Upcoming Season at Chicago Lyric Opera

The art of being a well-rounded person is a daily pursuit with a weekly, seasonal, and annual arch. A little of everything: visits to museums and galleries, live music, theater, sports (does live-streaming the US Open count?!), and opera, to name but a few. For those not so inclined towards opera but vaguely interested in their once-a-year "dose," I am lightly previewing the Lyric choices for this season.

Chicago Lyric Opera is a beautiful venue which makes you feel like a chic grown up (which you are, but here's your chance to really dress like one). Wear the tux or pearls and gown, you'll be in excellent company even in the nosebleed seats (as low as $34).

• Puccini's Tosca (1900) stars the world’s preeminent dramatic soprano, Deborah Voigt, for what will surely be the *highlight* of the season. Tosca tells the end-stories of a politically active artist, the singer of the title role, and a lasciviously motivated chief of police. Sumptuous, passionate, and rich, like a sexy dinner in a good Italian restaurant. Check out the tenor's hit:
  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6urNGBR95w&feature=related

• Trade your soul to the devil? Two French versions of Goethe's age-old Faust tale are presented this year. In Gounod's Faust (1859), the aging scholar exchanges eternity for youth in pursuit of the pure Marguerite, complete with Mephistopheles incarnate and a couple of ballets. French grand opera with music perfectly rendered to the archetypes.
  

• Berlioz's La damnation de Faust (1846/1877) offers the same main characters and story but will not be a conventionally staged period piece. According to the Lyric's promotional materials, this production will be mixed media and move "at lightning speed from scene to scene — from enchanted forests to Heaven to Hell. Like a dream, it's filled with wondrous beings, from angels to creatures that would scare Satan himself." Scary or not, we shall, no doubt, enjoy the promised light show and projections.

• The quintessential Italian composer, Giuseppe Verdi, based his Ernani (1844) on a play by the great French author, Victor Hugo. The usual but exciting Italian fare sung by stars of the genre. "The Spanish king, a vindictive grandee, and Ernani — a nobleman forced to become an outlaw — are mortal enemies. Yet they're bound together by an ancient code of honor and they're all in love with the same woman!"says the Lyric.
  

• Something less familiar comes this year in the presentation of the Czech opera, Katya Kabanova (1921), a tragic psycho-drama of common repressions (cultural, sexual, social, psychological) in a provincial town. Two of the reasons I am drawn to this opera this season: Janacek's complex and melodic music and the famous Finnish soprano Karita Mattila, who, according to the New York Times, sings "with a beguiling blend of cool Nordic sound and gleaming power."

• True fun arrives with The Merry Widow (1905), Franz Lehar's best known operetta, beloved across genres. The plot is too silly to even mention, but the contrivances are really lively, complete with male chorus kick-line, can-can dancers, and, of course, all the beautiful melodies and costumes. Fluffy but feel-good, like a nice champagne.

• A comic Italian hit, L'elisir d'amore (1832), or The Elixir of Love, brings us another irrelevant plot (no one goes to the opera for a cliffhanger, you know). Cute show with stock characters, the best of which is the quack traveling salesman, Dulcamara. This melodramatic and fun opera endures because it is definitive of its musical genre. The one GORGEOUS aria goes to the love-sick tenor:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh2Vh8jwyQA&feature=related

• Lastly comes one of the annual Mozarts: Le nozze di Figaro (1786), or The Marriage of Figaro. The genius Mozart worked with the amazing librettist Lorenzo da Ponte (his own life was too tall a tale! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Da_Ponte) to bring to musical life the satirical work of the revolutionary Beaumarchais. Wow! Talk about your hot combo, even after 200+ years. The story boils down to love and forgiveness, but there's lots of longing, lust, power grabs and position jockeying too-- any number of prime time TV hits have much in common with the elements of this masterpiece.
  

Two outstanding divas provide the Mozart star power: Danielle de Niese is just 30 years old and has already launched an outstanding international career. Joyce DiDonato hails from Kansas and has won prize upon prize while expanding her enormous career and blogging with great insight and outstanding photography! http://yankeediva.blogspot.com/ I personally think she is the best operatic singer around today. No kidding!

There you have it-- and a bit much it is! Perhaps, though, this might help you decide which one to go to. I haven't given you much musically because I would become even more long-winded. It depends on your taste, your ear, your attention span, etc. Probably Tosca and The Merry Widow are the most user-friendly to the occasional opera-goer, but there's something for every mood you may be in... Ask me or regard other people's comments if you want.

Anyhow, several other opportunities to hear and see opera in Chicago abound this season, so you know there will be more words forthcoming here. Meanwhile, see the Lyric's homepage at http://www.lyricopera.org/ and get out your long gloves-- things are going to be classy!