Category: Opera
Lyric Opera announces 2010-2011 season
Lyric Opera of Chicago
2010/2011 Season
The Lyric Opera kicks off its 56th season on October 1st presenting 68 performances of 8 operas in a 24-week period. On January 26, 2010, the upcoming season schedule was announced by General Director William Mason. Joining Mr. Mason at the press conference to discuss next year’s performances were Sir Andrew Davis, Music Director and Barbara Gaines, Director for Macbeth and Artistic Director for Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.
by Katy Walsh
Macbeth – October 1st through 30th
By Giuseppe Verdi
Italian with projected English translation (libretto)
Directed by Barbara Gaines*, Artistic Director of Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
Conducted by Renato Palumbo
Principals: Thomas Hampson, Nadja Michael*, Dimitri Pittas, Stefan Kocan*, and Carter Scott
Extra Special: New production by designers James Noone (sets), Virgil C. Johnson (costumes) and Robert Wierzel (lights).
Carmen – October 13st through 29th and March 12th through March 27th
By Georges Bizet
French with projected English translation
Directed by John Copley
Conducted by Alain Altinoglu*
Principals:
- October: Kate Aldrich*, Yonghoon Lee*, Elaine Alvarez, and Kyle Ketelsen
- March: Nadia Krasteva*, Brandon Jovanovich, Nicole Cabell and Kyle Ketelsen
Extra Special: Fire burning Warhorse!
A Midsummer Night’s Dream – November 5th through 23rd
By Benjamin Britten
English with projected English translation
Directed by Neil Armfield
Conducted by Rory Macdonald*
Principals: David Daniels, Anna Christy, Peter Rose, Keith Jameson, Wilbur Pauley, Kelley O’Connor*, Shawn Mathey*, Elizabeth DeShong, Lucas Meachem, and Erin Wall
Extra Special: Lyric Opera premiere – new production designed by Dale Ferguson* (sets and costumes) and Damien Cooper* (lighting).
A Masked Ball – November 15th through December 10th
By Giuseppe Verdi
Italian with projected English translation
Directed by Renata Scotto
Conducted by Asher Fisch
Principals: Frank Lopardo, Sondra Radvanovsky, Mark Delavan, Stephanie Blythe*, and Kathleen Kim
Extra Special: New San Francisco production by designers Zack Brown (sets) and Christine Binder (lights).
The Mikado – December 6th through January 21st
By William S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan
English with projected English translation
Directed by Gary Griffin
Conducted by Sir Andrew Davis, Lyric’s Music Director
Principals: James Morris, Neal Davies, Stephanie Blythe, Toby Spence*, Andriana Chuchman, Andrew Shore, Phillip Kraus, and Katharine Goeldner
Extra Special: New production by designers Mark Thompson* (sets and costumes) and Christine Binder (lights).
The Girl of the Golden West – January 22nd through February 21st
By Giacomo Puccini
Italian with projected English translation
Directed by Vincent Liotta
Conducted by Sir Andrew Davis, Lyric’s Music Director
Principals: Deborah Voigt, Marcello Giordani, Marco Vratogna*, David Cangelosi, and Daniel Sutin
Extra Special: Premiering at the Metropolitan Opera in 1910, this Puccini classic is celebrating a centennial anniversary.
Lohengrin – February 11th through March 8th
By Richard Wagner
German with projected English translation
Directed by Elijah Moshinsky
Conducted by Sir Andrew Davis, Lyric’s Music Director
Principals: Johan Botha, Emily Magee, Michaela Schuster*, Greer Grimsley, Georg Zeppenfeld*, and Lester Lynch
Extra Special: New production designed by John Napier* (sets and costumes) and Christine Binder (lights).
Hercules – March 4th through 21st
By George Frederic Handel
English with projected English translation
Directed by Peter Sellars
Conducted by Henry Bickett
Principals: Eric Owens, Alice Coote, David Daniels, Lucy Crowe*, and Richard Croft
Extra Special: Lyric Opera premiere! New production designed by George Tsypin (sets), Dunya Ramicova (costumes) and James F. Ingalls (lighting).
* Lyric Opera Debut
Twenty-three subscription packages will be offered with a 25% down payment plan option. Individual tickets for the 2010/2011 will be made available closer to the beginning of the season. It’s never too early to make a plan to experience the majesty that is the Lyric Opera.
