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

Igor Golovatenko (Rigoletto)

Javier Camarena (Duke of Mantua)

Act 1 finale

Javier Camarena (Duke of Mantua), Zoie Reams (Maddalena) and Mané Galoyan (Gilda)

Igor Golovatenko (Rigoletto) and Mané Galoyan (Gilda)

By Graham Meyer, 16 September 2024

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“Golovatenko's Rigoletto ranged convincingly from the merciless jester to the desperate father”

Reviewed at Lyric Opera House, Chicago on 14 September 2024

Verdi, Rigoletto

Lyric Opera of Chicago

Enrique Mazzola, Conductor

Mary Birnbaum, Director

Robert Innes Hopkins, Set Designer

Jane Greenwood, Costume Designer

Duane Schuler, Lighting Designer

Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra

Chicago Lyric Opera Chorus

Igor Golovatenko, Rigoletto

Mané Galoyan, Gilda

Javier Camarena, The Duke of Mantua

Soloman Howard, Sparafucile

Zoie Reams, Maddalena

Travon D Walker, Borsa

Sankara Harouna, Marullo

Marie Therese Carmack, Giovanna

Christopher Humbert Jr., Count Ceprano

Adia Evans, Countess Ceprano

TBC, Monterone

Gemma Nha, Page

Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera brings Spanish to the Lyric Opera

Graham Meyer, 29th March

The Lyric Opera of Chicago's presentation of El último sueño de Frida y Diego brings the Mexican artists to life... or at least a life reminiscent of their real ones.

****1

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

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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Graham Meyer

Graham is a Chicago-based arts and culture journalist, covering all forms of live performance, and specializing in classical music. His work has appeared extensively in Chicago magazine and Crain’s Chicago Business, as well as in The Chicago Tribune and at Chicago Classical Review. He has also covered dining and restaurants, winning a City and Regional Magazine Award for the restaurant newsletter Dish. Semi-professionally, he sings baritone in the choir Vox Venti, plays amateur piano, and composes music, especially choral. Apart from music, he constructs crossword puzzles and plays competitive bridge with his teenage daughter.

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