The Lyric Opera of Chicago News

A slew of entertainment is coming to Toronto's Massey Hall & Roy Thompson Hall in March and April of 2009.

Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Fl?rez, who created a sensation last season in La Fille du R?giment, star in a new production of Bellini's La Sonnambula opening March 2, directed by Mary Zimmerman and conducted by Evelino Pid?. Dessay takes the role of the sleepwalker Amina, with Fl?rez as her betrothed Elvino, and Michele Pertusi as the Count who almost ruins their wedding. Performances run through April 3, with Barry Banks singing Elvino at the final performance. Zimmerman returns with the creative team that collaborated on her hit production of Lucia di Lammermoor, which opened the 2007-08 season: Daniel Ostling, set designer; Mara Blumenfeld, costume designer; T.J. Gerckens, lighting designer; and Daniel Pelzig, choreographer.

Kansas City opera fans have been waiting 10 years for the Lyric Opera of Kansas City to produce the audience favorite, La Traviata. On March 14, 16, 18, 20, & 22, 2009 the Lyric Opera of Kansas City will present Verdi's spellbinding tragedy, La Traviata at the Lyric Theatre in downtown Kansas City. Under the spell of one exquisite party, Violetta is tempted - and eventually swayed - to abandon her life of endless immoral pleasure to join lovesick Alfredo in the love affair of a lifetime despite Violetta's secret terminal disease. Violetta's colored past proves to be a hurdle for Alfredo's father, who persuades her to leave Alfredo for his own good. The pair is only reunited for the final moments of Violetta's life.

A cast of internationally most acclaimed Verdi singers is showcased in the Met's new production of the Italian master's melodic tour de force, Il Trovatore, which opens February 16. Renowned director David McVicar makes his Met debut, and Gianandrea Noseda conducts a cast that includes Marcelo ?lvarez in his first Met performances of the heroic title role, and three singers who are celebrated interpreters of their parts: Sondra Radvanovsky as Leonora, Dolora Zajick as Azucena, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky as Count di Luna. Kwangchul Youn makes his Met role debut as Ferrando. In later performances, Marco Berti is Manrico; Hasmik Papian is Leonora; Luciana D'Intino is Azucena, ?eljko Lučić is di Luna, and Burak Bilgili is Ferrando, conducted by Riccardo Frizza. Performances run through May 8.

A cast of internationally most acclaimed Verdi singers is showcased in the Met's new production of the Italian master's melodic tour de force, Il Trovatore, which opens February 16. Renowned director David McVicar makes his Met debut, and Gianandrea Noseda conducts a cast that includes Marcelo ?lvarez in his first Met performances of the heroic title role, and three singers who are celebrated interpreters of their parts: Sondra Radvanovsky as Leonora, Dolora Zajick as Azucena, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky as Count di Luna. Kwangchul Youn makes his Met role debut as Ferrando. In later performances, Marco Berti is Manrico; Hasmik Papian is Leonora; Luciana D'Intino is Azucena, ?eljko Lučić is di Luna, and Burak Bilgili is Ferrando, conducted by Riccardo Frizza. Performances run through May 8.

American soprano Nicole Cabell, winner of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition in 2005, makes her Roy Thomson Hall debut on Sunday, March 8 at 2 pm. She is joined by pianist Spencer Myer for a captivating program of art songs by Liszt, Obradors, Guastavino and Gordon, plus Leonard Bernstein's delightful song-cycle I Hate Music, and a selection of spirituals. The concert, part of Roy Thomson Hall's International Vocal Recitals, will be recorded live by CBC Radio for future broadcast. Ms. Cabell will be exclusively outfitted for the occasion by Canadian designer Rosemarie Umetsu.

Verdi's popular masterpiece Rigoletto returns to the repertory on January 24 with baritone Roberto Frontali making his Met role debut as the hunchback jester and conductor Riccardo Frizza in his company debut. They are joined by Aleksandra Kurzak as Gilda and Giuseppe Filianoti as the Duke of Mantua, both of whom are also singing their roles for the first time at the Met. Viktoria Vizin makes her Met debut as Maddalena, and Mikhail Petrenko sings his first Sparafucile with the company. Georgian bass George Gagnidze makes his Met debut on January 27 in the title role and sings the following five performances through February 12. Piotr Beczala, whose performances as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor last fall drew wide acclaim, sings the Duke on February 12. A second run of performances begins April 1 and features the first Met Gilda of Diana Damrau, who earlier this season created a sensation with her interpretation of the title role of Lucia di Lammermoor. She will be partnered with Joseph Calleja as the Duke and Roberto Frontali as Rigoletto. Frontali returns for the April performances which run through April 17. Tamara Mumford sings Maddalena and Raymond Aceto is Sparafucile in the April cast. About the performers

Court Theatre continues its 2008-09 season with the World Premiere translation of Henrik Ibsen's modernist classic The Wild Duck, directed by Artistic Director Charles Newell. The production will run at the MCA Stage at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 East Chicago Avenue, January 15 - February 15, 2009.