REVIEW: Elixir of Love (Lyric Opera)
The elixir works, audience swoons!
All photos by Dan Rest
Lyric Opera presents
The Elixir of Love
By Gaetano Donizetti
Libretto by Felice Romani
Conducted by Bruno Campanella
Stage directed by Giulio Chazalettes
Thru February 22nd (more info)
By Katy Walsh
We’ve seen it before – a guy in love (lust?) uses alcohol to overcome his shyness and catch the girl. Lyric Opera presents their own version of this scenario in The Elixir of Love by Gaetano Donizetti. Nemorino is in love with Adina. Adina is playing the field by flirting with a touring soldier, Belcore. To win Adina’s heart, Nemorino buys an elixir from a traveling peddler, Dulcamara. The potion is actually of bottle of Bordeaux. Eager to make a little cash, Dulcamara proclaims the miracle tonic clears up the complexion, cures joint pain and makes people fall in love. Due to a series of circumstances, all the village women try to court Nemorino. Both Adina and Dulcamara are stunned to observe Nemorino’s popularity. And all ends up well in the end.
Sung in Italian with English subtitles, The Elixir of Love has the signature opera element of multiple characters singing different words simultaneously for a rich sound. Unlike many operas, this show is a light hearted romantic comedy.
To be a principal in an opera, the prerequisite is a fantastic singing voice; an ability to act is not a deal breaker. Making his Lyric Opera debut, Giuseppe Fillanoti (Nemorino) is the full entertainment package. He can sing. He can act. And he’s nice to look at. Fillanoti plays the romantic lead with innocent simplicity and comedic timing. In the show’s most familiar aria “Una furtiva lagrima” (“One furtive tear”), Fillanoti is flawless in his soulful celebration. Holding her own, Nicole Cabell (Adina) is a playful match for Fillanoti. She sings through a range of personas: light-hearted flirt to strategic game player to nervous competitor to woman in love. Although Fillanoti and Cabell are cast perfectly together, their harmonious coupling will end with their February 5th performance. Frank Lopardo (Nemorino) and Susanna Phillips (Adina) will take over the roles from February 7th thru 22nd. The rest of the cast will be featured for the entirety of the run including the wonderful performances of a cocky Belcore (Gabriele Viviani), smooth-singing salesman Dulcamara (Alessandro Corbelli), and village women leader Giannetta (Angela Mannino).
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Though the cast shines, the creative design is lackluster. The costumes and set of The Elixir of Love are stagnant. Having anticipated the theatrical spectacle as is the Lyric Opera style, it’s a little disappointing. But as a consolation, LO does bring out a live horse on stage pulling the peddler’s wagon, though – because of the massive stage – the horse blends in with the 50+ villagers chorus. (I can’t help but question how Lyric gets a horse inside the Civic Opera House and where does it stand between scenes. As classy as the Lyric is, I like to imagine that the horse has his own dressing room equipped with the best carrots and saddle soap.)
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, The Elixir of Love is the perfect date opera. It’s a romantic comedy that has a happy ending. This is not always the case in real life or on the opera stage, so enjoy it while you can.
Rating: ★★★½
- Based on Eugene Scribe’s libretto Le Philtre (1831)
- Sung in Italian with English subtitles
- Projected English titles by Matthew Lata
- Two and half hours with one intermission
- Additional creative team: Ulisse Santicchi (designer), Jason Brown (lighting), Donald Nally (Chorus Master), Richard Jarvie (Wigmaster & Makeup Design)
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REVIEW: Tosca (Lyric Opera)
Puccini’s Violent Love Story Masterpiece
Lyric Opera Presents
Tosca
By Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica
Conducted by Stephen Lord
Stage directed by Paula Suozzi
Thru January 29th (ticket info)
By Katy Walsh
Torture, murder, execution, suicide, despite the violent nature of this warhorse opera, Tosca contributes some of the most familiar romantic opera melodies to the mainstream. The Lyric Opera presents Tosca by Giacomo Puccini. Performed in Italian with projected English supertitles (by Francis Rizzo), Tosca is based on Victorien Sardou’s play La Tosca. Floria Tosca is a celebrated opera singer in Rome. Her lover, Mario Cavaradossi, aids an escaped political prisoner and is arrested. The villainous chief of police, Scarpia, coerces Tosca into saving Cavaradossi with promises of sexual favors. Betrayal ensues. No one gets what they want… except the audience. From the first aria of Recondita armonia to the duet Amaro sol per te, the memorable harmonies plunge the audience into an all consuming passionate love story, best experienced as an opera.
