For locals who’ve wondered just “How Long” they’d have to wait for Wolf Trap to announce its summer 2018 lineup, the wait is over.
The outdoor haven for memorable concerts in Vienna just announced its first slate of summer shows for 2018, featuring a diverse roster of pop, R&B, country, Americana, dance, musical theater and opera performances. Tickets go on sale to the general public Feb. 17.
On July 20, the multitalented Queen Latifah shares the stage with lauded rapper, actor, poet and producer Common, both of whom make their Wolf Trap debuts. Twenty-something pop star Charlie Puth, known for earworms “How Long” and “We Don’t Talk Anymore,” performs July 25 with actress and pop singer Hailee Steinfeld as the opening act.
Rock stars of the late 20th century will also get some of the limelight this summer. Guitar-wielding balladeer Bryan Adams performs August 5, and fellow Canadians Barenaked Ladies take the stage July 2, with angsty ’90s hit makers Better than Ezra and early aughts star KT Tunstall as openers.
This year’s calendar is heavy on country and Americana stars, with appearances by Reba McEntire, Alison Krauss, Alan Jackson, Lyle Lovett, Mary Chapin Carpenter and the Avett Brothers. Performances of Giselle by the Washington Ballet and Giuseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto round out the menu of ballet and opera.
Families have several shows to choose from, including Motown: The Musical, a sing-a-long screening of the film The Sound of Music and a performance of sanitized pop hits, Kidz Bop Live 2018.
Other appearances include: Barry Manilow, Tony Bennett, Angelique Kidjo, Charlie Wilson, Bruce Hornsby, Jethro Tull, Jaws In Concert, a screening of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban accompanied by the National Symphony Orchestra, and a farcical ballet performance by all-male troupe Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo.
A second series of summer performances will be announced March 8.
