Latest Chicago Plays, Theatre Reviews, Plays, Opera, Theater Tickets

Evan Kuchar rss

The Damnation of Faust(2)

February 22, 2010

Berlioz based his libretto on Goethe’s classic Faust legend, in which the eponymous scientist pursues love at the expense of his soul. Berlioz unfolds the drama at the onset of Spring, resonating with what Chicagoans must be feeling in coming weeks

Full Story»

Katya Kabanova

Writing in 1921, Janáček benefits from early explorations of human psychology and creates a moving drama devoid of excess. Katya may be of the same lineage as Madama Butterfly, but Janáček trims the fat to make his opera just over 2 hours with intermission. Lyric’s production mirrors the sparseness, affording the drama more psychological space in which to explore.

Gossamer

Aside from the people on stage, Gossamer required the input and collaboration of a whole team of designers. Most strikingly, the puppets, designed by Cynthia Von Orthal, not only managed to turn a human actor into a very believable dog but also somehow gave the terrible mystery of the Sinisteeds a more concrete, yet no less terrifying, presence.

Ernani

Musically and dramatically, Verdi fails to tell a coherent story. He steals from the previous generation of composers, notably Donizetti, to write light dances and marches to accompany both joy and despair


More in this category