The Lyric opened its 2009/2010 season with this crowd pleaser and remounted it this month for a three week winter escape. The principals have changed for this mini-run but the sets and the huge supporting cast are the same. Act I in the Church of Sant’ Andrea della Valle ends with a visual explosion. The house of worship is already decked out with ornate details befitting the 1800’s (set designer Renzo Mongiardino). Cue the Chicago Children’s Choir, several clergy and church-goers in various liturgical vestments and Sunday best finery (costumes by Marcel Escoffier), the 100+ people on stage are merely a spectacular backdrop for Scarpia’s vow to destroy Cavaradossi and have Tosca. It’s these elaborate dramatic moments that elicit the inaudible oohs and aahs usually reserved for fireworks.
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Even without the stimulation of extensive sets and costumes, Tosca is still one of Puccini’s masterpieces, sung to perfection by the newest principals. Violeta Urmana (Tosca) sings magnificently through a range of emotions; irrational, jealousy, demanding, enraged, passionate, and desperate. Marco Berti (Cavaradossi) is the lover of beautiful things with unfortunate timing that leads to trouble with his diva girlfriend, an escaped prisoner, and evil police chief. Lucio Gallo is the creepy Baron Scarpia. He delivers wicked lyrics (translated) like “I lust, and then I pursue the one I desire, I satisfy myself, and throw her away” and “How you despise me but that is just how I want you.” Certainly, every woman in the audience wants to stab this guy – but, of course, not until after the final note of Lyric’s exquisite Tosca is heard.
Rating: ★★★½
SPOILER ALERT: Tosca committing suicide is questionable. The dramatic moment is lost behind a prison wall as if she is just escaping. But maybe that’s the Lyric Opera twist, Tosca finally gets a happy ending. Tosca escapes to sing again!
Note: All pictures by Dan Rest
REVIEW: Lyric Opera’s “The Merry Widow”
Shopping around for a second husband can be so much fun!
The Lyric Opera of Chicago presents:
The Merry Widow
Libretto by Viktor León and Leon Stein
Based on Henri Meilhac’s comedy “L’attache’ d’ambassade”
English lyrics and dialogue by Sheldon Harnick
Conducted by Emmanuel Villaume
Stage directed by Gary Griffin
Thru January 16th
Review by Katy Walsh
Boy loves girl. Family won’t let him marry her because she’s penniless. She marries another and becomes a wealthy widow. Boy still loves girl. Now, his country wants him to marry her because she has 20 million francs. Girl loves boy but fears he loves her for her money. Add in a cheating wife, French lover, overbearing Baron and dancing girls and the results are the Lyric Opera of Chicago presents The Merry Widow. Originally produced in German in 1905, The Merry Widow is sung in English as an operetta in three acts.
Arguably, an operetta basically stands for “opera lite.” Tastes great, less filling. With its origins in the 1800’s, an operetta introduced a less dramatic version of opera to audiences. Utilizing comedy, simpler plots and happier tunes, the operetta became the precursor to contemporary musicals. For diehard opera fans, an operetta is like drinking Miller Lite when you prefer a Guinness. For opera newbies, an operetta is like sipping your first beer to acquire a taste for hops. For all, The Merry Widow is a lively romantic comedy presented with all the grandeur and majesty as is the Lyric Opera hallmark.
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Unlike most traditional operas, The Merry Widow has segments of spoken dialogue, dancing sequences and informal familiarity. Breaking the fourth wall, Roger Honeywell (Count Danilo Danilovich) emphasizes a joke by guffawing with the audience. Honeywell, along with Jeff Dumas (Njegus) and Dale Travis (Baron Mirko Zeta), set the playful mood with physical comedy. A particularly fun musical dance number, “Every Woman,” has several of the male cast members commiserating on how difficult women are. Later, it’s the ladies’ turn with dance hall girls performing the Can-Can, a line dance complete with pulled up skirts and leg shaking. Elizabeth Futral (Hanna Glawari) has the vibrant presence to carry the main title The Merry Widow. Although she captivates the audience with her soprano precision, there are moments for her and Honeywell where vocal subtlety is overwhelmed by the orchestra.
