LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO
Civic Opera House
20 North Wacker Drive
Ticket Information: (312) 332-2244, ext. 500 Fax Number: (312) 332-8120
BACK


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 9, 2001

Lyric Opera of Chicago announces repertoire and major castings for its 47th International Season, which begins Saturday, September 22, 2001, at 7:00 p.m. with Sir Andrew Davis conducting Verdi’s Otello, starring Ben Heppner and Renée Fleming

OTELLO, STREET SCENE, I CAPULETI E I MONTECCHI, BILLY BUDD, HANSEL AND GRETEL, LA BOHÈME, PARSIFAL, and THE MAGIC FLUTE to be seen at Lyric Opera next season, including five productions new to Chicago

Please note that all evening performances of the 2001-2002 season begin at 7:30 sharp except for The Opening Night Gala performance of Otello, which begins at 7:00 p.m. sharp, and evening performances of Parsifal, which will begin at 6:00 p.m. sharp,. All matinee performances begin at 2:00 p.m. sharp, except for Parsifal, whose matinee will begin at 1:00 p.m. sharp.

Subscription brochures will be mailed in early February. Members of the public who wish to be placed on Lyric’s mailing list should write the company at 20 North Wacker Drive, Suite 840, Chicago, IL 60606, or should phone 312-332-2244, ext. 5600. Information is also available at Lyric’s website: www.lyricopera.org

Projected English titles will be used for every opera in the 2001-2002 season.

For the 2001-2002 season at Lyric Opera, Duane Schuler is lighting designer for four productions. Donald Palumbo is chorus master for all eight operas. Wigmaster and makeup designer for all productions is Richard Jarvie.

THE WORKS BEING PRESENTED BY LYRIC IN THE 2001 - 2002 SEASON

OTELLO / Verdi - New production
Sept. 22, 25, 28; Oct. 1, 7(ma.), 10, 13, 17(ma.), 20, 23, 26;
in Italian with projected English titles
Otello -- Ben Heppner
Desdemona -- Renée Fleming (first seven performances), Kallen Esperian (final four performances).
Iago -- Lucio Gallo
Cassio -- Jonas Kaufmann (American debut)
Lodovico -- Dea
n Peterson (Lyric debut)
Emilia -- Michelle Wrighte

Conductor -- Sir Andrew Davis
Stage Director -- Sir Peter Hall
Set and Costume Designer -- John Gunter (Lyric debut)
Lighting Designer -- Mark Henderson (Lyric debut)
Chorus Master -- Donald Palumbo

This production is made possible by Alberto Vilar. The Opening Night Benefit is sponsored by Aon Corporation.

STREET SCENE / Weill - Lyric Opera premiere
Oct. 2, 6, 9, 12, 15, 21(ma.), 24, 27, 31(ma.); Nov. 3;
in English with projected English titles
Anna Maurrant -- Catherine Malfitano
Frank Maurrant -- Dean Peterson
Sam Kaplan -- Gregory Turay
Rose Maurrant -- Lori Ann Fuller (Lyric debut)
Harry Easter -- Timothy Nolen
Lippo Fiorentino -- Anthony Mee (American debut)
Greta Fiorentino -- Theresa Cincione (Lyric debut)
Abe Kaplan -- Philip Kraus
Mrs. Jones -- Judith Christin
Olga Olson -- Dorothy Byrne
Henry Davis -- Patrick Blackwell
Daniel Buchanan -- David Cangelosi

Conductor -- Richard Buckley
Stage Director -- David Pountney
Set and Costume Designer -- David Fielding
Lighting Designer -- Paul Pyant (Lyric debut)
Choreographer -- Nicola Bowie (Lyric debut)
Chorus Master -- Donald Palumbo

This production is a presentation of an original co-production by English National Opera and Scottish Opera. The Lyric Opera presentation is made possible by a gift from Sidney L. Port, with additional funding from The Edgar Foster Daniels Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. Street Scene is part of Lyric Opera’s American Horizons artistic initiative, with major support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and AT&T.

I CAPULETI E I MONTECCHI / Bellini
Nov. 1, 4(ma.), 7, 9, 13, 16, 19, 24, 27; Dec. 1;
in Italian with projected English titles
Romeo -- Vesselina Kasarova
Giulietta -- Andrea Rost
Tebaldo -- Fabio Sartori (American debut)
Lorenzo -- Umberto Chiummo (Lyric debut),
Capellio -- Jeffrey
Wells

Conductor -- Bruno Campanella (Lyric debut)
Stage Director -- Giulio Chazalettes
Set and Costume Designer -- Ulisse Santicchi
Lighting Designer -- Duane Schuler Chorus Master -- Donald Palumbo

The Ameritech production. Revival made possible by the Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust.

