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Showing posts with label Lyric Opera. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lyric Opera. Show all posts
Friday, April 10, 2026
Lyric Opera Presents Disney’s Mary Poppins in Concert Live to Film April 10 and 11th, 2026
Thursday, September 18, 2025
Lyric Opera of Chicago presents Disney and Pixar’s Coco in Concert Live to Film
ChiIL Mama's Chi, IL Picks List
Lyric Opera of Chicago presents
Disney and Pixar’s Coco in Concert Live to Film
October 16 & 18, 2025
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Friday, September 23, 2022
REVIEW: Fiddler on the Roof at Lyric Opera Through October 7, 2022
ChiIL Mama’s ChiIL Picks List
Fiddler on the Roof
Production photos by Todd Rosenberg
REVIEW
By Catherine Hellmann, Guest Critic
I admit I had never seen Fiddler on the Roof before, and it wasn’t a musical that I felt compelled to see. But this fabulous North American premiere at Lyric Opera imported from the Komische Oper Berlin has made me a believer. Every aspect of this classic musical is incredible: the performers, the costumes, the direction, the staging, dancing, and the amazing set. I only wish it was playing longer so more people could see this because everyone should.
The show opens startlingly with a young boy in a bright green hoodie on a modern scooter. (Drake Wunderlich, a very talented 5th grader from the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra.) He rides across the vast Lyric stage and parks in front of a large door. He locates a violin case in the closet and begins to play a familiar tune. What’s this kid doing here? We hear a knock from inside, and there is Tevye. The connection from present to past is jarring. Is this Tevye’s great-great-great-great-grandson? Certainly the importance of family and yes, “tradition!” is ever-present in Jewish culture. I like to think it’s a nod to Tevye’s family’s resiliency and survival; he will have heirs into the current age despite countless obstacles.
And then it seems the whole town of Anatevka pours onto the stage like an outpouring of clowns from a Volkswagon at the circus…if the clowns were Jewish and in much drabber clothes. The Lyric stage (the biggest in downtown Chicago) is used to full effect with the set which is composed of wood furniture like Grandma’s house has gone onto the market. Rufus Didwiszus is the set designer and Klaus Bruns is the mastermind behind the clever set. Characters are constantly appearing from behind closed armoires, making me wonder if Aslan might make a surprise visit as well. (As an English teacher, I racked my brain trying to pinpoint the symbolism of all those wardrobes and cabinets…”when God closes a door, He opens a window?” like Mother Superior says in Sound of Music? We may be against an obstacle, but another opportunity awaits---we just need the courage to step through? Or does it represent how the Jewish people cannot depend on stability? They always seem to be packing up belongings and moving because of religious persecution?? No matter the significance, it looks cool as hell.)
Steven Skybell was born to play Tevye, the poor milkman struggling to feed his family of six women, his steadfast wife Golde (a charming Debbie Gravitte) and his five headstrong daughters. Skybell is mesmerizing as the questioning, funny, philosophic, stubborn patriarch. He doesn’t understand his three older girls’ defiance to marry men they love, rather than those chosen for them. The three girls and their loves are all outstanding. Lauren Marcus as oldest daughter, Tzeitel, begs her father to allow her to marry her poor but devoted tailor, Motel, sung by Drew Redington. They are so sweet together. Austen Danielle Bohmer as Hodel falls for the adorable Perchik, a tutor to her sisters and a devotee of the brewing Russian revolution. He is sung beautifully by Adam Kaplan. Maya Jacobson is Chava, and she melted my heart as the defiant daughter who faces her father’s wrath by loving a Christian boy. Michael Nigro sings Fyedka, the intellectual with an incredible voice. He holds forth on a sustained note over the crowd in an earlier scene that made me jot down,”Who sang that long note?”
Alas, loving someone outside the faith is a travesty that Tevya cannot forgive. Chava is dead to him. It’s the one time in the show that I don’t feel sorry for Tevya. He’s being a stubborn dad.
The Lyric Opera Chorus is to be commended for their commanding presence. And I love that a woman conductor, Kimberly Grigsby, led the orchestra.
