In this month's issue of Lyric Notes find out why Cinderella's Lawrence Brownlee is the "Prince of Tenors," how Susan Stroman "creates the dance" for The Merry Widow, how the vision was created for The Marriage of Figaro, where the journey of Wozzeck will take you, and how Bel Canto went from page to stage in the world premiere opera.
When Ohio-born tenor Lawrence Brownlee debuts at Lyric in one of his signature roles, Prince Ramiro in Rossini’s Cinderella, Chicago audiences will finally experience firsthand the voice, style, and presence that have conquered one major company after another over the past decade.
A lavish double staircase, furnished bookshelves, a pristine grand piano and a glittering chandelier grace the stage of the Ardis Krainik Theatre. Surtitles are displayed above the screen and a radiant beam of light shines onto the center of the stage. However, the lyrics go unsung. The red velvet seats are empty.
Think of three totally contrasting operas from Lyric’s last decade – what about Handel’s Giulio Cesare, Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and Strauss's Elektra? Three works from three different centuries, wildly different in style, but they had one important common asset at Lyric: director David McVicar.
Lyric’s stage will be awhirl this fall with the eye-catching song-and-dance numbers that are central to Franz Lehár’s delightful operetta The Merry Widow. Director-choreographer Susan Stroman has assembled a crack ensemble of dancers – eight women and four men – who will be joined by four dancing men from Lyric’s chorus.
As Lyric prepares to present the world premiere of Bel Canto, debuting on December 7 of this year, now is the perfect time to immerse yourself in the written work that started it all. Bel Canto, the best-selling novel by Ann Patchett, is the early fall focus of many book groups.
Lyric Notes is part of the Innovation Initiative made possible by Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan.