Chicago Reader Musical Carousel Review Lyric Opera House

May 27, 2020

Lyric's Broadway Hits…A Growing Chicago Tradition

Slap-up stories. Thrilling music. Theater that's filled with dazzler and spectacle. Trip the light fantastic toe that ranges from dreamlike to explosively energetic. If you call up we're talking about opera⁠—you'd be right. And we're too talking about Lyric's ongoing series of Broadway musicals, which has brought tens of thousands of new music lovers to the Lyric Opera House (including many for the get-go fourth dimension) since the Broadway initiative launched in 2013. Family audiences, musical theater lovers, and those eager to explore Chicago's gorgeous, historic theater scene while enjoying an unforgettable performance experience take made an annual tradition of never missing any of these yard-calibration amusement events in the cultural year.

Judith Christin and Bryn Terfel in Lyric'southward 2002/03 production ofSweeney Todd.

Eric Owens and Adina Aaron in Lyric'south 2014/15 production ofPorgy and Bess.

Lyric had certainly produced musicals before—from Sondheim's Sweeney Todd in 2002/03 to Gershwin's famed masterpiece that straddles the world of opera and musical, Porgy and Bess (in 2008/09 and 2014/fifteen). In the 2011/12 Season, Lyric produced an opulent Showboat equally role of the mainstage season, a sellout hit that foreshadowed the exciting Broadway works that would lie alee.

The sold-out run ofShowboat was part of Lyric'due south 2011/12 Season.

The goal has e'er been to choose titles that Lyric is uniquely positioned to produce in new and exciting ways. Lyric brings the full ability of an opera visitor'south resources to classic works that do good from large choral and orchestral forces, to say null of theatrical productions that are built for and brought to life on the largest stage in Chicago. Add the best and brightest directors, conductors, and star artists, and the results accept been resounding hits with audiences.

Lyric'south 2012/13 production ofOklahoma!.

The 2012/13 Flavour featured Oklahoma!, the starting time of several Rodgers and Hammerstein classics presented at Lyric. The new production was directed by Gary Griffin and featured the original choreography by Agnes DeMille, as realized by her longtime friend and associate, Gemze de Lappe. "It all looks simply magnificent," declared Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune. "It's hard to overpraise the narrative precision, emotional honesty and delicacy of the choreography."

Lyric's 2013/14 product ofThe Sound of Music.

The side by side season brought Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music, starring Broadway darling Jennifer Gambatese as Maria with Titanic film star Billy Zane as Helm von Trapp. "The sound of perfection...the best stage show we've had in Chicago in years," raved WGN'southward Dean Richards of the new production, which was such a runaway success that information technology was extended beyond its original run to meet demand every bit families flocked to see the evidence on a grand calibration.

Laura Osnes and Steven Pasquale in Lyric's 2014/fifteen product ofCarousel.

In the 2014/15 Season, Lyric mounted an original production of Carousel from Tony and Olivier Award-winning managing director Rob Ashford that was praised by Broadway World as "huge, audaciously daring, and bracingly human…immediately legendary….starring a slew of Broadway, boob tube, opera and ballet stars aslope the cream of Chicago'due south theatrical and vocal talent." The Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, which starred Laura Osnes and Steven Pasquale, compelled The New York Times to rave, "A risk to hear this cherished score delivered with such ample vocal and musical resources should non be missed."

Lyric's 2015/16 product ofThe Rex and I.

The following 2 seasons brought Lyric'due south presentation of magnificent, collaborative productions from Théâtre du Châtelet of Paris. First came an ornately elegant staging of The Rex and I starring Kate Baldwin and Paolo Montalban, which WGN's Dean Richards called "lush and elegant...lavish and beautiful...the grandest scale possible." Lyric and then turned to Lerner and Loewe'due south My Fair Lady in a charming product from director Robert Carsen. Starring Lisa O'Hare and Richard E. Grant, it was chosen "exquisite…sublime…equally loverly equally information technology gets" past Chicago Theatre Review, while the Chicago Reader said, "Rarely does [My Fair Lady] soar the way it does at Lyric."

Lyric's 2016/17 production ofMy Fair Lady.

After six seasons of classic musicals, Lyric used the 2017/18 Season to experiment with a more contemporary title: Andrew Lloyd Webber'southward famed rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar . The production won audience and critical acclaim and scored four stars from the Chicago Tribune 'due south Chris Jones, who wrote, "There is no Broadway tour coming through Chicago that could vocally friction match [this production]. Not in this twenty-four hour period and age." NPR'south Await, Wait, Don't Tell Me host Peter Sagal told his audience, "This production of JCS is the best I've e'er seen...Chicago: become see it. Not-Chicago: go on a plane."

Lyric's 2017/eighteen production of Jesus Christ Superstar starring Heath Saunders (center, with microphone).

This product of JCS  is the all-time I've e'er seen...Chicago: get meet it. Non-Chicago: get on a aeroplane.

Mikaela Bennett and Cory Cott in Lyric's 2018/19 production ofWest Side Story.

Just terminal twelvemonth, Lyric produced the biggest box-office success in company history with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and volume by Arthur Laurents. Due west Side Story , the thrilling contemporary telling of Romeo and Juliet , took Chicago by storm in an original coproduction starring Mikaela Bennett and Corey Cott. "What greater emotional sound ever entered anyone's ears?" asked the Chicago Tribune , while the Chicago Sun-Times said, "I tin't think of any recent bear witness with such constant, thrilling injections of dynamism and adrenaline, always supported by that behemothic orchestra."

The product sold more 100,000 tickets over its 4-week run, bringing thousands of new audition members to the Lyric Opera House for a title that was more lx years old but felt deeply relevant for our fourth dimension.

42nd Street, coming to Lyric in the 2021/22 Flavor.

Of course, the virtually wonderful reviews Lyric has received are from the audience members who return year later year with their families and friends. While information technology was deeply disappointing when prophylactic and health concerns during the global pandemic forced the visitor to postpone the Lyric premiere of a grand-calibration production of 42nd Street, audiences will get to relish the toe-tapping spectacular in Spring 2022 and hear its many hits, including "We're in the Coin," "Lullaby of Broadway," "In that location's a Sunny Side to Every State of affairs," and more.

Singin' in the Rain, the Broadway musical in Lyric'due south 2020/21 Flavour.

Coming up next, Spring 2021 will bring Lyric's presentation of Singin' in the Rain, featuring love classics like "Adept Morning," "Make 'em Laugh," "You lot Were Meant For Me," and "Y'all Are My Lucky Star."  Piece of work continues now on staging this magnificent production, complete with indoor pelting showers. Nosotros're confident it will be another remarkable Lyric musical to exist enjoyed by returning and new audience members alike.

Photos: Robert Kusel, Dan Rest, Marie-Noëlle Robert/Théâtre du Châtelet, Todd Rosenberg

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Source: https://www.lyricopera.org/lyric-lately/lyrics-broadway-hits-a-growing-chicago-tradition/

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