Opera and Dance Reviews

**** Recommended  I loved watching the company of Trinity Irish Dance 35 performing in the intimate Edlis Neeson Auditorium at the Museum of Contemporary Art.  The dancers are strong, athletic and precise while executing some of the most difficult dance steps you’ll ever see and it was a lot easier to watch their footwork in the smaller space. By the way, they are nothing like the Irish dancers you see everywhere around St. Pat’s Day.  What they do is more like an Irish drill team than Riverdance.  In fact, it’s a hybrid of Irish step and American tap.  An Irish band onstage makes the performance even more unique.  4 BIG Spotlights

**** Recommended  Ballet Chicago, celebrating its 30th Anniversary, presented Balanchine & Beyond at the Harris Theatre recently. By the way, although they’ve been around for 30 years, this is another ‘new to me’ company. The program included two Balanchine masterpieces, Serenade and Rubies as well as two pieces by Resident Choreographer Ted Seymour, his Dánzon! and a new children’s piece. 3 1/2 Spotlights

****HIGHLY RECOMMENDED****  Aerial Dance Chicago recently celebrated their 25th Anniversary season with a stunning evening comprised of a dozen works that the company originated and performed during the course of their artistic development. The gradual evolution of their bold, fluid and unique style is on full display here.  Artistic Director Chloe Jensen, along with Assistant Director Karen Fisher Doyle, have meticulously curated this collection, which is titled "Stardust," from over 300 works that Aerial Dance Chicago has created over the course of the last quarter century. 4 SPOTLIGHTS

***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