The buzz about the lineup got out early this year for the Park City Performing Arts Foundations’ Big Stars, Bright Nights Summer Concert Series, according to the foundation’s executive director Teri Orr.
Orr has said the foundation hopes to increase its lineup this year to a total of eight concerts for the 2007 summer season at Deer Valley Resort. This week she revealed five confirmed performers for July and August:
July 14, Portland Oregon-based Pink Martini will open the series with their global “little orchestra” sound, which melding elements of Cuban rumba and “Parisian café tunes.”
Texas rock star Lyle Lovett and Canadian country diva k.d. lang will unite July 15 for a “country-meets-pop” performance.
Rolling Stone’s “queen of folkability” Judy Collins will share her stories in lyrics at the piano with Nancy Griffith, a singer and songwriter in her own right (author for the song, “Love at the Five and Dime”) on August 19.
The 19-year-old British pop singer Joss Stone whose vocals have been compared to the soulful gospel sound of Aretha Franklin, will come to the Big Stars, Bright Lights series on August 30. Stone has shared the stage with Melissa Etheridge and the late James Brown. Her new album, “Introducing Joss Stone” (her third) debuted this March at No. 2 on the U.S. charts, notes the Park City Arts Foundation.
Vince Gill Family and Friends featuring Amy Grant and the Del McCoury Band will take the Deer Valley stage August 31. The foundation reports that Gill and Grant share 23 Grammy Awards between them and bills the concert as a marriage of “decorated country rock star and beloved gospel-inspired pop.”
In addition to the foundation’s Big Stars, Bright Lights, Deer Valley will also host The Utah Symphony. The Symphony plans to fill the summer calendar with a music celebration of “all things American” on July 4; a concert with pop music’s chanteuse Jewel on July 21; Classics conducted by Keith Lockhart on July 27; a tribute to Andrew Llyod Webber and Friends billed as “Bravo Broadway!” on July 28; “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” on August 3; The 1812 Overture on August 4; Gilbert and Sullivan’s opera “The Gondoliers” on August 10; “Symphonie Fantastique” on August 17; and with Tony Bennett August 18.
Tickets for the Big Stars, Bright Lights series go on sale to Park City Performing Arts Foundation members and sponsors April 17. Tickets go on sale to the general public May 1. To find out more about becoming a member or sponsor, call 655-8252 or The Eccles Center box office at 655-3114.
For more information about the Utah Symphony’s concerts visit www.utahsymphony.org. Tickets for the symphony’s concerts at Deer Valley are already on sale.