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Showing posts with label Enrique Mazzola. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Enrique Mazzola. Show all posts

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Missy Mazzoli's The Listeners March 30 – April 11, 2025 at Lyric Opera of Chicago

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

A new "cult" classic: Missy Mazzoli's 

The Listeners 

comes to Lyric Opera, Mar 30th, 2025

Photo: Erik Berg/Norwegian National Opera & Ballet 

Succumb to the hum: Lean in closer and experience The Listeners, the new opera by Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek

Content Advisory: The Listeners includes explicit language and sexual content, along with brief mentions of self-harm and suicide, that may be triggering or uncomfortable to some audience members. This production also includes the occasional use of strobing/flashing lights and theatrical gunfire. Recommended for mature audiences.

Performed in English with projected English titles above the stage.

A total running time of 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission.

Chicago, it’s not just in your head: The Listeners is an unusual and inescapable opera experience, a provocative thriller of unrelenting sound.

Do you hear it? The haunting hum of Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek’s The Listeners will transfix audiences at Lyric Opera of Chicago from March 30 to April 11, 2025. Conducted by Music Director Enrique Mazzola and presented in the world-premiere production of Lileana Blain-Cruz revived by Mikhaela Mahony, The Listeners is a theatrical experience that blends traditional opera with innovative videography and unconventional projection elements. This genre-defying opera’s unsettling narrative forewarns how isolation drives the search for human connection under the guise of an improbable sound.

The Listeners, a brand new work co-commissioned and co-produced by Lyric, Opera Philadelphia, and the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, had its world premiere in Oslo in 2022 to thunderous critical praise. Now, in its longest run of stateside performances yet, The Listeners takes over Chicago’s largest stage. Let the sound consume you — if you dare.

The seduction of sound. Claire, a school teacher, whose idyllic suburban life is shattered by the arrival of a persistent hum — an unplaceable droning sound that only certain people can hear. A group of other "listeners" quickly forms around stopping the plague of sound: the community begins to take on a cultish nature when the prophet-like Howard attempts to make this group his disciples of the noise for all the wrong reasons. The Listeners is a modern American exploration of relying on community when faced with unrelenting fear. At its core, this opera asks: how much are you willing to sacrifice everything you’ve known, just to feel like you belong?

An impressive cult following. Longtime composer and librettist team Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek have garnered widespread praise for their work on The Listeners, which made a brief American premiere at Opera Philadelphia earlier this season. The production has been hailed as "the unmissable opera of the season" by The New York Times and was listed on their "6 Performances Our Classical Critics Can't Stop Thinking About." The Listeners was derived from a treatment by Jordan Tannahill, who eventually published a novel of the same title, a work that was later adapted into a critically lauded television series, released on the BBC in 2024. But the hum’s menace is most unsettling in its original operatic form.

This isn’t the first time the talents of Mazzoli and Vavrek have created magic together. Previously, they received resounding acclaim for their 2016 collaboration Breaking the Waves, which won the inaugural "Best New Opera" award from the Music Critics Association of North America and was shortlisted for "Best World Premiere" at the International Opera Awards. The powerhouse duo will reunite once again for their upcoming adaptation of the beloved George Saunders novel Lincoln in the Bardo, commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera.

Fall under their masterful command. Lyric’s Music Director Enrique Mazzola leads the Lyric Opera Orchestra in interpreting Mazzoli’s thrilling and melodic score. Mazzola’s extensive experience conducting contemporary works was seen by Lyric audiences in the 2023/24 Season with Terence Blanchard and Michael Cristofer’s Champion, and he previously demonstrated his agility with Mazzoli’s composition These Worlds in Us with the London Philharmonic Orchestra in 2021, providing a solid foundation for his work on The Listeners. Earlier this season at Lyric, he conducted Verdi's Rigoletto and Beethoven's Fidelio and he will also conduct performances of Sondra Radvanovsky in Concert: The Puccini Heroines and Lyric in Concert: A Wondrous Sound. The work of Lileana Blain-Cruz, who directed the opera’s world premiere in Oslo, will be showcased on the Lyric stage for the first time. Currently the resident director at Lincoln Center Theater in New York, she was a Tony nominee for her direction of The Skin of Our Teeth. This spring, she will direct the new play Bust at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre. Her production of The Listeners is revived at Lyric by Mikhaela Mahony.

