Chicago Critic Must See recommendations.
For those of us either unfamiliar or who hold only cursory knowledge of the opera, it’s sort of Mozart’s musical comedy. Overall it’s quite light and the morality of it is somewhat ham-handed, if classic: typical Sun vs. Moon, Light vs. Dark, Wisdom vs. Ignorance sort of stuff. Maybe (though not necessarily) some references to Free Masonry in there.
Utilizing flashbacks for the back story, Opus is a compelling ‘family’ story of how personal dynamics, professional jealousy, sexual relationships, and drugs contribute to the vibrant culture of the four expert musicians. Opus deftly offers a glimpse into the artistic world of musicians striving for perfection in their art.
Irving Berlin… And what about “God Bless America?” “Blue Skies?” ” A Pretty Girl is like a Melody?” “Puttin’ on the Ritz?” “Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning?” “Easter Parade?” and the scores of his Broadway and Hollywood hits? If this list continued to include all his songs, it would be over 900 titles long – and include 19 musicals and 18 movies!
Clara returns to the living room after the party around midnight and is confronted with the mice. She is saved by her Godfather Drosselmeyer who takes her into the Land of Snow. This is the fabulous place where movement is supreme, where ballet takes us into a fantasy land that captivates us with the soaring music and breathtaking dance. In the Land of Sweets, the Sugar Plum Fairy fascinates us in spectacle and movement.
When the queen arrives, Ned is her outspoken opponent since his eminent death from the pox allows him the freedom to say whatever comes to his mind. The debate rages on as the two engage in verbal debate. Elizabeth hides her female side as a mechanism for sovereign survival – ruling as a man works for her. Ned has played woman all his life in Shakespeare’s plays and as a gay man feels more comfortable as a woman.
The Santaland Diaries have become a tradition in this town. And thank god. Because there is only so much holiday cheer one can stomach, only so much crass consumerism and cynical, sappy marketing dressed in the guise of yuletide joie one can stand before one craves the horrific, seedy underbelly of the holiday.
Elizabeth Ledo is most effective as the Ghost of Christmas Past while Nathan Hosner is eerily scary as the Ghost of Jacob Marley. The Goodman Theatre’s diverse cast is most effective. This year’s energy is heightened and the music is worthy of 1940’s London. Larry Yando is amazing as Scrooge!
With the addition of Michael Mahler, his wife Dara Cameron, and Zachary Kenney, this year’s edition of the radio play version of Frank Capra’s beloved holiday show still is filled with warmth, charm and wholesome American spirit that depicts how the little guy from small town America can effectively affect (for the good) many lives
Maeve Young Erickson The 11th Annual One of a Kind Show at the Merchandise Mart Dec 1st – Dec 4th 2011 There will be over 600 artists showcasing and selling their work at the The 11th Annual One of a Kind Show at the Merchandise Mart, (starting Thursday December 1st and ending Sunday December 4th), … Read more
The story of Ariadne mirrors the theme of the overall play: namely, that when comedy is set side-by-side with tragedy, it will win; if Mozart were to face Wagner, Mozart would triumph simply by default; and Dionysus will prevail. Strauss surely had the Apollonian and Dionysian dichotomy in mind when he wrote this piece – after all, he is the composer of Also Sprach Zarathustra – and it shows. There is such interplay between comedy and tragedy – two sides of the same Dionysian coin – and between Apollonian form and structure and Dionysian chaos.