Lyric Opera of Chicago 2025-26
Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced its 2025-26 season, its first complete one under its new General Director, President & CEO John Mangum.
Recent Stories
Bridges and tunnel
John Yohalem reports on a serendipitous recital from J’Nai Bridges and Joshua Mhoon in Montclair, New Jersey
I’ll take the fall
The days are getting shorter, but you can keep the prattle going this fall’s Talk of the Town! You will, you can, you must join in the discussion about: Great mezzo soprano performances (October),
Gained in translation (November), Teleport me back to… (December).
Semper Fidelio
Fidelio, which opened last week at the Metropolitan Opera, will always be relevant, I fear.
More people should listen to Suzanne Adams
Such clean, beautifully poised technique, rich timbre, gorgeous agility…the anti-Melba
By Belle Raggio
85 comments
My Lott in life
Some of my blog‘s habitués (they do exist) will know that I sometimes quote the people around me at the opera.
Third leg
The term “narrative prosthesis” refers to the tendency for works of literature to use disability as the conflict upon which the whole narrative hinges. Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick is a quintessential example of “narrative prosthesis.”
More people should listen to Chelsea Lehnea
A currently active dramatic coloratura who has the voice and technique for Odabella! how often do we see that?
By Sophie
107 comments
More people should listen to Maureen O’Flynn
I first saw her perform with Portland Opera in Lucia. I subsequently saw her in Traviata, also in Portland. Later, I saw her as both Gilda and Juliette as the Met.
By TildyDiva
79 comments
More people should listen to Licia Albanese
Not sure if she’s under-appreciated per se, but hers is my favorite Manon Lescaut with Jussi Björling.
By David Phillips
99 comments
Giovanna d’Arco
A performance recorded earlier this year at the Teatro Regio di Parma.
Roundheads heard ’round the world
parterre box is titillated (in the most prudishly puritanical way possible) to share a clip from the Paris Opera’s recent production of I Puritani starring Lisette Oropesa and Lawrence Brownlee
More people should listen to Ninon Vallin
The assumption is that singers, singing in their own language, will be more expressive and idiomatic. The reality is that it often seldom makes a difference.
By Harry Rose
97 comments
Avant de quitter la scène
As of late, the Bay Area has been blessed with a few high-wattage, high-profile recitals as if to compensate for the chilly temperatures and gloomy weather. Roughly a month after Lise Davidsen made an ebullient debut at Cal Performances, the Bay Area welcomed French soprano Natalie Dessay last Saturday.
More people should listen to Diana Soviero
Diana Soviero, America’s standard-setter in Puccini and verismo — an artist whose vocalism was luminous, and whose inner conviction achieved the ultimate in shattering, profoundly moving emotional intensity.
By Roger Pines
171 comments
Plebe! Patrizia! Popolo!
As several readers put forth Patrizia Ciofi as a favorite under-appreciated soprano; Chris’s Cache enthusiastically agrees by offering a Ciofi-copia that includes complete operas by Handel and Meyerbeer and extensive excerpts of a Bellini, plus a dazzling concert of rare late 18th century arias.
More people should listen to Patrizia Ciofi
I first heard Patrizia Ciofi in a production of La traviata from Venice. It was a very modern production set in present day, but still she shown through her performance was just incredible.
By George Vallo
61 comments
Think of the children
One of the highlights, if not the highlight, of No-Met-February was an all-Ravel evening presented by the Juilliard Orchestra.
The twilight zone
As I mentioned in my last article (on the subject of Calixto Bieito’s production of Das Rheingold at the Paris Opera), in what the French might call une histoire belge, La Monnaie’s Ring cycle started with Romeo Castellucci as its director, and is now ending with Pierre Audi.
More people should listen to Hanne-Lore Kuhse
East Germany’s Hochdramatische icon, Berlin’s local Nachtigall.
By Ben Miller
57 comments