From the moment the curtain rises, the audience is treated to spectacular sets (Daniel Ostling). The first act is built around a magnificent staircase, several stories high. Later the scene at Maxim’s features a moving stage on stage within a bi-level dance hall. The costumes (David Burke and Mara Blumenfeld) range from early 1900 elegant aristocrat to vibrant gawdy Can-Can dancer. Visually appealing and lighthearted amusing, this production shows how much fun shopping around for a second husband can be.
Rating: ★★★½
Beers and Baritones? Only with Chicago Opera Theater
When: November 18, 6pm–8pm
Enjoy a night of mingling and music with unlimited wine, handcrafted beer, and light appetizers at Rock Bottom Brewery for only $25! Opera Underground is COT’s club of young professionals ages 21 to 45.
- The evening will include a short performance from soprano Leila Bowie and baritone Martin Woods, both members of COT’s Young Artists Program.
- Rock Bottom Brewery – 1 West Grand (Grand and State), Chicago, IL – right off the CTA Red Line. Directions
- Win a pair of Opera Underground Subscriptions to Chicago Opera Theater and other great prizes in the FREE business card raffle at the event!
BUY NOW AND SAVE! Tickets are $25 in advance and $35 at the door.
Buy tickets online
or CALL: 312.704.8414
Review: Lyric Opera’s “Ernani”
Masterful Execution of a Verdi Unknown
Lyric Opera of Chicago presents
Ernani
At the Civic Opera House
By Giuseppe Verdi
Based on Victor Hugo’s tragedy Hernani
Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave
Conducted by Renato Palumbo
Stage directed by Jose Maria Condemi
Thru November 23rd (buy tickets)
Reviewed by Katy Walsh
The Lyric Opera presents Ernani, an opera written by Giuseppe Verdi and first performed in 1844. The Italian opera with projected English subtitles tells the tale of Elvira’s suitors, all fighting for her love: Ernani, Don Carlo-King of Spain and Don Ruy Gomez de Silva. The outlaw, Ernani storms Silva’s castle to abduct Elvira. He runs into the King and an Elvira abduction already in progress. Silva enters furious that his fiancé is being double-abducted in his own home. In love with Ernani, Elvira escapes her marriage to Silva by becoming a hostage of the King’s. Because Silva keeps him from being arrested, Ernani pledges his life to him. In Ernani terms, this promise means Silva gets to decide when Ernani will die. So, after the King pardons everyone and orders Elvira to marry Ernani, who shows up as the wedding crasher? Silva appears and asks Ernani, “poison or dagger?” Ernani chooses a dagger, stabs himself and dies in Elvira’s arms.
A brief announcement at the beginning of Act II informs the audience that Salvatore Licitra (Ernani) begs forgiveness at his inability to sing at his optimal level. Because of the faulty microphone, it’s unclear what the issue is. The person next to me asks, “did he say tracheotomy?” I’m certain it is a trace of bronchitis or another ailment. No matter what Licitra’s struggle is, his performance is stellar. Only in duets with the powerful soprano performance of Sondra Radvanovsky (Elvira) did it occur to me that Licitra might be in a challenging match. Along with the King (Boaz Daniel) and Silva (Giacomo Prestia), the opera is sung magnificently. Adding to the grandeur of the performance, set and costume designer Scott Marr uses the huge cast adorned in finery or cloaked in black to contrast a wedding from the catacombs. With multiple wardrobe and set changes, the dynamic production is eye candy to the audience. Elvira’s costumes, designed by Donna Langman, are particularly exquisite.
