Chicago Opera Theater's LUCIO SILLA Begins 9/26

Chicago Opera Theater (COT) kicks its 2015/16 season off with the Chicago premiere of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's passionate story of love, power, bloody conspiracies and revenge, "Lucio Silla" at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance (205. E. Randolph Drive) Sept. 26 - Oct. 4, 2015. Directed and designed by COT General Director Andreas Mitisek and conducted by the acclaimed Francesco Milioto, the opera, was written by the musical prodigy as a teenager for Milan's Teatro Regio Ducal in 1772.

In an effort to bring the power of Mozart and "Lucio Silla" to the Chicago community, COT will host a special performance for the young people of Chicago on Wednesday, September 23, at 6:30 p.m. COT will invite a range of students, parents and educators from Chicagoland schools and community groups to experience the genius of "Lucio Silla," an opera originally written by the 16-year-old Mozart. Media are invited to attend this performance.

"Though he was just 16 years old, Mozart was already a well-known composer to the Milanese public when 'Lucio Silla'-his 8th opera-premiered in 1772. He had already written two operas for Italian audiences: 'Mitridate' in 1770, and 'Ascanio in Alba' the year following. Mozart's genius is very much in evidence in this work; it is brimming with some of his most beautiful, sophisticated and challenging arias," said Mitisek. "It is a work on the cusp between baroque and classical music, filled with vocal fireworks and tremendous passion. We have assembled a tremendous cast of gifted singers, as well as the Chicago Philharmonic and the Apollo Chorus to introduce Chicagoans to this fascinating and stirring work."

When Lucio Silla (loosely based on Roman general and statesman about Lucius Conelius Sulla Felix, one of the most hated Roman consuls during the first century) is denied the heart of Gunia, the daughter of his arch enemy, he commits his considerable power and influence to manipulate matters in his favor. He soon discovers that his are not the only plots and conspiracies hidden in the streets of Rome. This saga of deceit, love and intrigue is punctuated by awe-inspiring arias and ravishing melodies.

Creative Team
Stage Director and Production Design: Andreas Mitisek
Conductor: Francesco Milioto
Orchestra: Chicago Philharmonic
Chorus Master: Stephen Alltop
Chorus: Apollo Chorus

Leading the cast is Ryan MacPherson in the title role; MacPherson won acclaim for his performance as Usher in COT's production of "The Fall of the House of Usher." Valerie Vinzant, best known in Chicago for her portrayal of Euridice in COT's "Orpheus and Euridice" sings the role of Celia. Maeve Höglund will portray Giunia, Christine Arand sings Giunia's exiled lover, Cecilio and Ava Pine sings Lucio Cinna. (Note: the latter two roles were originally written for castrati).

Overshadowed by some of Mozart's later works, "Lucio Silla" has been revived more frequently in recent years. Acclaimed productions were presented at the Santa Fe Opera (2005), in Warsaw (2011), in London (2012), in Barcelona (2013) and at the Salzburg Festival (2013).

Francesco Milioto, Conductor
Milioto is excited to begin the season with his fourth COT production, having earned critical praise last season for both the "The Emperor of Atlantis & The Clever One" by Viktor Ullmann and Carl Orff as well as "Macbeth" by Ernest Bloch. The "go-to young conductor" made the Chicago Sun-Times "best performances of 2014" list with COT's "Macbeth" and New Millennium Orchestra's "Bluebeard's Castle." Milioto will be returning from his first summer at the Santa Fe Opera, where he worked on a production of "Salome." Following "Lucio Silla," he will return to Lyric Opera of Chicago for productions of "The Merry Widow," alongside Sir Andrew Davis, and "Der Rosenkavalier." The 2015-16 season marks Milioto's ninth as Principal Conductor of the Highland Park Strings, as well as Artistic Director/Conductor of Access Contemporary Music. francescomilioto.com

Andreas Mitisek, Director and Designer
A native of Austria, Mitisek has been the General Director of COT since June of 2012. He has also been Artistic and General Director of Long Beach Opera (LBO) since 2003. Mitisek has been named "Chicagoan of the Year for Classical Music" by the Chicago Tribune in 2014 and was selected as one of the "25 people that will be a major force in the field of opera in the coming decade" by Opera News.

He recently directed and designed COT's "gripping" (Chicago Tribune) "Macbeth" by Ernest Bloch in 2014. His other COT directing credits include "Maria de Buenos Aires" by Astor Piazzolla and "The Emperor of Atlantis & The Clever One" by Viktor Ullmann and Carl Orff. Ricky Ian Gordon's "Orpheus and Euridice," at the Welles Park Pool in 2013, was critically and publicly acclaimed. Mitisek is on the board of directors for OPERA AMERICA, the national service organization for U.S. opera companies.

Performance Schedule
Wednesday, September 23, 6:30 p.m. (special community performance, media invited)
Saturday, September 26, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, September 30, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, October 2, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 4, 3 p.m.

Under the leadership of Andreas Mitisek, the Stefan Edlis and Gael Neeson General Director, COT's 42nd season also features Metropolitan Opera star Patricia Racette in her COT debut as Elle in Francis Poulenc's powerful "La Voix Humaine." This one act opera will be paired in a double bill with Giacomo Puccini's comedic one act comedic masterpiece, "Gianni Schicchi." Closing the 2015/16 season, the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in association with COT presents the baroque masterpiece "Dido and Aeneas," composed by Henry Purcell and performed by the internationally renowned Mark Morris Dance Group and Music Ensemble.

Tickets are now on sale. Tickets range in price from $35 - $125 and can be purchased by calling 312.704.8414 or via chicagooperatheater.org. For more information please visit: chicagooperatheater.org.

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