From rock, jazz and blues, to R&B, folk and classical, The Barns at Wolf Trap features acclaimed artists in a uniquely intimate setting
- Grammy-winning jazz legend Dee Dee Bridgewater makes her Barns debut and opens the season October 5
- Grammy and Tony award-winner Patti LuPone takes the stage for two nights
- Prince protégée and superstar drummer Sheila E. makes her Barns debut
- Folk legend Art Garfunkel returns to The Barns for three rare and intimate performances
- Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Eric Burdon & The Animals return with their classic songs of the ‘60s and ‘70s
- World music offerings include internationally acclaimed Bickram Ghosh’s Drums of India, Ethiopia’s top vocalist Mahmoud Ahmed, Cristina Pato of the Silk Road Ensemble, and Malian Grammy-winning poet-guitarists Tinariwen
- DC-based band Bumper Jacksons folds sounds of jazz, early blues, and country swing to create a party energy
- Jazz programming includes Branford Marsalis Quartet featuring special guest Kurt Elling, and The Bad Plus
- Broadway sensations Laura Benanti and Aaron Tveit bring cabaret-style shows to The Barns
- Now in their 40th season, the acclaimed Emerson String Quartet curates Chamber Music at The Barns’ 20th season, with quartet members performing alongside artists they have hand selected
More performances to be announced every two weeks beginning September 6;
Members purchasing early, public on-sale Friday, August 12
Vienna, Virginia (August 4, 2016) – Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts today announced the first 66 performances of the 2016-2017 season at The Barns at Wolf Trap, its historic 382-seat indoor venue. See below for a complete calendar of events and ticketing information. Print-ready images may be found here.
“Music-making is a deeply personal process – one that’s made all the more extraordinary in the right setting. The Barns is an intimate, pure space that puts the focus squarely on these incredible artists,” said Arvind Manocha, President and CEO of Wolf Trap Foundation. “Wolf Trap fans can relax, unwind, and experience a uniquely ‘insider’ look at some of the finest musicians and artists of our day.”
With its intimate charm, The Barns at Wolf Trap is a unique and impressive musical experience. Composed of two 18th-century barns made of hand-hewn wood beams and panels, The Barns opened in 1981 and is well known for its acoustic excellence and striking architecture. In keeping with Wolf Trap’s mission, The Barns’ schedule highlights artistic exploration and accessibility to a broad range of music lovers. Artists span musical genres, from rock, jazz, blues, country, classical and world music.
Among the initial slate of shows in the 2016-2017 season, jazz legend Dee Dee Bridgewater opens the season on October 5; Washington-area jazz, lounge, swing, pop band Chaise Lounge perform standards and original tunes; Willie Nile returns with his folk-rock favorites; music icon Art Garfunkel returns for three rare and intimate performances; Solas celebrates 20 years of Celtic music; most-charted adult contemporary artist Jim Brickman performs his original pop-style; The Bad Plus mixes post-60s jazz and indie rock; the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington DC comes together for a night of chamber music, Broadway, and everything in-between; and forward-thinking Branford Marsalis Quartet performs jazz music with a stellar guest vocalist Kurt Elling in his Wolf Trap debut.
Twelve artists make Wolf Trap debuts, including Grammy, Tony, and Olivier Award-winning stage and screen icon Patti LuPone; world-renowned Indian tabla player Bickram Ghosh with his ensemble Bickram Ghosh’s Drums of India; superstar drummer and Prince protégée Sheila E.; and folk rocker and former front man of Great Big Sea Alan Doyle. Wolf Trap debuts also include Washington, D.C.-based American roots band Bumper Jacksons; screen and stage star Aaron Tveit; virtuosic Ethiopian vocalist Mahmoud Ahmed; Malian Grammy-winning poet-guitarists Tinariwen, and member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble and acclaimed bagpiper Cristina Pato.
Chamber Music at The Barns celebrates its 20th season with a lineup curated by the acclaimed Emerson String Quartet, the series’ 2016-2017 Artistic Advisors. Throughout the season, members of the quartet will perform alongside artists they have hand-selected for the series, and the full Quartet comes together for a performance in celebration of both the 20th anniversary Chamber Music at The Barns season and the 40th anniversary season of the Emerson String Quartet. The season opens with three of the most lauded names in chamber music – pianist Wu Han, violinist and Emerson Quartet member Philip Setzer, and cellist David Finckel. The nine concert series highlights both established classical artists and young new talents, including piano duo Alessio Bax and Lucille Chung; Wolf Trap Opera alumna Ailyn Pérez; and trumpeter Tine Thing Helselth’s all-female brass ensemble, tenThing.
The Barns also hosts performances that go beyond music and into comedy and dance – including Chicago’s legendary improv troupe The Second City with their newest production, We’re All in This Room Together; a spotlight on India with the return of an Evening of Indian Dance; and Grammy-nominated Irish-American group Cherish the Ladies, who blend beautiful vocals and step dancing.
For a complete listing of all 66 performances, please visit WolfTrap.org/Barns.
Additional performances will be announced every two weeks on WolfTrap.org, on Wolf Trap’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels, and through email newsletters (sign up at WolfTrap.org/email). Announcements will take place on alternating Tuesdays beginning September 6, with public on-sales following on Fridays.
Wolf Trap members are invited to purchase their tickets for announced performances beginning Wednesday, August 10, in advance of public on-sale. Tickets go on sale to the public Friday, August 12.
Special thanks to Dan and Gayle D’Aniello, Wolf Trap 2016 Season Underwriters.
###
Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, produces and presents a full range of performance and education programs in the Greater Washington area, as well as nationally and internationally. Wolf Trap features three performance venues: the outdoor Filene Center and Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods, both located at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, and The Barns at Wolf Trap, adjacent to the Center for Education at Wolf Trap. The 7,028-seat Filene Center is operated in partnership with the National Park Service and annually showcases an extensive array of diverse artists, ranging from pop, country, folk, and blues to classical music, dance, and theatre, as well as multimedia presentations, from May through September. The Barns at Wolf Trap is operated by the Wolf Trap Foundation year round, and during the summer months is home to the Grammy-nominated Wolf Trap Opera, one of America’s outstanding resident ensemble programs for young opera singers. Wolf Trap’s education programs include the nationally acclaimed Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods, a diverse array of arts education classes, grants, and a nationally recognized internship program.
Tickets for The Barns at Wolf Trap
The most up-to-date information on artists, performances and ticket availability may be found on Wolf Trap’s website, WolfTrap.org.
Media Information
Please do not publish this contact information.
High-resolution images are available here.
Emily Smalling, Coordinator, Public Relations
703.255.4096 or emilys@wolftrap.org
Michelle Pendoley, Director, Public Relations
703.255.1917 or michellep@wolftrap.org