Michael Feinstein is set to perform the hits of Tony Bennett on June 23 at Ravinia.
Brent N. Clarke/Invision/AP
Tony Bennett isn’t around anymore for his annual summer serenade at Ravinia, but the idyllic Highland Park venue hopes his fans will still turn out for the next best thing.
Bennett’s friend Michael Feinstein — the singer, pianist and caretaker of the Great American Songbook — is set to take the outdoor stage on June 23 to pay tribute to the man they called “Mr. Ravinia.”
It’s a tour stop for the show, called “Because of You,” which teams Feinstein with the Carnegie Hall Big Band for such Bennett favorites as “Rags to Riches,” “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” and “The Best is Yet To Come.”
Bennett, who died last July, performed more than 40 times at Ravinia and was one of the enue’s most popular draws.
The show is one of dozens of pop and jazz concerts announced early Thursday as part of Ravinia’s summer 2024 lineup.
Several acts will be making their Ravinia debuts, including “Dear Evan Hansen” Tony winner Ben Platt (June 28), Milwaukee rockers Violent Femmes (June 21 with the Chicago Philharmonic) and rising jazz vocalist Samara Joy (Aug. 25).
Among the summer’s returning artists:
James Taylor on June 8-9Robert Plant and Alison Krauss on June 12Michael Franti & Spearhead on June 15Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue on June 19 (featuring Big Boi and Danielle Ponder in their Ravinia debuts)Little Feat and Los Lobos on June 22The Who singer Roger Daltrey on June 29Lyle Lovett & His Large Band on June 30Daryl Hall and Elvis Costello & the Imposters on July 6The Beach Boys with John Stamos on July 7Norah Jones and guest Mavis Staples on July 14Angélique Kidjo on Aug. 8Indigo Girls and Melissa Etheridge on Aug. 11O.A.R. and Fitz & the Tantrums on Aug. 23The Roots on Aug. 24 (with Digable Planets and Arrested Development in their Ravinia debuts)ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd on Aug. 29Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit on Sept. 8
As is customary, the season will close with Fiesta Ravinia, a daylong celebration of Mexican culture this year headlined by Latin Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Julieta Venegas. (Sept. 15)
The full summer schedule and ticketing information can be found at ravinia.org.