Wicked and "Glee" Star Idina Menzel Will Make Ravinia Concert Debut This Summer

By Andrew Gans
06 Jan 2012

Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel

Tony winner Idina Menzel, whose new PBS concert, "Idina Menzel Live: Barefoot at the Symphony," will debut in Chicago Jan. 9 before airing around the country in March, will make her Ravinia concert debut in July.

The July 8 concert, featuring the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, will be led by composer and conductor Marvin Hamlisch, who returns to the festival for the first time since 2001. It is Menzel’s first time performing with the CSO.

Menzel won a Tony Award for Leading Actress in a Musical for her work as Elphaba in Wicked; she also opened the London production of that hit musical. Menzel created the role of Maureen in the original Broadway company of Rent, and her other theatrical credits include the City Center Encores! production of Hair, Manhattan Theatre Club's The Wild Party, the Public Theater's See What I Wanna See and the benefit Funny Girl concert. Menzel's screen credits include "Glee," "Ask the Dust," "Rent" and "Enchanted." For more information visit www.idinamenzel.com.

Tickets for this concert and all other shows during the 2012 summer season go on sale March 8 to festival donors and to the public exclusively online on April 26 at Ravinia.org. A full list of summer events will be announced March 8.