In our current political climate with issues of immigration, tribalism, and white nationalists, the 1957 musical West Side Story has a distinctly contemporary feel. Lyric Opera of Chicago’s version, a co-production with Houston Grand Opera, and the Glimmerglass Festival, is dazzling, thoroughly entertaining, fast paced, and, in the end, deeply moving. Read more »
Contralto Lauren Decker, “pouring out dark, chocolatey sound with a plushness of tone and amplitude of voice rarely heard in a young singer.”
In my two decades of regularly attending performances at Lyric Opera of Chicago, I’ve witnessed a real sea change of improvement in the recruitment and training of the members of the Ryan Opera Center ensemble. Read more »
Saturday night, Lyric Opera of Chicago gave us a wonderful evening of vocalism in honoring Renée Fleming’s 25th anniversary at Lyric. Read more »
parterre box, “the most essential blog in opera” (New York Times), is now booking advertising for autumn 2019. Email us at advertising@parterre.com and be sure to ask about our deep not-for-profit discounts!
It’s been a rough winter in Chicago, and an especially rough one for lead singers at Lyric Opera of Chicago
Those of us who were hoping for “a star is born” performance were, alas, disappointed.
Of course, Stemme had the character’s frenzied fury at her father’s murderers in hand, but she had far more nuance—at times this Elektra was seductive, sympathetic, loving, even humorous in her bitterness.
Sondra Radvanovsky in a “Three Queens” concert and The Queen of Spades, plus three cycles of the Ring (senza Sondra) highlight Lyric Opera of Chicago’s 2019-2020 season.
San Francisco Opera continues its competition with Lyric Opera of Chicago for the title of “World’s Dullest Opera Company.”
Cher Public