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Articles tagged with: Patricia Racette

Love with knife in heart or tongue in cheek, Valentine’s Day brings out kiss and scratch

Feb 13, 2016 – 6:40 pm
La voix humaine Racette

Critic’s Pick: In a tribute to the downside of love, Chicago theaters send superb “anti-Valentines.” If you favor sarcastic greeting cards on the subject of romance, and aloof lyrics about love affairs “too hot not to cool down,” here are some shows that serve up the subject of love on Cupid’s big day with an appropriate grain of salt.

Cue cameras: Metropolitan Opera Live in HD, come of age, is playing at a cinema near you

Dec 16, 2014 – 12:06 pm
Michael Volle, Hans Sachs in Wagner's 'Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg.' (Ken Howard, Metropolitan Opera)

Feature review: The Metropolitan Opera is the most international of houses, but there is something quintessentially American about the Saturday afternoon HD cinema broadcasts that are now part of its marketing arsenal. After attending a performance of “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg” at the Met, I caught the same production, broadcast live to cinemas on Dec. 13, starring German baritone Michael Volle as Hans Sachs, the master shoemaker, cobbler of poems and mender of hearts.

Lyric Opera’s ‘Butterfly,’ with spellbinding new cast, beautifully frames a soprano’s fine art

Jan 13, 2014 – 6:46 am
Stefano Secco, Patricia Racette, Madam Butterfly at Lyric Opera Chicago Jan. 2014 (c. Dan Rest)

Review: Soprano Racette may not look like a fragile 15-year-old Japanese bride, but then few dramatic sopranos who specialize in Italian opera do. Yet Racette is one of those singing actresses who can make you believe just about anything, so sincere is her art and so particular her skills. ★★★★

2013 Summer Season: Ravinia will come out swinging with jazz tribute to Benny Goodman

Mar 12, 2013 – 2:55 pm
Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Ravinia Festival James Conlon conducting summer 2012

Ravinia Festival Best Bets: If you want to branch out a bit musically, the summertime Ravinia Festival in Highland Park is a good place for it. There, classical music lovers sample niche-expanding novelties of the sort that gave Brooklyn Academy of Music its must-see reputation. College students picnic on the lawn for free when the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performs. And family friendly movie prices rule for recitals featuring the latest contest winners and stars on the rise.