The McAninch Arts Center (MAC) presents Michael Feinstein in “Because of You: My Tribute to Tony Bennett” 4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 16. The performance features Bennett’s iconic hits including “Because of You,” “Rags to Riches,” “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” “The Best is Yet to Come,” “I Get a Kick Out of You,” “Stranger in Paradise” and many more. The performance will feature select video projections to augment Feinstein narrative and comments throughout the show. Feinstein’s lush musical interpretations are supported by a trio of Carnegie Hall Ensemble musicians, creating an unforgettable concert that honors Bennett’s legacy and is perfect for Valentine’s Day weekend.
Michael Feinstein. Photo by Stephen Sorokoff
Feinstein’s close friendship with Tony Bennett adds a profound layer to this tribute, bringing authenticity and depth to the performance. Not only does Feinstein’s interpretation of Bennett’s timeless repertoire pay homage to an era of classic songwriting, but it also preserves the rich cultural heritage that these songs represent. The show also honors the history of Carnegie Hall, which has featured on its stage musical legends from 20th and 21st Century from Benny Goodman to Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong to Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and, of course, Tony Bennett.
Tony Bennett (1926-2023) was an American singer best known for his song "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." He has introduced a multitude of songs into the Great American Songbook that have since become standards for pop music. During his career, he won 20 Grammy Awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award, and two Primetime Emmy Awards. He is one of the limited number of artists to have new albums charting in the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, and first two decades of the 21st century.
Feinstein, the multi-platinum-selling, two-time Emmy and five-time Grammy Award-nominated entertainer dubbed “The Ambassador of the Great American Songbook,” is recognized as one of the premier interpreters of American standards. His 200-plus shows a year have included performances at Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House and the Hollywood Bowl as well as the White House and Buckingham Palace. He has become an unparalleled interpreter of music legends such as Irving Berlin, Tony Bennett, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer and Duke Ellington. Feinstein has received three honorary doctorates and is a published author of “The Gershwins & Me,” a Los Angeles Times best-seller.
Tickets
McAninch Arts Center, located at 425 Fawell Blvd. on the campus of College of DuPage, presents Michael Feinstein: “Because of You: My Tribute to Tony Bennett” at 4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 16. Limited tickets remain in the B section priced at $85. To order tickets or for more information, visit www.AtTheMAC.org or call 630.942.4000.
Media Sponsor is 90.9 FM WDCB Public Radio.
Please note: This is a tribute show and is not associated with the Estate of Tony Bennett.
About the MAC
McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage is located 25 miles west of Chicago near I-88 and I-355. It houses three indoor performance spaces (780-seat proscenium Belushi Performance Hall; 186-seat soft-thrust Playhouse Theatre; and a versatile black box Studio Theatre), outdoor Lakeside Pavilion, plus the Cleve Carney Museum of Art and classrooms for the college’s academic programming. The MAC has presented theater, music, dance and visual art to more than 1.5 million people since its opening in 1986 and typically welcomes more than 100,000 patrons from the greater Chicago area to more than 230 performances each season.
The mission of the MAC is to foster enlightened educational and performance opportunities, which encourage artistic expression, establish a lasting relationship between people and art, and enrich the cultural vitality of the community. For more information about the MAC, visit www.AtTheMAC.org or @AtTheMAC on Facebook and Instagram.
Support for the McAninch Arts Center is provided in part by Brookdale Senior Living Glen Ellyn, Anonymous, College of DuPage Foundation, Sullivan Taylor Family Trust, DuPage Foundation, Ball Horticultural, Frank Modruson & Lynne Shigley, Enjoy Illinois, Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. Media Sponsor is WDCB 90.9 FM, Hotel Sponsor is DoubleTree by Hilton Lisle/Naperville.
Established as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable organization in 1967, the College of DuPage Foundation raises monetary and in-kind gifts to increase access to education and to enhance cultural opportunities for the surrounding community. For more information about the College of DuPage Foundation, visit www.foundation.cod.edu or call 630.942.2462