I didn’t expect the humor of the script, as when Tevya beseeches to God, ”I know we’re the chosen people, but can you sometimes pick someone else?” And Golda asks one of her girls, who doesn’t want to marry an older man with no hair,”You want hair? Marry a monkey!”
Tevya and Golda’s song about arranged marriage “Do You Love Me?” is so endearing. They may have been chosen to be together by their parents, but their love for each other has become genuine.
Another noteworthy song is the Day-of-the-Dead-type number where Tevya must confess to Golda that Tzeitel is no longer marrying the wealthy, older butcher. But he can’t simply admit that, so he stages an elaborate nightmarish dream to break the news to his wife. It’s a hoot with the skulls and surreal quality of the intricate lie.
I overheard a woman in the lobby at intermission proclaiming,” The dancing is stupendous!” Indeed. The “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” number by the three girls with potential suitors is incredibly sweet. The whole production is simply wondrous.
“Anastasia” is another Russian show currently playing downtown several blocks away. The snow in that musical is a fake projection. The “snow” keeps falling continuously in Act II at the Lyric. It’s a cool detail that reveals this was a full-out don’t-hold-back stunning production. It’s one of those truly special shows that will be talked about and remembered for years. Please see it. You’re welcome.
Highly recommended. 4 out of 4 stars ★★★★
Catherine Hellmann loves theater, Chicago, her kids, travel, coffee in the morning, Chardonnay at night, long walks, reading on the train, and Cincinnati Skyline chili. The order of her favorites is in no particular order and is subject to change.
More About Fiddler on the Roof
The North American premiere of a bold new production of Fiddler on the Roof comes to Chicago’s biggest stage September 17 to October 7, 2022. Audiences are invited to experience Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick’s Broadway classic on a musical and theatrical scale only Lyric Opera of Chicago can offer.
A new Fiddler arrives in Chicago. Following the success of the production at its critically acclaimed 2017 premiere at the Komische Oper Berlin, innovative director Barrie Kosky ties this version of Fiddler on the Roof to his Jewish ancestry and heritage, centering tradition in every aspect of his thrillingly theatrical production. Accomplished conductor Kimberly Grigsby (Broadway’s Spring Awakening and Flying Over Sunset) makes her Lyric debut revitalizing the celebrated music of Fiddler with the incomparable Lyric Opera Orchestra.
The traditional Fiddler you know, but seen and heard like never before. More than 50 years after its premiere, Fiddler on the Roof remains a story that still resonates with audiences of today. While the musical has always explored themes of tradition, family, and love, Kosky’s brave direction offers an even closer look into how communities like Anatevka are still struggling in today's world. This widely acclaimed production is supported by a massive ensemble of nearly 100 musical and dramatic artists, paving the way for audiences to enjoy another boldly unique musical theater experience that has become a Lyric Opera of Chicago signature.
A miracle of miracles! Experienced Broadway performers Steven Skybell and Debbie Gravitte make their Lyric debuts as Tevye and Golde. Skybell, who won the Lucille Lortel Award for outstanding performance by a lead actor as Tevye in the 2018 Yiddish production in New York, brings his exceptional capacity for this role to Lyric. The accomplished cast also includes Glencoe native Lauren Marcus in the role of Tzeitel in her Lyric debut. She’s joined by Broadway veteran—and Lyric newcomer—David Benoit in the role of Lazar Wolf. Joy Hermalyn rounds out this stellar lineup of Lyric debuts as Yente.
The other talented singing actors in the cast include Austen Bohmer as Hodel, Maya Jacobson as Chava, Drew Redington as Motel, Adam Kaplan as Perchik, Michael Nigro as Fyedka, Liliana Renteria as Shprintze, Omi Lichtenstein as Bielke, Jackson Evans as Mendel, Tommy Novak as Avram, Steven Strafford as Mordcha, Bill McGough as the Rabbi, William Brown as the Constable, and Melody Betts as Grandma and Fruma Sarah.