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Ernani is a must see for its magnificent performances, beautiful costumes, and elaborate sets. The actual opera? Not so much. Verdi wrote Ernani early in his career at age 31. It doesn’t have the memorable arias of his later works, like; La Traviata, Aida, Rigoletto and Falstaff. The story is clunky. In Act II, Elvira tells Ernani she decided to marry Silva when she heard he was dead. What? I want Ernani to ask, or rather sing, “what happened during the intermission that made you think I was dead?” It’s also unclear why these three men all want Elvira when it’s obvious she only wants Ernani. Is it because she dresses nice? I don’t get it. And because it’s an opera, I’m ready for a tragic ending to a love story. Possible alternative endings after Ernani and Elvira’s wedding: Silva kills Ernani, the king kills Ernani, Elvira chokes on a piece of cake and because Ernani thinks she’s dead, he kills himself, she spits out cake realizes he’s dead and kills herself. But Ernani’s suicide because he promised Silva, his nemesis, that he would? Elvira totes around a dagger threatening to kill herself throughout the show but ultimately doesn’t as Ernani dies in her arms. Unsatisfying, Verdi!
Rating: «««
More: Watch the Ernani video trailer. | Listen to Ernani scene commentary.
Pictures by Dan Rest
Mother’s Day theater specials
Stumped on a Mother’s Day gift? Take her to the theatre!!
LA TRAGÉDIE DE CARMEN AT 3PM!
Chicago Opera Theatre
MOTHER’S DAY TICKETS specially priced!
312.704.8414
Tickets also available on May 13 and 15!
“Those with a passion for the minimalist aesthetic will be enthralled by ‘La Tragedie de Carmen’…This Carmen is a realistic acting vehicle as much as a musical one.” – Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Opera Theater performs at:
The Harris Theater in Millennium Park
205 East Randolph
Mark’s Gospel, starring Max McLean, the hit Chicago premiere presented through May 17 at The Mercury Theater, is featuring a special Mother’s Day celebration on Sunday, May 10. The first 25 moms to arrive at the theater prior to the 3 p.m. show will receive a treat-filled spring gift bag from popular Southport candy shop Candyality. All mothers in attendance will receive a rose from Southport Blooms, and after the performance everyone in the audience is invited to indulge in complimentary cake and coffee, served by Cullen’s Bar and Grill in the lobby following the show.
The Emerald City Theatre Company invites you to celebrate Mother’s Day Weekend with Cinderella on either May 9 or 10. Cinderella, an original musical adaptation of the classic fairytale, has been extended through May 31 by popular demand! Tickets available either through website or calling 773.935.6100.
Mom’s ticket is FREE (with the purchase of 3 regular priced adult or child tickets) when you celebrate Mother’s Day by bringing her to Cinderella on May 9 or 10. We’ll shower her with 3 ways to say ‘I love you’. In addition to her free ticket, the Fairy Godmother will give her a flower and chocolates!
Buy Jersey Boys tix for mom, and get her a FREE MASSAGE as well.
Purchase a pair of tickets by Mother’s Day to any Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday performance through June and receive a certificate for a FREE ONE HOUR MASSAGE* courtesy of Massage Envy! Click here and use the code MASSAGE in the ‘Promotions and Special Offers’ box when ordering. Certificates will be mailed via USPS within five (5) business days of purchase to the billing address. Hurry! Offer only valid while supplies lasts through May 10.
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Other Mother’s Day Specials
- Brunch at Hyatt Regency McCormick Place’s SHOR on Sunday, May 10. For reservations, call 312.528.4140
- Mini massages at Geja’s Café on Sunday, May 10. To make reservations, please call 773-281-9101.
Theater Thursday: Mozart’s "La Clemenza di Tito"
Thursday, April 16
Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito
| Chicago Opera Theater Harris Theater in Millenium Park 205 E. Randolph St., Chicago |
Your evening will include a pre-opera reception at Tavern at the Park (130 E. Randolph) with 2 free drinks (wine or beer only) and light appetizers followed by the final dress rehearsal of La Clemenza di Tito. Don’t miss this Wolfang Amadeus Mozart masterpiece. While absent from Chicago for more than a generation, this towering tour de force has made a resurgence in the rest of the world, most notably at New York’s Metropolitan Opera and the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center.
Event begins at 6 p.m., show at 7:30pm
TICKETS ONLY $30
For reservations call 312.704.8414 and mention “Theater Thursdays.”
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All Theater Thursday postings sponsored by this fine entertainment accessory retailer.
