Wolf Trap Welcomes Lucinda Williams, Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs
By: Gabrielle Sierra Jul. 14, 2011
Wolf Trap Showcases GRAMMY Award Winners Lucinda Williams, Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs, and Emmylou Harris, Rising Star Amos Lee, a One Night Performance of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd by the Wolf Trap Opera Company and National Symphony Orchestra, and the Breathtaking Golden Dragon Acrobats from China
Lucinda Williams
Amos Lee
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 8 p.m.
$42 in-house, $25 lawn
Lucinda Williams
Acclaimed roots-rocker Lucinda Williams, named "America's best songwriter" by TIME magazine, returns to Wolf Trap for the first time since 2007. Williams quickly gained recognition as a talented singer and songwriter in the mid-1980s for her seamless blend of country, blues, folk, and rock. After touring with Roseanne Cash and Mary Chapin Carpenter, she won her first GRAMMY for Country Song of the Year with Carpenter's re-recorded version of "Passionate Kisses." Williams went on to win two more GRAMMY Awards, tour with Bob Dylan, and break the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 with her 2008 album, Little Honey. Her newest album, Blessed (2011), tackles complicated emotions to create a "dynamic, human album" that is "one of the best albums she's ever released." (Los Angeles Times)
Video: Lucinda Williams-"World Without Tears" (Live)
Amos Lee
Soulful singer Amos Lee joins Lucinda Williams at Wolf Trap, having performed a duet with her on his latest album, Mission Bell (2011). The record, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, was also named one of the Great Albums of 2011 on iTunes. Lee's career as a musician began with a self-produced EP released in 2003. The record caught the attention of Norah Jones and led her to invite Lee to accompany her on tour the following year; he has since been described as her male counterpart. By 2005 he had released his self-titled debut album and been named one of Rolling Stone's Top 10 Artists to Watch. One listen to Lee's soothing blend of blues, folk, and rock will explain why this musician is adored by critics and fans alike.
Video: Amos Lee-"Windows Are Rolled Down" (Live)
Boz Scaggs
Wednesday, July 20, 2011 at 8 p.m.
$42 in-house, $25 lawn
Five-time GRAMMY Award-winner Michael McDonald brings his soulful, husky baritone to the Wolf Trap stage for an evening of signature blues ballads. After singing with Steely Dan, McDonald joined the Doobie Brothers in 1977 and made them a sensation with the No. 1 single "What a Fool Believes" and the equally popular "Taking it to the Streets." By 1982 the musician had embarked on what would become a triumphant solo career with his debut album, If That's What It Takes, which included the hit single "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)." He soon began collaborating with a number of artists, including Aretha Franklin and Patti LaBelle, and did a duet with James Ingram for the Top 20 hit "Yah Mo B There." Since then McDonald has occasionally toured with the Doobie Brothers and has released a number of albums, including three dedicated to Motown hits and a Christmas album in 2009. His impact on pop culture and knack for smooth bluesy rock continue to resonate in his performances today.
Video: Michael McDonald-"Hey Girl" (Live)
Boz Scaggs
From being a founding member of the Steve Miller Band to launching a solo career that landed him a GRAMMY Award and a No. 2 spot on the Billboard 200, Bozz Scaggs has always had an affinity for soulful, R&B-style rock 'n' roll. After playing with a number of bands in the '60s, Scaggs secured a contract for a solo album. The singer/songwriter released his first one in 1969 to positive reviews, but it wasn't until 1976's Silk Degrees that the musician achieved a true commercial breakthrough. The record, which included the popular hit "Lido Shuffle" and the GRAMMY Award-winning R&B song "Lowdown," was the first of three albums released by Scaggs that achieved platinum status. He has continued to perform and release music into the 2000s; his most recent album, Speak Low (2008), includes a number of jazz standards that The Washington Post calls "his most rewarding collection of pop songs."
Video: Boz Scaggs-"Look What You've Done to Me" (Live)
Sondheim
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
James Moore, Conductor
Wolf Trap Opera Company
National Symphony Orchestra
Friday, July 22, 2011 at 8:15 p.m.
Tickets range $20-70
The National Symphony Orchestra joins the Wolf Trap Opera Company on the Filene Center stage in an electrifying new production of Sweeney Todd. This musical thriller tells the dark tale of Sweeney Todd, a barber on a murderous path for revenge in London. The Wolf Trap Opera Company's fully staged production of Stephen Sondheim's Tony Award-winning musical features a stunning new Operascape video projection design developed specifically for the Filene Center, and Sondheim's dramatic score is brought to life in vivid and powerful detail by the National Symphony Orchestra. Don't miss your chance to see this magnificent production of Sweeney Todd, performed for one night only.
Save 50%! Student discount for NSO@Wolf Trap performances: Available in person at the Box Office ONLY, with valid student ID. Good for Rear Orchestra NSO tickets, 1 ticket per patron. Not available for purchase online or by phone.
An Evening with Emmylou Harris and her Red Dirt Boys
Saturday, July 23, 2011 at 8 p.m.
$42 in-house, $25 lawn
Known for her inspiring interpretations, daring collaborations, and expressive songwriting, Emmylou Harris brings her silken voIce To Wolf Trap. The 12-time GRAMMY Award winner has profoundly impacted contemporary music over her 40 year career, largely due to her contributions to country and Americana. After touring with mentor Gram Parsons in the early '70s, Harris released her solo major-label debut, Pieces of the Sky, in 1975. She has continued releasing albums nearly every year ever since, including her best-selling album to date, Trio (1987), and the GRAMMY Award-winning Wrecking Ball (1995). Her 21st studio album, Hard Bargain (2011), features 11 original songs in which Entertainment Weekly says, "Harris sounds better than she has since starting her career."
Video: Emmylou Harris & The Nash Ramblers-"Sweet Dreams" (Live)
Golden Dragon Acrobats from China
Sunday, July 24, 2011 at 3 p.m.
Tickets range $15-38
The acclaimed Golden Dragon Acrobats, internationally recognized as the premiere Chinese acrobatic touring company of today, arrive at Wolf Trap for an afternoon of astonishing and jaw-dropping physical feats. The company represents a cultural tradition than began more than 25 centuries ago and is spearheaded today by world renowned impresario Danny Chang and choreographer Angela Chang. Golden Dragon Acrobats combine award-winning acrobatics, traditional dance, spectacular costumes, ancient and contemporary music, and theatrical techniques to present a spectacle that the New York Times has called "magical." The company, which also received two New York Drama Desk nominations in 2005 for their sold-out performance run, returns to Wolf Trap for the second time.
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