Brian Dickie announced the Chicago Opera Theater (COT) season for 2012, his last season as General Director. The season opens in April of 2012 with the People's Opera Winner of 2009, Shostakovich's Moscow, Cheryomushki, followed by the concluding opera in COT's "Medea" trilogy, Handel's Teseo. In September of 2012, for the first time in eleven years, COT will present an opera in the fall: a new production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Chicago Opera Theater's 2012 Season will be presented at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park.
"My love for Mozart, Handel, and the great 20th century composers was an overwhelming influence when planning the 2012 season, my last at COT," said General Director Brian Dickie. "I hope that my final season here encapsulates the characteristics that I have brought to Chicago Opera Theater in my 12 years with the company."Brian Dickie recently announced he was resigning as General Director of COT in August of 2012. Moscow, Cheryomushki and Teseo will mark the 23rd and 24th Chicago premiere since Brian's tenure began in 1999.Dimitri Shostakovich's Moscow, Cheryomushki was chosen as The Peoples' Opera in 2009, a fundraising initiative where COT audiences picked from one of three operas to be performed in a future season. This comedic operetta in three acts illuminates the trials of 20th-century urban Russia: sub-standard living conditions, chronic housing shortages, and love games.COT will present the chamber orchestra version of the score, adapted and arranged by Shostakovich specialist and scholar Gerard McBurney, known in Chicago for his popular series "Beyond the Score" at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.Director Michael Donahue is making his COT debut. His recent productions include Charles Mee's Big Love at The Wild Project and Stairs to the Roof at the A.R.T. Institute, part of Diane Paulus's America: Boom, Bust, and Baseball season.
The second production in the spring of 2012 is Handel's Teseo. This marks the final opera in COT's baroque trilogy devoted to the exploration of operas with Medea as a central character. COT presented Cavalli's Jason (Giasone) to great acclaim in 2010 (4 stars - Chicago Tribune) and will open the second opera of the trilogy, Charpentier's Medea, on April 23, 2011.
James Darrah is returning to COT after directing Medea in his COT debut next month. James' upcoming work includes Shakespeare's As You Like It for the new Harbor Stage Festival in Maine, of which he is Artistic Director. He is the recipient of a James Pendleton Foundation grant and the 2009 Princess Grace Award in Theater.
The final production of the 2012 Season is a new production of Mozart's The Magic Flute, and marks the first time in eleven years that Chicago Opera Theater will present an opera in the fall. This new production from the Canadian Opera Company, directed by COT favorite Diane Paulus, premiered to great acclaim this past January. The Toronto Star commented that Diane "applied a light touch, allowing the enchantment of the music to weave its own spell." Diane was recently appointed Artistic Director of American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University. She directs COT's production of Death and the Powers, The Robots' Opera opening April 2, 2011.Chicago Opera Theater performs at The Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park - 205 East Randolph Drive.
Season Subscriptions for the 2012 Season, which include a ticket to all three operas, range from $90-$345 for new Subscribers and $84-$330 for current 2011 Subscribers. COT also offers a 50% discounted student rate in sections B, C, and D.Subscriptions are available now by phone at 312.704.8414 or online ChicagoOperaTheater.org. Individual tickets to each production will go on sale in February 2012.2012 SeasonDimitri ShostakovichConductor: Alexander Platt
Director: Michael Donahue
Set & Costume Designer: Anya Klepikov
Conductor: Christian Curnyn
Director & Costume Designer: James Darrah
Set Designer: François-Pierre Couture
Conductor: Jane Glover
Director: Diane Paulus
Set & Costume Designer: Myung Hee Cho
Sung in English with English supertitles.
Videos