Opera and Dance Reviews

"The Listeners" - Review by Jeffrey Leibham

***RECOMMENDED*** Do you hear what I hear?

Hopefully, you do not hear a constant dull hum or an aggressive drone during your every waking hour. Otherwise, you may need to seek the guidance of a self-help group collectively referred to as The Listeners. The narratives of many of the members of this nefarious group, in roles which are all sung by members of Lyric's chorus, combine and intertwine to create the highly disturbing yet hauntingly beautiful opera "The Listeners," composed by Missy Mazzoli in 2022 and receiving its Lyric premiere in a very bold yet distinctly adult production. 3 SPOTLIGHTS

Opera and Dance Reviews

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"La Boheme" - Review by Jeffrey Leibham

****HIGHLY RECOMMENDED While there is no denying that Puccini's "La Boheme" is one of -- if not the -- world's most beloved and popular operas, Lyric Opera of Chicago took a bit of an artistic gamble when they announced that they would be presenting "La Boheme" during their 2024/2025 season for an astounding ten performances. Just to give you some idea of how gargantuan that number of performances is, most individual operas presented by Lyric Opera each season are scheduled for no more than the standard five performances (sometimes that number can go as high as six if it is a specialized work or one that features a highly-coveted new rising star or one who is already established as a superstar in the international opera world). The risk on Lyric's part has paid off quite handsomely with this gorgeous production which feels as fresh and vital as it must have felt immediately upon its premiere in 1896. 4 BIG SPOTLIGHTS

Opera and Dance Reviews

Read more about "La Boheme" - Review by Jeffrey Leibham

Winning Works - Review by Carol Moore

**** Highly Recommended The Joffrey Ballet’s Grainger Academy’s Winning Works, presented annually at the Museum of Contemporary Art, is a performance I await with great anticipation. It’s a chance to see brand new pieces by new choreographers, all ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab and Native American) artists, performed by up-and-coming dancers who get a chance to shine. Each piece is preceded by a short video in which the choreographer explains his/her vision, while working with the dancers. This year’s program was absolutely fabulous. 4 BIG Spotlights

Opera and Dance Reviews

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Hubbard Street Dance Season 47 Winter Series - Review by Carol Moore

**** Recommended It was an absolute pleasure to see Hubbard Street Dance Chicago performing their Season 47: Winter Series at the Harris Theatre. The three-part program (with two intermissions) featured pieces choreographed by Ohad Naharin, FLOCK: Alice Klock & Florian Lochner, James Gregg and Johan Inger. I was in awe of the grace and strength displayed by the entire ensemble. 4 Spotlights!

Opera and Dance Reviews

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"Golden Hour" - Review by Carol Moore

**** Highly Recommended "Golden Hour" is a demonstration of all that makes the Joffrey such a leader in contemporary ballet. The performance included two recent pieces from the Joffrey repertoire and two world premiere pieces. The Joffrey’s classically trained, incredibly talented dancers execute the most complicated choreography with flawless technique and timing – and they make it look easy! 4 BIG Spotlights

Opera and Dance Reviews

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"The Puccini Heroines" - Review by Jeffrey Leibham

One glorious example of an artist who is clearly comfortable on any stage and having added yet another statistical feat (Donizetti's "The Three Queens") to an already impressive resume, Berwyn's very own favorite diva Sondra Radvanovsky returns to Lyric Opera of Chicago in a very limited engagement to perform, in concert with musical support from the Lyric orchestra, "The Puccini Heroines." 4 SPOTLIGHTS

Opera and Dance Reviews

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The Nutcracker - Review by Carol Moore

***** Highly Recommended ***** The Joffrey Ballet’s “Chicago-centric” version of The Nutcracker, choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon, is quite simply magnificent. By setting The Nutcracker amidst Chicago’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, Wheeldon gave the city a unique gift. It’s become a holiday tradition at my house! No matter how many times I see The Nutcracker, I never get tired of the feeling of anticipation and excitement before a performance, waiting for that first chord of Tchaikovsky’s glorious music! The Nutcracker is absolutely perfect in every way. 4 BIG Spotlights

Opera and Dance Reviews

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Hubbard Street Dance Season 47: Fall Series - Review by Carol Moore

**** Highly Recommended It was an absolute pleasure to see Hubbard Street Dance Chicago performing their Season 47: Fall Series in Steppenwolf’s Downstairs Theatre. As a venue, Steppenwolf provided a more intimate feel than does the cavernous Harris Theatre, the usual Hubbard Street venue. I was excited because Hubbard Street was chosen to add Fosse to their repertoire, thanks to the Verden Fosse Legacy. By the way, Nicole Fosse was in the audience opening night. The performance was truly amazing and I am in awe of the strength and grace of the entire ensemble. 4 BIG Spotlights

Opera and Dance Reviews

Read more about Hubbard Street Dance Season 47: Fall Series - Review by Carol Moore

"The Marriage of Figaro" - Review by Crista Zivanovic

This season’s “The Marriage of Figaro,” one of Wolfgang Mozart’s most beloved operas and a masterpiece of music and the joy of life and love, surpasses all of Lyric Opera’s past incarnations of the last several decades.

In this production, Barbara Gaines, the now-retired founder and longtime director of Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, once more brings to Lyric her inimitable ability to imbue centuries-old characters with believable humanity and vibrancy – and make them feel like real people, despite the opera’s purposely contrived plot and the characters’ absurd hijinks.

Opera and Dance Reviews

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Giordano Dance Chicago SOARING - Review by Carol Moore

**** Highly Recommended Nobody is better at contemporary jazz than Giordano Dance Chicago. Their fall engagement, Season 62 | SOARING was spectacular. From the gorgeous Gershwin tribute to the world premiere of sultry, swanky Red and Black, the program was outstanding. The Giordano dancers are so strong, so talented, so creative, they are awesome! 4 BIG Spotlights

Opera and Dance Reviews

Read more about Giordano Dance Chicago SOARING - Review by Carol Moore

"The Listeners" - Review by Jeffrey Leibham

"La Boheme" - Review by Jeffrey Leibham

Winning Works - Review by Carol Moore

Hubbard Street Dance Season 47 Winter Series - Review by Carol Moore

"Golden Hour" - Review by Carol Moore

"The Puccini Heroines" - Review by Jeffrey Leibham

The Nutcracker - Review by Carol Moore

Hubbard Street Dance Season 47: Fall Series - Review by Carol Moore

"The Marriage of Figaro" - Review by Crista Zivanovic

Giordano Dance Chicago SOARING - Review by Carol Moore

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