Opera and Dance Reviews

****HIGHLY RECOMMENDED**** Lyric Opera of Chicago has launched their 65th season with a massively entertaining production of Rossini's "The Barber of Seville." While this may be the 16th time that Lyric has presented this work -- it was featured as the second opera of their inaugural season -- it is only the first time that long-time Music Director Sir Andrew Davis has actually conducted it here.  And that's significant. With him on the podium there is clearly no doubt that the pacing will consistently and perfectly drive the frivolity forward. From the iconic and instantly-recognizable overture to the delightfully ebullient finale Davis expertly guides this production.  Add in the first-rate cast and incredible design elements and the result is as nearly perfect a version of this opera that you will ever have the pleasure to experience.  4 BIG SPOTLIGHTS

**** Recommended **** Chicago Tap Theatre’s newest tap opera, “Saving the World” is creative, contemporary and kind of political, which figures, since it’s written and narrated by International Poetry Slam founder, Marc Kelly Smith.   Choreographer Mark Yonally’s ingenious choreography uses tap shoes to tell Smith’s story the ultimate triumph of a young woman who cared over a smiling multi-millionaire.  3 ½ Spotlights

****HIGHLY RECOMMENDED**** If you have never seen "West Side Story" on stage before, the current production at Lyric Opera of Chicago, part of their Broadway at Lyric series, may just be the most definitive version of this beloved musical that's available and you are highly encouraged to seek it out. Conversely, if you feel that you have seen this show too many times before, well, you have never seen it like this. Get your tickets now or you will be missing out on a unique opportunity to see it on such a grand scale. Regardless of your history with this show, Francesca Zambello's production of "West Side Story" is stellar for three very distinct reasons. 4 BIG SPOTLIGHTS

****HIGHLY RECOMMENDED**** Tough, rare and bloody. These three words are used by the crew members of the ship, The Pequod, to describe the act of killing and subsequently butchering a shark or a whale and the quality of its flesh. It could also be used to define the mettle that was required to be a harpooner on just such a whaling vessel, or the peerless few who could sustain the occupational hazards. But, most aptly, those three words encapsulate Chicago Opera Theater's Chicago premiere of "Moby-Dick." Tough to take Hermann Melville's 1851 sweeping epic and distill it into as gripping and poignant of a libretto as Gene Scheer has miraculously done. Rare to hear a more hauntingly beautiful and stylistically varied score in a contemporary opera than what Jake Heggie composed for this 2010 work which has already been deemed a masterpiece. Bloody? Well, let's just say that this entire production is a bloody brilliant success. The only drawback to this is that far too many people will miss the opportunity to get a chance to see it. Following last evening's opening there is only one remaining performance to experience this essential, very American classic. 4 BIG SPOTLIGHTS