Court Theatre continues its 2008-09 season with the World Premiere translation of Henrik Ibsen's modernist classic The Wild Duck, directed by Artistic Director Charles Newell. The production will run at the MCA Stage at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 East Chicago Avenue, January 15 - February 15, 2009.

Chicago Folks Operetta's production of Peter and Paul in the Land of Nod features 5 singers who have sung roles at Lyric Opera of Chicago; 23 children from the Children's Operetta Workshop; 4 leading professional ballet dancers as well as up and coming local dancers from the Chicago area being choreographed August Tye, the ballet mistress at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and a professional thirteen piece orchestra. This is a holiday show not to be missed!

Julie Taymor's hit production of Mozart's The Magic Flute returns to the Met as this season's special holiday presentation beginning December 22. The abridged, English-language version is specially priced to appeal to families and will have four matinees and one holiday evening performance, running through January 1.

Ren?e Fleming and Thomas Hampson star in the Met's first new production of Jules Massenet's richly melodic Tha?s in thirty years. The rarely performed opera opens at the Met on Monday, December 8, and runs through January 8, with the December 20 matinee transmitted live worldwide as part of The Met: Live in HD series. 'Fleming and Hampson made a heavenly match,' Chicago Sun-Times critic Wynne Delacoma wrote when this production, which comes from the Lyric Opera of Chicago, opened there in 2002.

Chicago Folks Operetta's production of Peter and Paul in the Land of Nod features 5 singers who have sung roles at Lyric Opera of Chicago; 23 children from the Children's Operetta Workshop; 4 leading professional ballet dancers as well as up and coming local dancers from the Chicago area being choreographed August Tye, the ballet mistress at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and a professional thirteen piece orchestra. This is a holiday show not to be missed!

Brett Batterson, executive director of the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University (ATRU), is pleased to announce the return of Too Hot to Handel: The Jazz-Gospel Messiah to Chicago's National Historic Landmark Auditorium Theatre. For two performances only, Friday, December 12 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 14 at 3 p.m., the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 East Congress Parkway, will be filled with the sounds of this soulful reinvention of Handel's Messiah. This joyful musical experience is quickly becoming one of Chicago's favorite annual events. Tickets are now on sale.

Ren?e Fleming and Thomas Hampson star in the Met's first new production of Jules Massenet's richly melodic Tha?s in thirty years. The rarely performed opera opens at the Met on Monday, December 8, and runs through January 8, with the December 20 matinee transmitted live worldwide as part of The Met: Live in HD series. 'Fleming and Hampson made a heavenly match,' Chicago Sun-Times critic Wynne Delacoma wrote when this production, which comes from the Lyric Opera of Chicago, opened there in 2002.

Brett Batterson, executive director of the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University (ATRU), is pleased to announce the return of Too Hot to Handel: The Jazz-Gospel Messiah to Chicago's National Historic Landmark Auditorium Theatre. For two performances only, Friday, December 12 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 14 at 3 p.m., the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 East Congress Parkway, will be filled with the sounds of this soulful reinvention of Handel's Messiah. This joyful musical experience is quickly becoming one of Chicago's favorite annual events. Tickets are now on sale.

GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS, a division of Sh-K-Boom Records, is proud to announce the premiere recording of Little Fish, which was called 'a stylish new musical' by The New York Times.

Northlight Theatre opens its 2008-2009 Season with the Chicago Premiere of Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, in a fresh adaptation by Jeffrey Hatcher, directed by Jessica Thebus. The production runs September 17-October 26, 2008, at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie.

Chicago Folks Operetta brings the charm and humor of the Viennese waltz operetta genre to life in Chicago with its imaginative production of The Girl in the Train at The Athenaeum Theatre. Just in-time for Oktoberfest, this rarely performed operetta has all the trademark Viennese melodies and dances of the waltz operetta genre.

Northlight Theatre opens its 2008-2009 Season with the Chicago Premiere of Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, in a fresh adaptation by Jeffrey Hatcher, directed by Jessica Thebus. The production runs September 17-October 26, 2008, at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie.