CENTRAL Park SummerStage opens its 15th season with a touch of the Lilith Fair.
The Indigo Girls will bring their folksy harmonies to SummerStage with an opening night benefit slated for June 13 at 7 p.m.
Beside the Indigo Girls benefit and a Widespread Panic benefit on Aug. 1, the events beneath the Manhattan skies are free.
The performances, which run until Aug. 15, are held at Rumsey Playfield (enter the park at 72nd Street).
Presented by the City Parks Foundation, the series offers an eclectic mix of music, spoken-word and dance performances from around the world.
Highlights include Mississippi bluesman R.L Burnside (June 17), Randy Newman (June 29), the Tragically Hip (July 1), Joan Jett (July 4), Tricky (July 6), R&B diva Angie Stone (July 29), Eddie Palmieri (Aug. 5).
For the 15th anniversary gala on June 15, producer Nile Rodgers will reunite the legendary R&B funk combo Chic (“Le Freak”).
On July 8, Japan’s Fantastic Plastic Machine does a 1:30 p.m. warm-up for a 3 p.m. show featuring Fishbone, DJ Swamp (Beck’s deejay) and the Persuasions, doing an a capella tribute to Frank Zappa.
Also, the New York Grand Opera will perform Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera” on June 28 and Verdi’s “La Forza del Destino” on July 19.
For complete listings, check the Web site at http://www.summerstage.org.