Chicago Opera Theater to Stage DER SILBERSEE, a Musical Once Banned by Nazis

Chicago Opera Theater will present the Chicago premiere of Kurt Weill’s Der Silbersee in March. The production will be staged at the Studebaker Theater and includes two free public events exploring the opera’s historical context. Performances run March 4 through March 8.

Written in 1933 and banned by the Nazi regime shortly after its premiere, Der Silbersee was Weill’s final theatrical work before fleeing Germany. The piece blends elements of opera, operetta, and musical theater, and tells the story of Severin, a destitute man shot while stealing food, and Olim, the policeman who later cares for him in search of redemption. The work reflects themes of inequality, moral responsibility, and social fracture through allegory and satire.

Lawrence Edelson said the opera continues to speak directly to contemporary audiences. “When I first encountered Der Silbersee, I was struck not only by the circumstances in which it was written, but by how enduringly it speaks to our time,” Edelson said. “By cloaking a searing social critique in the language of a fairy tale, Kurt Weill and Georg Kaiser transformed political protest into poetic myth.” He added that the work ultimately resists despair, uncovering “a profound hope—a belief that empathy and moral choice remain possible even when the world feels irreparably broken.”

DER SILBERSEE (THE SILVER LAKE – A WINTER’S FAIRY TALE)

The cast is led by tenor Chaz’men Williams-Ali as Severin and bass-baritone Justin Hopkins as Olim. They are joined by soprano Ariana Strahl as Fennimore; tenor Dylan Morrongiello as Lottery Agent and Baron Laur; mezzo-soprano Leah Dexter as Frau von Luber; soprano Boya Wei and mezzo-soprano Sophia Maekawa as the Shopgirls; actor Korey Simeone as the Policeman and Doctor; and tenor Sam Grosby, baritones Evan Bravos and Leroy Davis, and bass-baritone Steele Fitzwater as the Four Youths.

The creative team includes scenic designer Jeffrey D. Kmiec, Costume Designer Erik Reagan Teague, and lighting designer Marcella Barbeau. The opera will be performed in German with English supertitles.

Performances take place on March 4 at 7:30 p.m. and March 7 and 8 at 3:00 p.m. at the Studebaker Theater, located at 410 South Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Ticket prices range from $50 to $150.

FREE PUBLIC EVENTS

In advance of the production, Chicago Opera Theater will present two free public events designed to explore the historical, artistic, and contemporary relevance of Der Silbersee.

1933: The Turning Point — Art, Oppression, and Resistance

Monday, February 9, 2026 at 6:30 p.m.
Harold Washington Library Center, Cindy Pritzker Auditorium

Presented in partnership with the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, the program examines how the rise of the Nazi regime reshaped European art and culture. The event will include live musical excerpts from Der Silbersee alongside historical discussion.

Close-Up with Der Silbersee

Thursday, February 19, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
Newberry Library

This behind-the-scenes conversation will explore the opera’s fairy-tale framework and the visual concept for the new production, with live excerpts performed by members of the cast.

Both events are free, with advance registration recommended due to limited seating.