HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (CBS) — The Ravinia Festival on Wednesday announced some additions to its summer lineup, and its plans to expand capacity for concertgoers.
Ravinia favorite John Legend will be back for two nights, on Sept. 5 and 6, on his “Bigger Love” tour. Other highlights include Counting Crows on Aug. 19, Marie Osmond appearing at Ravinia for the first time on Aug. 25, and 2008 “American Idol” winner David Archuleta making his Ravinia debut the same night. Lady A appear Sept. 3, the Roots Sept. 4, Max Weinberg’s Jukebox Sept. 19, Frank Orrall with a DJ set on Sept. 23, and Lauryn Hill on Sept. 25.
Teddy Abrams, music director of the Louisville Orchestra, will make his first appearance at Ravinia on Aug. 7, leading the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in “Unboxing Bernstein: A Live Revue.”
Some headliners that were announced earlier include Gladys Knight, Lake Street Dive, Willie Nelson, and Train. The full summer concert series was posted at midnight on the Ravinia Festival website.
Ravinia also said pavilion seating at the Highland Park festival will increase to full capacity on Aug. 14. Tickets for the first half of the season go on sale next week.
Audiences have been flocking to Ravinia since 1904, when the A.C. Frost Company opened an amusement park that hosted a steam calliope concert of “Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home.” But it wasn’t too long before the New York Philharmonic made an appearance, and over the years, the venue has hosted everyone from George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein to Janis Joplin and Frank Zappa.