Devout followers that lead the way. The radiant soprano Nicole Heaston makes her Lyric debut as Claire, a role that was specifically written for her singular dramatic and vocal talents, which she portrayed in this production’s Oslo and Philadelphia performances. Alongside her recent performances in The Listeners, she most recently appeared in the title role of Samuel Barber’s Vanessa presented by the National Symphony Orchestra. Veteran bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen returns to Lyric for the first time since his 2021/22 Season appearance as Doctor Dulcamara in Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love, as the group leader Howard. He made his Lyric debut in the 2004/05 Season, when he appeared as Masetto in Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Rising-star soprano Jasmine Habersham makes her Lyric debut in the role of Claire’s daughter, Ashley. Her most recent engagement was as Juliet in Minnesota Opera’s production of Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet.

A hypnotic supporting cast. Howard’s cult confidant, Angela, is sung by mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack in her return to Lyric following her debut as the Kitchen Boy in Dvořák’s Rusalka in the 2013/14 Season. She has recently dazzled audiences as Frida Kahlo in Gabriela Lena Frank and Nilo Cruz’s El último sueño de Frida y Diego, co-produced by San Diego Opera and San Francisco Opera. Tenor Jonas Hacker appears as Kyle, a high-school student who becomes tormented by the sound; Hacker starred as Timothy Laughlin in Gregory Spears and Greg Pierce's Fellow Travelers in Lyric’s 2017/18 Season. Paul, Claire’s husband who is overshadowed by her fixation on the hum, is sung by baritone Zachary Nelson. He previously appeared as Marcello in Lyric’s 2018/19 Season production of Puccini’s La Bohème. Nelson recently made an anticipated role debut as Alberich in Atlanta Opera’s new production of Wagner's Das Rheingold, a role he returns to later this season in the composer's Siegfried. Baritone John Moore is Dillon in his Lyric debut; he recently appeared in performances across the United States as Steve Jobs in Mason Bates and Mark Campbell’s The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs.

An ensemble of twisted believers. Baritone Joseph Lim, an alumnus of Lyric’s renowned artist training program, The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, returns to Lyric as Thom, reprising the role he played in the Opera Philadelphia production. The cast of The Listeners also features several current members of the Ryan Opera Center Ensemble: sopranos Adia Evans and Gemma Nha, mezzo-soprano Sophia Maekawa, and baritone Finn Sagal.

Unapologetic creativity at its boldest. The Listeners is an unparalleled visual feat that combines modern technology with its storytelling. Through visual commentary with modern social media and "live" newscasting sequences alongside immersive sets and projections, this production envelops viewers in its cinematic spectacle. Set designer Adam Rigg, who recently designed the sets of Illinoise at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, creates the opera’s key visual environments. Working alongside him are costume designer Kaye Voyce, lighting designer Yi Zhao, and video designer Hannah Wasileski, all in their Lyric debuts. Chorus Director and Head of Music Michael Black leads the Lyric Opera Chorus, and the original choreography of Raja Feather Kelly is recreated at Lyric by revival choreographer Zoe Scofield, both in their Lyric debuts.

Ready for the hum? Featuring a score sung entirely in English (and punctuated with profanity throughout), this work delivers a darkly comedic and thought-provoking experience for contemporary audiences. The Listeners is an immersive opera that will leave Lyric patrons fearing the inescapable spell of the hum — will it consume you, too?

Important to know:

Five chances to experience The Listeners: March 30 matinee; April 2, 5, 8, and 11.

Ticketholders are invited to a free pre-opera talk by noted scholar Dr. Justin Vickers on the opera’s composition history and social context; the talks begin one hour before each performance on the main floor of the theater.

Audio description and a guided touch tour of the set are available at the Sunday, March 30 matinee performance. American Sign Language interpretation and SoundShirts are available at the Wednesday, April 2 evening performance. Braille and large-print programs, high-powered opera glasses, assistive listening devices, and booster seats are available from the main floor coat check at all performances. For more information on these and other accessibility assets, visit lyricopera.org/accessibility.

