DER VAMPYR to Make Chicago Debut with Chicago City Opera

Chicago City Opera (CCO) will present the Chicago premiere of gothic horror opera Der Vampyr by composer Heinrich Marschner to a libretto by Wilhelm August Wohlbrück. Just in time to kick off the Halloween season, Der Vampyr is presented in three performances only Wednesday, October 7 at 7:00 PM at Colvin House 5940 North Sheridan Road, Friday, October 9 at 7:00 PM at Fulton St. Collective 1821 W Hubbard St. and Sunday, October 11 at 3:00 PM at the Skokie Theater 7924 Lincoln Ave. in Skokie. General admission tickets are $30 with preferred seating for $40 and select VIP tickets for $100. 

First performed in 1828, Marschner's Der Vampyr is a thrilling predecessor to the vampire stories that have become a staple of popular culture - pre-dating Bram Stoker's Dracula by half a century. With mysterious characters, dramatic twists, and a richly atmospheric score, Der Vampyr captures the romance, suspense, and intrigue of the gothic tradition. Der Vampyr follows Lord Ruthven, a charming vampire who has until sunrise to claim three victims and escape eternal damnation. Along the way, seduction, betrayal, revenge, and supernatural forces collide.

“First rising to popularity in the 18th century, gothic literature was having a resurgence in the 1820's,” said CCO Artistic Director Alexandra Enyart. “Marschner's Der Vampyr, though rarely performed in the U.S. today, was highly successful when it opened in 1828. Coming off the heels of German supernatural opera Der Freischütz by Carl Maria von Weber, and foreshadowing another - Richard Wagner's The Flying Dutchman - Der Vampyr is full of stunning German Romantic music. Filled with classic tropes from gothic horror, Der Vampyr is the perfect opera for a dark October night.”