Murder Ballad
Conceived by and with Book and Lyrics by Julia Jordan Music and Lyrics by Juliana Nash Directed and Choreographed by
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Music Reviews
“On the Town” CD Review
“On the Town” CD Review by Joe Stead Last year Chicago audiences got their first taste of a musical theatre
Read MoreJesus Christ Superstar at Theo Ubique
A Rock Opera in two acts in English Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics by Tim Rice Directed by Fred
Read MoreThe Passenger
Opera in two acts By Mieczyslaw Weinberg Libretto by Alexander Medvedev based on the novel of the same name by
Read MoreTannhauser
Music and Libretto by Richard Wagner Conductor: Sir Andrew Davis Stage Director: Tim Albery Choreographer: Jasmin Vardimon At the Lyric
Read MoreTosca 2015
New Production Music by Giacomo Puccini Libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa & Luigi Illica Conductor: Dmitri Jurowski Stage director: John Caird
Read MoreMessiah
Though the arrangement is probably old, a large part of what makes this performance successful is how conductor Stephen Alltop is able to scale up Handel’s chamber piece to the massive scale of Orchestra Hall, where I saw it, and the upcoming performance at the Harris. Handel was only writing for a chorus of a couple dozen, but the Apollo has over 110 singers
Read MoreAnna Bolena
Not produced at the Lyric Opera since 1985 when Joan Sutherland soared in Anna Bolena, this new production reaches the heights of the bel canto style (beautiful singing) with matching register and tonal quality of the voice to the emotional content of the words. Led by the powerful and stylistic soprano Sondra Radvanovsky as Ann and the smooth mezzo-soprano from Jamie Barton as Anna’s rival for the affections of King Henry, this melodic production of Donizetti’s Tudor-inspired 1830 opera is a major triumph for the Lyric!
Read MoreThe Nutcracker (Joffrey)
The story is minimal but allows Joffrey to establish a tone of vaguely holiday related fancy. A family is hosting a Christmas party. The older child, Clara, is calm and well-behaved, while her hyperactive little brother Fritz is everywhere at once. A magician, Dr. Drosselmeyer, arrives and produces mechanical dolls to delight the guests. Gifts are exchanged; some genius gave Fritz a bugle. Dr. Drosselmeyer gives Clara a figurine nut cracker in the shape of a soldier, which Fritz breaks within two seconds. That night, the dolls come to life and battle against mice trying to eat them. Clara saves the nutcracker by bonking the mouse king with her slipper, and in gratitude nutcracker, now a handsome prince, takes her and Dr. Drosselmeyer to a magical kingdom to be entertained for the night.
Read MorePorgy and Bess at the Lyric Opera of Chicago
It was one of those very special nights that can only in happen live, onstage. Over three thousand five hundred people gather to witness an ambitious and thoroughly beautiful production of Gershwin’s masterpiece, the American Folk Opera Porgy And Bess. For me, it was one of the most enjoyable nights I’ve ever spent in the theatre, just like the production of this wonder piece I saw in 2008. The Lyric Opera of Chicago’s second production of Porgy And Bess ranks among the finest opera I’ve seen to date!It is sheer perfection!
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