Events Reviews Articles Video

Perplexing staging not enough to derail a gloriously sung Rheingold at Lyric Opera

By Sam Jacobson, 07 October 2016

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Reviewed at Lyric Opera House, Chicago on 1 October 2016

Wagner, Das Rheingold

Lyric Opera of Chicago

Sir Andrew Davis, Conductor

Sir David Pountney, Director

Robert Innes Hopkins, Set Designer

Marie-Jeanne Lecca, Costume Designer

Eric Owens, Wotan

Samuel Youn, Alberich

Štefan Margita, Loge

Tanja Ariane Baumgartner, Fricka

Wilhelm Schwinghammer, Fasolt

Tobias Kehrer, Fafner

Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra

Sir David McVicar’s psychologically driven Salome arrives in Chicago

Graham Meyer, 25th January

Revived at Lyric Opera of Chicago, the notorious opera director’s take stirs sympathy for Salome, but leans on some of his theatrical hobby-horses

****1

Missy Mazzoli’s The Listeners takes its Chicago bow

Graham Meyer, 2nd April

Lyric Opera of Chicago's production of Missy Mazzoli's opera, which the company co-commissioned, has strong, dramatic, expressive music throughout, but the story lacks continuity.

**111

A light Marriage of Figaro makes the case for fun in Chicago

Graham Meyer, 9th November

Lyric Opera of Chicago revives its diverting and divisive 2015 original production by Barbara Gaines, who does it like a Shakespearean sex farce.

****1

Rigoletto cast dazzles in Lyric Opera of Chicago’s season opener

Graham Meyer, 14th September

Through brilliant singing and layered acting, Javier Camarena, Mané Galoyan, and Igor Golovatenko drive a Rigoletto to warm a traditionalist's heart.

****1

Davidsen and Stemme anchor an extraordinary Jenůfa in Chicago

Cameron Kelsall, 12th November

Claus Guth's production foregrounds the regimented, repressive world that drives the plot of Janáček’s tragic masterpiece.

*****

A vibrant, urgent Ariodante at Lyric Opera of Chicago

Katherine Syer, 2nd March

A revival of Richard Jones’ production of Handel’s emotionally probing opera.

*****

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Sam Jacobson

Sam Jacobson has been writing for Bachtrack since 2015 and is currently in Pittsburgh, having previously lived throughout the Midwest. A keen traveler, he endeavors to see all the great orchestras and opera houses across the US and abroad. Outside of music, he works as a software engineer. He also maintains a blog which can be read here.