Stanford Live announces second annual summer series at Frost Amphitheater

Mon Laferte

Mon Laferte performs at Golden Gate Park at Outside Lands on Aug, 13, 2017. She’ll perform at the Stanford Live Arts Festival at Frost on July 24. Alessio Neri/STAFF.

Stanford Live will once again hold a summer concert series at Frost Amphitheater.

Now dubbed the Stanford Live Arts Festival at Frost, the monthlong series will begin on July 8 and include concerts by San Francisco Symphony and performances by San Francisco Ballet, as well as Pink Martini, jazz artists Arturo Sandoval and Dianne Reeves, Chilean singer-songwriter Mon Laferte, norteño band Los Tigres del Norte and more.

It’s again presented in conjunction with SFJAZZ and Stanford Jazz Workshop. The San Francisco Symphony Friday night programs feature a variety of conductors, soloists and repertoire from Ravel’s “Boléro,” Dvořák’s “Symphony No. 8,” and Gershwin’s “An American in Paris” to new works. The symphony’s final performance will be with Pink Martini in a blended pop and classical program conducted by Edwin Outwater, on July 29



SFJAZZ’s programming includes “A Celebration of the Music of Linda Ronstadt” on July 9, which will trace Ronstadt’s career from early Stone Poneys hits like “Different Drum” to classics like “You’re No Good.” Bassist and vocalist esperanza spalding will perform on July 14 Latin jazz legends Eddie Palmieri and Arturo Sandoval will perform on July 23.

The Stanford Jazz Workshop 50th Anniversary Band will perform with Joshua Redman and Yosvany Terry, Eric Harlandand Justin Brown, Taylor Eigsti and Larry Grenadier on July 30. Dianne Reeves will close out the anniversary night.

Latin-Grammy–winning singer-songwriter Mon Laferte will perform on July 24. The following weekend, the San Jose norteño septet Los Tigres del Norte takes the stage for its first performance at Frost.

In the last week of the festival, San Francisco Ballet and Stanford Live will co-present three nights of dance, including a performance on Aug. 3. by Complexions Contemporary Ballet in “STAR DUST: From Bach to Bowie,” a David-Bowie-centered program and love letter to the late pop icon.



Returning is San Francisco Ballet’s Starry Nights (Aug. 5 and 6). The program features three short ballets: Jerome Robbins’ “In the Night,” set to Frédéric Chopin’s piano nocturnes; Helgi Tomasson’s “7 for Eight,” with seven movements of four Bach concerti; and William Forsythe’s “Blake Works I,” set to the seven songs of James Blake album The Colour in Anything.

In 2021, the Stanford Live series was among the first in the Bay Area to present live concerts, physically distanced and all outdoors.

Tickets for all performances will be available through Stanford Live online only, starting on April 29 and up until 30 minutes last showtime. Ticket prices start at $25. There will be a presale for Stanford Live members on April 25.