Sir David McVicar’s psychologically driven Salome arrives in Chicago

Alex Boyer (Herod) and Jennifer Holloway (Salome)

Nicholas Brownlee (Jochanaan) and Jennifer Holloway (Salome)

Jennifer Holloway (Salome) and Tanja Ariane Baumgartner (Herodias)

Salome at Lyric Opera of Chicago

Jennifer Holloway (Salome) and Alex Boyer (Herod)

By Graham Meyer, 26 January 2026

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“Jennifer Holloway, who specializes in Salome, oscillated among affects persuasively”

Reviewed at Lyric Opera House, Chicago on 25 January 2026

Strauss R., Salome

Lyric Opera of Chicago

Tomáš Netopil, Conductor

Sir David McVicar, Director

Es Devlin, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Wolfgang Göbbel, Lighting Designer

Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra

Chicago Lyric Opera Chorus

Julia Burbach, Director

59 Productions, Video

Jennifer Holloway, Salome

Nicholas Brownlee, Jochanaan

Alexander Boyer, Herodes

Tanja Ariane Baumgartner, Herodias

Ryan Capozzo, Narraboth

Catherine Martin, Herodias' Page

Andrew George, Choreography

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

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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

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Cameron Kelsall, 12th November

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

*****

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Katherine Syer, 2nd March

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

*****

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Laura Servidei, 14th February

The Lyric revives Sir David McVicar’s production of Strauss’ horrific tale with a superb cast led by Swedish “helden-soprano” Nina Stemme.

****1

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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.