Tradition comes alive with a world-class creative team. Lyric’s Fiddler on the Roof features Rufus Didwiszus as set designer and Klaus Bruns as costume designer, both in their Lyric debuts, along with the lighting design of Diego Leetz skillfully recreated by Marco Philipp in a Lyric debut for both designers. Otto Pichler’s original choreography is masterfully recreated for Lyric by Silvano Marraffa. The robust forces of the Lyric Opera Chorus bring the village of Anatevka to life under the steady leadership of Lyric’s chorus master Michael Black—culminating in a musical production that is as wholly reimagined as it is filled with endless talent.
Shout l’chaim from the rooftops, with 11 chances to see Fiddler on a scale only Lyric Opera of Chicago can produce. Through Joseph Stein’s book, Jerry Bock’s music, and Sheldon Harnick’s lyrics, audiences become a part of Tevye’s family with this timeless tale of the fragility of love, community, and tradition.
There are 11 performances of Fiddler on the Roof: September 17, 18 matinee, 22, 23, 24, 28 matinee, 29 matinee, 30, and October 2 matinee, 6, and 7, 2022.
For updated information about Lyric’s ongoing health and safety protocols, visit lyricopera.org/safety
One of the world's leading opera directors, Barrie Kosky is celebrated from Vienna to Paris and from Bayreuth to London, where his new Ring cycle will take the stage at the Royal Opera starting next year. When his production of Fiddler on the Roof premiered at Komische Oper Berlin in 2017, international critics heralded the arrival of a completely original and unique experience created from this revered, Tony Award-winning masterpiece. "Songs many of us have heard our whole lives sentimentalized...are given weight and take on deep meaning," raved the Los Angeles Times. Experience a Fiddler like no other, with the full power of the Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chorus as well as a production that is both grand in scale and intimate in its power to bring you directly to the heart of the village of Anatevka. Join us as Tevye, his wife Golde, and their five daughters experience the real joys and sorrows that have made this meaningful work an enduring part of our culture.
Please note, Fiddler on the Roof will not have an at-home streaming option.
Language: Sung in English
Running Time: 3 hours 15 minutes with 1 intermission
Location: Lyric Opera House
Lyric’s presentation of Fiddler on the Roof is generously made possible by Lead Sponsor The Negaunee Foundation with additional support from Production Sponsors the Gramma Fisher Foundation of Marshalltown, Iowa, The Zell Family Foundation, Marlys A. Beider, The Davee Foundation, Invenergy LLC, The Harris Family Foundation, Randy L. & Melvin R.* Berlin and Ethel & William Gofen.
*deceased
Lyric Opera of Chicago thanks its Official Airline, American Airlines, and acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
About Lyric
Lyric Opera of Chicago is committed to redefining what it means to experience great opera. The company is driven to deliver consistently excellent artistry through innovative, relevant, celebratory programming that engages and energizes new and traditional audiences.
Under the leadership of General Director, President & CEO Anthony Freud, Music Director Enrique Mazzola, and Special Projects Advisor Renée Fleming, Lyric is dedicated to reflecting, and drawing strength from, the diversity of Chicago. Lyric offers, through innovation, collaboration, and evolving learning opportunities, ever-more exciting, accessible, and thought-provoking audience and community experiences. We also stand committed to training the artists of the future, through The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center; and to becoming increasingly diverse across our audiences, staff, programming, and artists—magnifying the welcoming pull of our art form, our company, and our city.
Through the timeless power of voice, the splendor of a great orchestra and chorus, theater, dance, design, and truly magnificent stagecraft, Lyric is devoted to immersing audiences in worlds both familiar and unexpected, creating shared experiences that resonate long after the curtain comes down.
Join us @LyricOpera on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. #LongLivePassion
For more information, visit lyricopera.org/newseason.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
GIVEAWAY: WIN a Family 4 Pack of Tickets (Up To $80 Value) to Lyric Opera for Kids: EARTH TO KENZIE
ChiIL Mama’s Chi, IL Picks List
EARTH TO KENZIE
Via Lyric Opera at Vittum Theater
**Perfect for families with children ages 7-12**
ENTER BELOW
For Your Chance To WIN A
Family 4 Pack of Tickets (Up To $80 Value)
to Lyric Opera for Kids: EARTH TO KENZIE
Winners Choice of November 9 at 1pm and 3pm and November 10 at 3pm at Vittum Theater
Enter through midnight November 4th.