Co-commissioned and co-produced by Lyric Opera of Chicago, Norwegian National Opera, and Opera Philadelphia.

For more information and tickets, visit lyricopera.org/listeners or call 312.827.5600.

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 John Mangum and Music Director Enrique Mazzola, 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 Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Threads and Facebook. #LongLivePassion

For more information, visit lyricopera.org.

Lyric Opera of Chicago

20 N. Wacker Drive

Suite 860

Chicago, IL 60606

United States


Lyric’s 2024/25 Season is sponsored by Erika Gross in loving memory of Dietrich Gross; and Julie & Roger Baskes.

Lyric’s presentation of Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek's The Listeners is generously made possible by the Robert and Penelope Steiner Family Foundation, the Zell Family Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Maestro Enrique Mazzola is generously sponsored by Alice & John Butler, H. Gael Neeson, Sylvia Neil & Daniel Fischel, the Robert and Penelope Steiner Family Foundation, Mary Stowell, and the Zell Family Foundation as members of the Enrique Circle.

Major support for The New Work Fund provided by the Robert and Penelope Steiner Family Foundation and Virginia Tobiason.

Lyric Opera of Chicago thanks its Official Airline, American Airlines, and acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council.



Tuesday, October 3, 2023

REVIEW: Lyric Opera's The Flying Dutchman Now Playing Through October 7th, 2023

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Lyric Opera's The Flying Dutchman 



Review 

By Catherine Hellmann, Guest Critic 

Two and a half hours for an opera by Richard Wagner? One act? I’m out the door by 10:00? Sign me up! (I already have my Ring Cycle Merit badge, thank you very much.) 

Tamara Wilson as Senta and Tomasz Konieczny as The Dutchman.

All Photos: Todd Rosenberg

“The Flying Dutchman,” sung in German with English subtitles, as conducted by the charismatic Music Director Enrique Mazzola, is a delight. Based on an old myth about a ghost ship that must sail the seven seas forever, the doomed captain made a deal with the devil (hello, Faust?) during a storm. Now he must find true love to lift the burden of this curse. Every seven years, he is able to reappear and try to convince a woman to love him and break the spell. (My date commented, ”He’s in search of True Love.” I replied, “He has to find a sucker to stop the spell.” Hmmm…maybe I need to check my cynicism.) 

The overture was suspenseful and set the stage for events to come. There is drama on the high seas where there is no promise of return. The Dutchman may be lost forever, and his dismal crew (lit underneath the stage in red lights) will be adrift for eternity. 

Tomasz Konieczny as The Dutchman.

The set by Allen Moyer, who also designed the costumes, is on a disorienting tilt to portray the rocking waves of the water. The singers do a great job of lilting to the sides to simulate the turbulence of the sea. The opera chorus is always fabulous. The men portray the sailors and crew of the ghost trip while the women’s chorus represent the weavers working spinning wheels and the monotony of textile factories. 

Tomasz Konieczny as the Dutchman was powerful and mesmerizing. (Although the “Kool Ghoul” makeup was spooky but odd.) Local hometown star Tamara Wilson was incredible as Senta, the woman who yearns to save the doomed Dutchman (“sucka,” I’m thinking…Don’t do it, Senta!!). Not every opera singer is also a convincing actor, but they both were wonderful. I wasn’t wowed by the costumes, and Ms. Wilson was clearly visible but should ask the wardrobe crew about the Bozo wig.  

By the end of the show, I glanced at my watch and was amazed two hours had passed. That’s a very positive sign for a lengthy opera. The music is glorious. 

Wonderful start to the new Lyric Season.

Catherine Hellmann spends her life at school, the theater, and out walking in the city. 


Mika Kares as Daland, Tomasz Konieczny as The Dutchman, 

and the Company of The Flying Dutchman.


What You Need to Know About Wagner’s

The Flying Dutchman

The Chicago cultural season begins with Music Director Enrique Mazzola conducting his first Wagner opera at Lyric

September 23 – October 7, 2023

Wagnerian opera makes a grand return to Chicago whenThe Flying Dutchman docks at Lyric Opera of Chicago from September 23 to October 7, 2023. Considered to be composer Richard Wagner’s first masterpiece,The Flying Dutchman is legendary for its eerie storyline, complex themes of sacrifice and redemption, and soaring melodies. More than 165 musical and dramatic artists — including some of the world’s most sought-after soloists — bring this riveting odyssey to life on Chicago’s biggest stage.