BILLY BUDD / Britten - New production
Nov. 17, 20, 23, 25(ma.), 28, 30; Dec. 3, 7, 10, 15;
in English with projected English titles
Billy Budd -- Nathan Gunn (Lyric debut)
Captain Vere -- Kim Begley
John Claggart -- Samuel Ramey
Redburn -- Richard Stilwell
Ratcliffe -- TBA
Flint -- Stephen West
Squeak -- David Cangelosi
Red Whiskers -- Neil Jenkins (Lyric debut)
Dansker -- Kevin Langan
Novice -- John McVeigh (Lyric debut)
Donald -- Dale Travis

Conductor -- Sir Andrew Davis
Stage Director -- David McVicar (Lyric debut)
Set Designer -- Charles Edwards
Costume Designer -- Brigitte Reiffenstuel
Lighting Designer -- Duane Schuler
Choreographer -- Leah Hausman (American debut).
Chorus Master -- Donald Palumbo

This Lyric Opera production is made possible by Mr. and Mrs. Ben W. Heineman.

HANSEL AND GRETEL / Humperdinck - New production / Lyric premiere
Dec. 8, 11, 13, 16(ma.), 19; Jan. 4, 7, 12, 16(ma.), 19;
in German with projected English titles
Gretel -- Elizabeth Norberg-Schulz
Hansel -- Susan Graham
Witch -- Eugenie Grunewald
Mother (Gertrud) -- Anne-Marie Owens (Lyric debut)
Father (Peter) -- Stephen West
Sandman / Dew Fairy -- Maria Kanyova

Conductor -- Mark Elder
Stage Director -- Richard Jones
Set and Costume Designer -- John Macfarlane (Lyric debut)
Lighting Designer Jennifer Tipton
Choreographer -- Linda Dobell (Lyric debut)
Chorus Master -- Donald Palumbo

Hansel and Gretel is a co-production of Welsh National Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago. The Lyric Opera production is made possible by The Vance Family Fund.

LA BOHÈME / Puccini
Jan. 17, 20(ma.), 23, 26, 29; Feb.1, 4, 8, 12, 15, 20(ma.), 23;
in Italian with projected English titles
Mimì -- Leontina Vaduva (Lyric debut, Jan. 17-Feb.1), Patricia Racette (Feb. 4-23)
Rodolfo -- Roberto Aronica (Jan. 17-Feb.1), Frank Lopardo (Feb. 4-23)
Marcello -- Stephen Powell (Jan. 17-Feb.1), Rodney Gilfry (Feb. 4-23)
Musetta -- Alexandra von der Weth (Lyric debut Jan. 17-Feb.1), Noëmi Nadelmann (Lyric debut Feb. 4-23).
Schaunard -- Brian Montgomery
Colline -- Erwin S
chrott (Lyric debut)
Benoit / Alcindoro -- Dale Travis

Conductor -- Bruno Bartoletti
Stage Director -- Richard Pearlman (Lyric debut)
Set and Costume Designer -- Pier Luigi Pizzi
Lighting Designer -- Christine Binder
Chorus Master -- Donald Palumbo

The James C. Hemphill production. This revival is made possible by Liz and Jules Stiffel.

PARSIFAL / Wagner - New production
Feb. 2, 6, 9(ma.), 13, 18, 21, 26; March 1, 5, 9;
in German with projected English titles
Evening performances begin at 6 p.m. sharp; matinee performance begins at 1 p.m. sharp.
Parsifal -- Gösta Winbergh
Kundry -- Catherine Malfitano
Amfortas -- Håkan Hagegård
Gurnemanz -- Matti Salminen
Klingsor -- Egils Silins (Lyric debut)
Titurel -- Bjarni Thor Kristinnson (American debut)
Flower Maidens (partial list)-- Buffy Baggott, Lielle Berman, Beth Clayton (debut)

Conductor -- Sir Andrew Davis
Stage Director -- Nikolaus Lehnhoff
Sets Designer -- Raimund Bauer
Costume Designer -- Andrea Schmidt-Futterer
Lighting Designer -- Duane Schuler
Choreographer -- Denni Sayers
Chorus Master -- Donald Palumbo

Parsifal is a co-production of the English National Opera, San Francisco Opera Association, and Lyric Opera of Chicago. The Lyric Opera production is made possible by Howard A. Stotler.

THE MAGIC FLUTE / Mozart
Feb. 16, 19, 22, 25, 27; Mar. 2, 6, 8, 11, 13 (ma.), 16 (ma.);
in German with projected English titles
Pamina -- Dorothea Röschmann (American operatic debut)
Tamino -- Paul Groves
Papageno Gerald Finley
Queen of the Night -- Mary Dunleavy (Lyric debut)
Sarastro -- Matti Salminen
Papagena -- Lielle Berman
Speaker -- Egils Silins
Monostatos -- David Cangelosi
Ladies of the Queen of the Night (partial list) -- Kelley Nassief (Lyric debut), Beth Clayton
Armored Men -- Michael Hendrick, Bjarni Thor Kristinsson

Conductor -- Sir Andrew Davis
Original Production -- August Everding
Stage Director -- Matthew Lata
Set Designer -- Jörg Zimmermann
Costume Designer -- Renate Kalanke
Lighting Designer -- Duane Schuler
Chorus Master -- Donald Palumbo

The I. A. O’Shaughnessy Foundation production in memory of Mrs. Thomas B. Burke. This revival is made possible by an Anonymous Donor and The Quaker Oats Company.

Source: Lyric Opera of Chicago

MusicPlanner New Releases Audience Etiquette Food & Music Store SiteMap EMailUpdate

Design and Original Content:
© 1997 -2001. FanFaire LLC
All rights reserved.