Earth to Kenzie tells the story of a 5th grader named Kenzie who has just been forced to move to a family shelter with her mother. She escapes the uncertainty in her life through the world of video games and with her avatar, Edwin. Through her wild adventures with Edwin, she realizes that home is not a place, but rather wherever she is with her mother and the ones she loves. The show features dynamic & video game-like music, a transforming set, and a fantastic cast of four talented artists.
If you had encountered opera at an early age, even as young as 7 years old, what difference would that exposure have made in your life? Lyric Opera of Chicago has been providing innovative educational and artistic programming for youth across the Chicago area for many years, reaching an average of 33,000 students each season. With the start of our new season comes a new wave of young operagoers that we’re eager to introduce to the art form.
Lyric will present its fourth original children’s opera – Earth to Kenzie – this fall. A co-commission with Seattle Opera, Earth to Kenzie was composed by Frances Pollock with a libretto by Jessica Murphy Moo. When 5th grader Kenzie and her mother have to move into a family shelter, Kenzie finds refuge in the world of video games alongside her avatar, Edwin. Through their imaginary space adventures, Kenzie discovers that home is not always a place, but rather wherever she is with the ones she loves.
Lyric's educational partner for Earth to Kenzie is Codeverse, the world's first fully interactive coding studio and development platform for kids ages 6-13. With Codeverse’s help, students will gain a better understanding of the technology that goes into games like the one Kenzie plays in the opera.
There are a few ways that students and the public can watch this engaging new opera in the coming weeks:
Public performances, perfect for families with children ages 7-12, will take place on November 9 at 1pm and 3pm and November 10 at 3pm at Vittum Theater, 1012 N. Noble St. in Chicago's Noble Square neighborhood. Tickets begin at just $10 for kids/$20 for adults. Click here for more information and to book your tickets.
*Opera in the Neighborhoods Shows May Be CANCELLED until The Chicago Teachers' Strike is resolved:
Due to the Chicago Teachers Union work stoppage, performances of Earth to Kenzie scheduled at CPS venues may need to be cancelled. Please monitor this webpage for the most current information: lyricopera.org/OIN.
Performances Via Lyric's longtime Opera in the Neighborhoods program, Earth to Kenzie will be presented at 15 different venues across Chicago and surrounding suburbs. Educators can bring their students to one of two performances, 10am or 12pm at each venue free of cost, and are given curriculum resources ahead of time to introduce their students to opera. Students who attend will also receive access to free online resources through Codeverse. For more information, please visit lyricopera.org/OIN.
Earth to Kenzie touches on a lot of relevant themes for young people – overcoming personal challenges by facing fears; being proud of who you are; and the idea that home is not always a place. The Chicago Tribune recently published a startling article with data from the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless revealing that in the 2018/19 school year, 16,450 Chicago Public School students did not have a permanent home. As stated in the article, “Most were in temporary living situations, meaning they stayed in shelters, motels, cars or, in about 90% of the cases, 'doubled up' with others. Doubling up doesn’t generally meet the federal government’s definition of homelessness, so people in those situations don’t qualify for federal programs for those without homes.” You can also hear more about Chicago Coalition for the Homeless’s data and the story of child home security in Chicago through this WBEZ interview on Morning Shift.
Like far too many students living in Chicago, Kenzie and her mother receive an eviction notice and are forced to move out and find temporary housing in a family shelter. Through Earth to Kenzie, Lyric Opera of Chicago and co-commission partner Seattle Opera strive to raise awareness about housing insecurity and foster understanding that homelessness is something that happens to people, but is not who they are, something Kenzie comes to realize in the opera.
There are lots of important themes to explore through Earth to Kenzie, and Lyric is pleased to make that possible for thousands of students across Chicago in the next two months. Participating teachers and educators receive extensive resources to prepare their students for the opera, and some of these items may also be helpful for families or first-time operagoers of all ages.
Do you want to help prepare your child for the performance? Check out our Backstage Pass! study guide and program.
