This two-act opera, commissioned for the centennial of the San Francisco Opera, is a co-commission and co-production with the Gran Teatre del Liceu and the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. With a libretto adapted by the composer himself from Shakespeare’s tragedy, composer John Adams, director Elkhanah Pulitzer and playwright Lucia Scheckner combine the mythic image of antiquity with the glamour of 1930s Hollywood.
Lyric Opera of Chicago invites you to experience Mozart’s Requiem. Legend has it that Mozart believed he was writing the Requiem for his own funeral. Other composers completed it after his death, but — miraculously — this is not only a totally unified work musically, but one of the greatest choral pieces ever written. It offers a sublime beauty and dignity that leaves audiences profoundly moved and memorably uplifted. Under Music Director Enrique Mazzola, these concerts present a unique opportunity to celebrate the extraordinary Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chorus, and will also feature additional Mozart repertoire.
Three extraordinary sopranos—Aleksandra Kurzak, Eleonora Buratto, and Asmik Grigorian (in her highly anticipated Met debut)—tackle the demanding role of Cio-Cio-San, the loyal geisha at the heart of Puccini’s devastating tragedy. Tenors Matthew Polenzani and Jonathan Tetelman co-star as the callous American naval officer Pinkerton, whose betrayal destroys her. Mezzo-sopranos Elizabeth DeShong and Eve Gigliotti share the role of the steadfast maid Suzuki, and baritone Davide Luciano and Lucas Meachem are the American consul Sharpless. Acclaimed maestro Xian Zhang makes her Met debut conducting Anthony Minghella’s vivid production.