Part 3 of Wagner’s ‘Ring,’ and other treasures that glitter in the Lyric Opera’s 2018-19 season
Report: “Siegfried” among highlights in slate that ranges from Handel, Mozart and Verdi to “West Side Story.”
By Lawrence B. Johnson
The Lyric Opera of Chicago’s 2018-19 season, announced Feb. 6, has a golden ring to it.
While pushing on to the third installment of its four-year journey through Wagner’s “Ring” cycle with “Siegfried,” and returning to the treasury of Handel with its first ever staging of “Ariodante,” the Lyric will lay out three super-size Italian nuggets as sure-fire box office draws: Puccini’s “La bohème” and two Verdi favorites, “La traviata” and “Il trovatore.”
The company’s 64th season also brings Massenet’s “Cendrillon” – the Cinderella story – to the Lyric stage for the first time ever, Mozart’s early opera seria “Idomeneo” and the searing tragedy of Richard Strauss’ “Elektra.”
Under the banner Lyric Unlimited, a ninth production, the English-language chamber opera “An American Dream” composed by Jack Peria with librettist Jessica Murphy Moo, will be given two performances at the Harris Theater. Set in the American Northwest during World War II, the opera centers on two women – a Japanese American forced to leave her home and a German Jewish immigrant troubled by the memory of those she left behind.
Speaking of solid gold, on tap as the Lyric’s now traditional post-season musical is “West Side Story,” a new production developed jointly by the Lyric, the Houston Grand Opera and the Glimmerglass Festival.
Two special events round out the 2018-19 season. Russian soprano Anna Netrebko will present a solo recital Dec. 2 and soprano Renée Fleming will be both performer and honoree at a recital March 23, 2019, celebrating the 25th anniversary of her Lyric debut. Since 2010, Fleming has served as the Lyric’s first creative consultant.
Here is a complete rundown of the Lyric Opera’s 2018-19 opera season:
New Co-production
“La bohème” by Giacomo Puccini (1858 – 1924)
11 performances, Oct. 6 – 20, 2018; Jan. 10 – 25, 2019
Sung in Italian with projected English translations
Cast:
Mimì Maria Agresta
Rodolfo Michael Fabiano
Musetta Danielle de Niese
Marcello Zachary Nelson
Colline Adrian Sâmpetrean
Conductor Domingo Hindoyan
Director Richard Jones
A coproduction of Lyric Opera of Chicago, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, and Teatro Real Madrid.
New-to-Chicago Production
“Idomeneo” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791)
6 performances, Oct. 13 – Nov. 2, 2018
Sung in Italian with projected English translations
Cast:
Idomeneo Matthew Polenzani
Elettra Erin Wall
Ilia Janai Brugger
Idamante Angela Brower
Arbace David Portillo
Conductor Andrew Davis
Original Director Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
Revival Director David Kneuss
New Lyric Production
“Siegfried” by Richard Wagner (1813 – 1883)
4 performances, Nov. 3 – 16, 2018
Sung in German with projected English translations
Cast:
Siegfried Burkhard Fritz
Brünnhilde Christine Goerke
Mime Matthias Klink
The Wanderer/Wotan Eric Owens
Alberich Samuel Youn
Erda Ronnita Miller
Woodbird Diana Newman
Fafner Andrii Goniukov
Conductor Andrew Davis
Director David Pountney
Original Set Designer Johan Engels
Set Designer Robert Innes Hopkins
“Il trovatore” by Giuseppe Verdi (1813 – 1901)
7 performances, Nov. 17 – Dec. 9, 2018
Sung in Italian with projected English translations
Cast:
Leonora Tamara Wilson
Azucena Jamie Barton
Manrico Russell Thomas
Di Luna George Petean
Ferrando Roberto Tagliavini
Conductor Marco Armiliato
Original Director David McVicar
Revival Director Roy Rallo*
Lyric Premiere and New-to-Chicago Production
“Cendrillon” by Jules Massenet (1842 – 1912)
6 performances, Dec. 1, 2018 – Jan. 20, 2019
Sung in French with projected English translations
Cast:
Cinderella Siobhan Stagg
Prince Charming Alice Coote
Fairy Godmother Marie-Eve Munger
Madame de la Haltière Elizabeth Bishop
Pandolfe Derek Welton
Conductor Andrew Davis (Dec. 1-8, Jan. 17-20); Francesco Milioto (Jan. 11)
Director Laurent Pelly
“Elektra” by Richard Strauss (1864 – 1949)
6 performances, Feb. 2 – 22, 2019
Sung in German with projected English translations
Cast:
Elektra Nina Stemme
Chrysothemis Elza van den Heever
Klytemnestra Michaela Martens
Orest Iain Paterson
Aegisth Robert Brubaker
Conductor Donald Runnicles
Original director David McVicar
Revival director Nicolas Sandys
“La traviata” by Giuseppe Verdi (1813 – 1901)
10 performances, Feb. 16 – Mar. 22, 2019
Sung in Italian with projected English translations
Cast:
Violetta Albina Shagimuratova
Alfredo Giorgio Berrugi*
Germont Zeljko Lučić
Conductor Michael Christie*
Director Arin Arbus
Lyric Premiere and New Coproduction
“Ariodante” by George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)
6 performances, Mar. 2 – 17, 2019
Sung in Italian with projected English translations
Cast:
Ariodante Alice Coote
Ginevra Brenda Rae*
Dalinda Heidi Stober
Polinesso Iestyn Davies
King of Scotland Kyle Ketelsen
Conductor Harry Bicket
Director Richard Jones
Lyric Unlimited Premiere and New Production
“An American Dream” by Jack Perla and Jessica Murphy Moo
March 15 and March 17, 2019
Presented at the Harris Theater (205 E. Randolph St.)
Performed in English
Cast:
Director Matthew Ozawa
The conductor and cast will be announced at a later date.
Lyric Premiere and New Coproduction
“West Side Story” by Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) and Stephen Sondheim (1930)
May 3 – June 2, 2019
Cast:
Director Francesca Zambello
Original director and choreographer Jerome Robbins
The conductor, cast, and choreographer will be announced at a later date.
Related Link:
- Complete details and ticket info for the Lyric Opera’s 2018-19 season: Find it here