Interested in learning more about Earth to Kenzie’s educational partner, Codeverse? As part of our partnership, Codeverse has offered resources for teachers to give their students more insight on the world of coding, video game creation and app development. Check them out here!
Want to know more about the set design and creation of the video game world that Kenzie travels to with her avatar, Edwin? Watch the “Meet the Designers” video below!
ENTER HERE
For Your Chance To WIN A
Family 4 Pack of Tickets (Up To $80 Value)
to Lyric Opera for Kids: EARTH TO KENZIE
Winners Choice of November 9 at 1pm and 3pm and
November 10 at 3pm at Vittum Theater
Enter through midnight November 4th.
Thursday, February 7, 2019
REVIEW: “Elektra” at Lyric Opera Through February 22, 2019
ChiIL Live Shows on our radar
Internationally acclaimed Swedish soprano Nina Stemme in the title role and world-renowned Scottish conductor Donald Runnicles on the podium
ELEKTRA
at Lyric Opera of Chicago
Through February 22, 2019
Approximate Running Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes with no intermission
#LyricElektra
by catherine hellmann
When I taught in Englewood, a student once bragged to me that she had been kicked out of her previous school for “pushing her teacher down the stairs.”
“I am glad we are on the first floor,”I answered. “We’re cool, right? Everything’s ok between us?” I asked her. She laughed and reassured me,”Yeah, Ms. H., we’re good.”
And so, as I sat next to my youngest child on Saturday night at “Elektra,” I found myself stealing sideways glances at my teen daughter, being introduced to her first opera about a vengeful daughter determined to kill her mother. Ah, another ace Parenting Moment.
When she saw the off-kilter set with rubble, looking like a scene in Europe after WW II, she muttered, “Holy shit!” That about sums it up.
I was familiar with the Greek Dysfunctional Family of Agamemnon from my college days. It is a “Jerry Springer” episode...or as the PR people of the Lyric informed me,”It is the Quentin Tarantino of opera.” Short, (100 minutes; that is miniature for opera) and violent. Great dialogue, like: “I am nursing a vulture in my body,” (Elektra to her sister, Chrysothemis), Chrysothemis admitting,”I would rather die than live a living death,” and Elektra observing the mom’s lover, Aegisth, “can only play the hero between the sheets.” Wow. Just wow. Talk about “spilling the tea,” as the kids these days say...
King Agamemnon has been slaughtered in his own bath with an axe, presumably by his wife and her paramour. Elektra keeps the axe to yield for her own revenge, hoping to persuade her brother, Orest, to do the deed. Rumors fly that Orest is dead, so Elektra, “no shrinking violet,” (as my father would have said) will commit the murders herself. But, behold! Orest is not actually dead! (This IS opera, folks…) So, he returns, and Elektra does not recognize him...”the dogs at the palace” know who he is, but his own sister does not. After a lovely reunion, they embrace before Orest enters the castle to slaughter their mother and her cross-dressing beau, Aegisth. I loved when the blood runs down the steps of the palace. Creeeepy. Ahhh...What a typical reunion for a long-estranged family…nice to see you, how are Aunt Edna and the kids??
The music is elek-trifying ( pretty good, huh?), and the main singers perform a vocal marathon. Nina Stemme as the lead role is amazing; such a demanding part is winning her acclaim at numerous international opera houses. We are lucky to have her here in Chicago. Elektra’s sister, played by Elza Van Den Heever, also has an incredible voice and range. Michaela Martens is to be commended for her singing prowess and the ovaries she has to display her Divine-like costume, with bared breasts front and center for the world.(Greenhouse Theater Center recently premiered a wonderful production called HeLa about Henrietta Lacks. One character was named “Big Titty Pat.” I got distracted by Big Titty Clytemnestra.) “Am I really seeing that,” I wondered. First words out of my girl’s mouth at curtain call,”I think those were really her boobs!” Well, her eyes are better than mine. It was quite the costume, as were her freak-show followers’ costumes as well.
“Elektra” is a command performance for its lead women. You will want to see it. But if you attend with your offspring, just lock your bathroom door before you climb into the tub.