Opera’s most thrilling ghost story sets sail. Not seen at Lyric in more than 20 years, The Flying Dutchman is perhaps Wagner’s most haunting opera. This tempestuous work tells the story of a sailor known as the Dutchman, who is doomed to roam the seas forever. The Dutchman’s only hope to break the curse is (*drumroll please*) true love. Senta, a young Norwegian woman, falls quickly and deeply in love with the Dutchman and, well, the story only sinks from there. Through recurring musical themes (known as leitmotifs) and a rich orchestration, Wagner leaves the audience holding their breath to see what comes next for the love-struck couple. 

Enrique Mazzola kicks off a season of historic "firsts." In his third season as Lyric’s Music Director, Enrique Mazzola leads the esteemed Lyric Opera Orchestra through a series of momentous firsts. This season opener, brought to life with a 72-piece orchestra, will mark Mazzola’s first time conducting Wagner at Lyric. In January, Terence Blanchard and Michael Cristofer’s Champion will mark his first contemporary work at Lyric, and he finishes Lyric’s opera season with his first-ever production of Aida, which also marks the 100th opera of his storied career. In a final "first" of the 2023/24 Season, Mazzola will conduct Mozart’s Requiem, his first foray into Mozart at Lyric. This diverse season allows Mazzola to showcase his broad repertoire and the Orchestra to display its mastery of a variety of musical styles. 

An opera that lets the Chorus shine. Wagner’s score of The Flying Dutchmanhighlights the exceptional Lyric Opera Chorus, with contrasting men’s and women’s (and even ghosts’) choruses throughout the opera. Led by Michael Black, Lyric’s Chorus Director and Head of Music, the powerful 90-member Chorus has a staggering impact on this haunting story. 

A star-studded cast comes aboard. Bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny and soprano Tamara Wilson give entrancing portrayals of the Dutchman and Senta. Hailed as "The Breakout Star of the Met Opera’s Ring" by The New York Times, Konieczny returns to Lyric following his acclaimed portrayal of the title role inWozzeck in the 2015/16 Season. Wilson, a stand-out Verdian in recent seasons at Lyric — who was also deemed "quite the Wagnerian" by The New York Times — returns following her most recent headlining role as Elvira in Ernani in the 2022/23 Season. With piercing arias, longing duets, and energizing dialogues, this captivating pair and their fiery vocal power make The Flying Dutchman a must-see.

Experienced and emerging artists round out the cast. Renowned bass Mika Kares returns to Lyric as Senta’s father Daland. The cast also features tenorRobert Watson as Erik and mezzo-soprano Melody Wilson as Mary, both in their Lyric debuts. Ryan Capozzo, a third-year member of Lyric’s Ryan Opera Center Ensemble, returns to the mainstage as the Steersman.

Sets, costumes, and lighting combine for a theatrically spellbinding production. Director Christopher Alden’s production creates the illusion of a haunted galleon battling raging waters; it is bold and modern while retaining the authenticity of the story itself. (Wagnerian spectacle must run in the family — Alden’s twin brother and fellow opera director, David Alden, directed a new production of The Flying Dutchman at Sante Fe Opera this past summer). Allen Moyer’s creative sets and costumes combine to create a spooky atmosphere, andAnne Militello’s shadowy lighting design gives the production its eerie finishing touches, in her Lyric debut. 

Wagner returns to Lyric with drama on the high seas. In an intense return to Lyric, Wagner’s first famous opera does what all of Wagner’s operas do: It draws you in with a captivating story, layered musical composition, and soaring vocal lines written for richly drawn characters. (And at just 2 hours and 20 minutes, it does it all in half the usual time for a Wagner opera.)



Ryan Capozzo as Steersman, Tomasz Konieczny as The Dutchman, 

and the Company of The Flying Dutchman.



Important to know

·        Five chances to see The Flying Dutchman: September 23, 27, October 1 matinee, 4 matinee, and 7, 2023.

·        A running time of 2 hours and 20 minutes; performed without intermission.

·        Sung in German, with easy-to-follow English translations projected above the stage.

