rufus Wainwright, which on paper sounds like it should fit like a hand in glove. This season also marks the diamond anniversary of George Gershwin's only Ravinia appearance. To honor it, Ravinia's July 23rd fundraising gala will feature the CSO and include recitals by vocalists Sylvia McNair, Kelli O’Hara and Brian Stokes Mitchell. Other shows we're got an eye on tickets for are Ramsey Lewis with modern lounge stylists Pink Martini (July 10) and Yo Yo Ma playing Tchaikovsky (August 5).

Pre-sale tickets are now available for Ravinia members. Tickets will officially go on sale in spring.