Catherine Hellmann is a teacher, theater fanatic, and mom of four. She would rather read a book than watch the Super Bowl...that’s football, right?
Lyric Opera of Chicago’s riveting Sir David McVicar production of Richard Strauss’s Elektra runs for six performances through Feb. 22 at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Dr., Chicago. Tickets start at $37 and are available now at lyricopera.org/Elektra or by calling 312-827-5600.
In just 100 minutes Elektra tells the harrowing story of the outcast princess obsessed with avenging the murder of her father, King Agamemnon, at the hands of her mother Klytämnestra and her mother’s lover Aegisth, who’s claimed the throne. The intense, densely orchestrated score drives the tense drama to its shocking conclusion in true edge-of-your-seat cinematic thriller style.
The extraordinary soprano Nina Stemme (winner of the prestigious 2018 Birgit Nilsson Prize) will make her long-awaited Lyric debut in her exceptionally challenging signature role. Acclaimed South African soprano Elza van den Heever portrays Elektra’s conflicted sister Chrysothemis, and American mezzo-soprano Michaela Martens takes on the fearsome role of the emotionally tortured Klytämnestra, one of her many Strauss roles. Scottish bass-baritone Iain Paterson portrays long-lost brother Orest, and American tenor Robert Brubacker plays the creepy murderous usurper Aegisth (the latter two are making Lyric debuts).
The internationally heralded conductor Donald Runnicles conducts the Lyric Opera Orchestra, whose forces are expanded to meet the incredible demands of Strauss’s score. The production originally staged by Sir David McVicar to open Lyric’s 2012/13 season is designed by John MacFarlane, with lighting by Jennifer Tipton. Nick Sandys makes his Lyric debut as revival director, having served as fight choreographer in several Lyric productions.
Donald Runnicles
Elektra is performed in German with projected English translations.
Performance dates for Elektra are February 2, 6, 10, 14, 18, and 22.
Performance times vary. For tickets and information call (312) 827-5600 or go to lyricopera.org/Elektra.
ELEKTRA IS "A KNOCKOUT" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES)
Not since "Game of Thrones" has a story about murder, revenge, and madness captivated us as thoroughly as Elektra. The curtain opened Saturday on an "intensely gripping" (Chicago Sun-Times) production of Strauss's 100-minute thriller, and critics and audiences alike have been raving about this show since.
"Conductor Donald Runnicles, in a house debut, [drew] swirling, tempestuous commentary from the Lyric Opera Orchestra"
"Searing"
"★ ★ ★ ½" (out of four)
–Chicago Tribune
"I would have fastened my seat belt had it been supplied"
"Fine cast and a first-rate performance by the Lyric Opera Orchestra"
"Rolling waves of orchestral sound"
"It’s the kind of payoff that gives grand opera its name"
"★ ★ ★ ½" (out of four)
–Chicago Sun-Times
"Terrific"
"[The] singing is fantastic...[the] music is thunderous"
–Betty Mohr with Dean Richards on WGN Radio
ELEKTRA
by Richard Strauss
Sung in German with projected English translations
THERE’S NO OPERATIC TOUR DE FORCE TO SURPASS ELEKTRA, WITH A TITLE ROLE THAT DEMANDS A TRULY GREAT SINGING ACTRESS.
It’s a stunning vocal marathon, with riveting intensity. You owe it to yourself to experience the vocal grandeur and blazing drama of this passionate heroine. She’s the Mycenaean princess whose father, Agamemnon, was murdered by her mother, Klytemnestra, leaving Elektra hell-bent on revenge. As Richard Strauss’s staggeringly powerful orchestra moves inexorably toward the opera’s hair-raising finale, the music gives you a composer at his zenith—magnificently theatrical and devastatingly moving.
PRODUCTION SPONSORS
JULIE AND ROGER
BASKES SYLVIA NEIL AND
DANIEL FISCHEL
MAZZA
FOUNDATIONExelon
Lyric Opera production.
Don't miss a moment of this "electrifying" (Chicago Classical Review) production. Watch the trailer here, and save your seats today online or over the phone at 312.827.5600.
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