It's not a weekend in the country, exactly, but the Grant Park Music Festival is bringing us Sondheim under the stars next weekend at Millennium Park. For A Sondheim Celebration, guest conductor Paul Gemignani—music director for eleventy-seven Broadway shows, including 14 productions of musical-theater genius Stephen Sondheim's works, and owner of a lifetime-achievement Tony Award—joins the Grant Park Orchestra for an evening of selections from scores like Sweeney Todd, Company and Into the Woods, as well as a new symphonic suite drawing from A Little Night Music. Also performing are guest vocalists Elizabeth Stanley (currently in Broadway's On the Town) and Alexander Gemignani (Les Misérables and Violet on Broadway and Paul's son, obviously a child who listened).
Bring a blanket and booze and stake out a spot on Pritzker Pavilion's Great Lawn for the free shows Friday, July 10 and Saturday, July 11 at 8pm. The orchestra is also holding open lunchtime rehearsals Thursday and Friday. Not thrilled at the prospect of being side by side by side with all those good and crazy people, my friends? The Friday show will be broadcast and livestreamed by WFMT.