·        Information and tickets: visit lyricopera.org/dutchman or call 312.827.5600.


Lyric’s presentation of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman is generously made possible by an Anonymous DonorJosef & Margot Lakonishok, and Bulley & Andrews.

Maestro Enrique Mazzola is generously sponsored by Alice & John ButlerH. Gael NeesonSylvia Neil & Daniel Fischel, and the Robert and Penelope Steiner Family Foundation as members of the Enrique Circle. The Enrique Circle is comprised of Lyric's most dedicated supporters who are committed to championing Maestro Enrique Mazzola's exciting artistic vision and legacy.

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 and Music Director Enrique Mazzola, 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, TikTok, Youtube, and Facebook. #LongLivePassion

For more information, visit lyricopera.org.


Friday, October 11, 2019

Verdi's LUISA MILLER at Lyric Opera of Chicago October 12 - 31, 2019

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar
Verdi's tragic romance 
LUISA MILLER 
opens Saturday, October 12 at 
Lyric Opera of Chicago
conducted by Music Director Designate Enrique Mazzola
October 12 - 31


Verdi’s heart-wrenching romantic drama Luisa Miller returns to Lyric Opera of Chicago for the first time in more than three decades on Saturday, October 12 at 7:30 p.m. Enrique Mazzola, Lyric’s music director designate, will be on the podium.

There will be six performances through October 31 at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Dr., Chicago. Tickets start at $39 for adults and $20 for children, and are available now at lyricopera.org/Luisa or by calling 312-827-5600.

Luisa Miller features an outstanding international cast of acclaimed Verdian artists. Bulgarian soprano Krassimira Stoyanova is sweet, vulnerable Luisa, who loves and is loved by Rodolfo (Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja), the son of ruthless, unethical nobleman Count Walter (American bass-baritone Christian Van Horn/Ryan Opera Center alumnus) whom Luisa’s own father Miller (American baritone Quinn Kelsey/Ryan Opera Center alumnus) loathes. To keep the lovers apart, Walter employs the help of his retainer Wurm (American bass Soloman Howard/Lyric debut), who wants to marry Luisa himself. An arranged marriage between Rodolfo and Duchess Federica (Russian mezzo-soprano Alisa Kolosova) further complicates Luisa and Rodolfo’s desperate situation.

The revelatory arias, breathtaking duets, thrilling ensembles, and electrifying orchestration of Luisa Miller foreshadow Verdi’s famous mid-career operas, marking his transition from bel canto to his own compositional style. These performances mark an exciting opportunity to experience a largely unfamiliar work by a well-known and beloved composer. The opera’s libretto by Salvadore Cammarano is based on the play Kabale und Liebe by the German dramatist Friedrich von Schiller. Luisa Miller has been presented only once previously in Lyric’s 65-year history, during the 1982 season. You can hear musical excerpts here (scroll down to "Learn More").

Lyric’s music director designate, Enrique Mazzola, is a lauded expert in conducting early Verdi, as well as bel canto and French opera. (Previously at Lyric he led acclaimed performances of two bel canto masterpieces, Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor and Bellini’s I puritani). Luisa Miller marks the first installment of Lyric’s Early Verdi Series, to be presented over the coming years and which will be conducted by Mazzola.

The production of Luisa Miller is directed by Francesca Zambello, with open, evocative set designs by Michael Yeargan, traditional-period costume designs by Dunya Ramicova, and dramatic lighting design by Mark McCullough. Lyric’s chorus master is Michael Black, and August Tye is the choreographer for this presentation.

Performance dates for Luisa Miller are October 12, 16, 20, 25, 28, and 31. Performance times vary.

For tickets and information call (312) 827-5600 or go to lyricopera.org/Luisa Tickets start at $39.

Luisa Miller is performed in Italian with projected English translations.

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 Sir Andrew Davis, music director designate Enrique Mazzola, and creative consultant 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. #Lyric1920 #LongLivePassion.

Production sponsors: NIB Foundation, Julie and Roger Baskes, the Henry and Gilda Buchbinder Family Foundation, Liz Stiffel, and The Nelson Cornelius Production Endowment Fund.

Luisa Miller is a San Francisco Opera production.


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