Barbara Papendorp

THE FAMILY THAT PLAYS TOGETHER, SWAYS TOGETHER Generations of the Reyes family keep the Gipsy Kings’ irresistible rhythms moving forward Under a cool, clear moonlit sky at Wolf Trap last night, the Gipsy Kings turned a summer concert into a family affair, with generations of the Reyes clan sharing a musical heritage that proved as…

THE BOSS STILL SUPREMES At 82, Diana Ross still knows how to turn a concert into an occasion From the moment Washington, D.C.’s DJ Heat began warming up the crowd, Diana Ross’s return to Wolf Trap felt like a celebration. By the time Miss Ross swept onto the white-drenched stage in an electric chartreuse gown…

BATISTE INFECTION Jon Batiste and the NSO make musical boundaries disappear From the very start of Jon Batiste’s performance with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap last night, I couldn’t stop smiling, and I couldn’t stop shimmying in my seat. That was the first clue that this was going to be more than a…

GOOD AS HELL… WITH STRINGS Lizzo and the National Symphony Orchestra prove that pop and classical music make exhilarating partners The National Symphony Orchestra’s collaboration with Lizzo at Wolf Trap’s Filene Center proved that when classical and pop are treated as equal partners, the results can be exhilarating. Under the baton of Steven Reineke, the…

A BROADWAY BLOCK PARTY Tituss Burgess, Heather Headley, and Signature Theatre turn a summer concert into a joyous celebration of musical theater There are summer evenings at Wolf Trap that entertain, and then there are evenings that remind you why Broadway music continues to resonate across generations. Signature Theatre’s sixth annual Broadway in the Park…

COLD RAIN, HOT CLASSICS Sting ignites Wolf Trap’s summer season Sting opened the summer season with a 3-night stay at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap. On Friday, May 22, his performance easily overcame the evening’s cold and rain. If the weather threatened to dampen spirits, Sting’s two-hour Sting 3.0 set quickly warmed the crowd….

CYNTHIA ERIVO CASTS A SPELL AT WOLF TRAP Cynthia Erivo returned to the Filene Center at Wolf Trap for two performances with the kind of fire, artistry, and vocal power that turned her into one of Broadway and Hollywood’s most luminous stars. Backed by the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) under the baton of Australian conductor…

A LEGEND AT WOLF TRAP Two decades after Get Lifted announced him as a singular voice in modern R&B, John Legend is celebrating the album with a tour that feels both polished and personal. At Wolf Trap’s Filene Center, the blend of natural beauty and architectural warmth provided a setting worthy of the music. Under…