Wednesday, July 16, 2025
By Tom Turco
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The musical stylings of singer and pianist Diana Krall flowed through the vibrant amphitheater like the accompanying summer breeze — cool and inviting — enchanting the Fourth of July Eve crowd at Wolf Trap’s Filene Center in Vienna, Virginia.?
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The audience was rapt as the chanteuse led her agile rhythm section through an American Songbook program that included tunes by Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Burt Bacharach, Bob Dylan and Brian Wilson, as well as fellow Canadian Joni Mitchell and others.?
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Krall’s smooth and sultry vocals were complemented by her deft touch on the Steinway piano, as bassist Sebastian Steinberg and drummer Matt Chamberlain expertly wove a melodious tapestry that was both moving and compelling.?
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The trio was on point throughout the more than 90-minute set, shifting seamlessly from selection to selection. A partial listing: “Almost Like Being in Love,” “Fly Me to the Moon,” “In the Wee Small Hours,” “Simple Twist of Fate,” “All or Nothing at All,” “They Can’t Take That Away From Me,” “Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” “S’Wonderful,” “The Look of Love,” “The Girl in the Other Room,” “A Case of You,” “In My Room” and “Route 66.”?It was a sublime and swinging tour de force.
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Krall told the audience at the outset how much she loved playing at the national park for the performing arts. With a performance that dazzled at a venue renowned as one where the “stars come out to play,”?she made it a night to remember. Words and music danced cheek-to-cheek under a half moon in the hands of a master.
Summer performances at the Filene Center continue through Sept. 20, with Steve Winwood as the final show. The complete schedule and tickets are available at wolftrap.org.