Raquel González, David Lomelí, Michael Mayes, Alexandra Loutsion Headline Chicago Opera Theater’s 2020-21 Season

The Chicago Opera Theater has announced its 2020-21 season, which will feature three Chicago premieres. “The 21st century has redefined American opera through an exceptional creative surge,” said Music Director Lidiya Yankovskaya, who was at the forefront for programming for the season. “COT is quickly establishing our place at the vanguard of this movement. In our 2020-21 season, we uphold {…}

Mar 12, 2020

Chicago Opera Theater Shows Support for Contracted Artists in Uncertain Time

The Chicago Opera Theater, despite being forced to cancel several performances due to Coronavirus, will still honor its agreed upon fees, regardless of the Force Majeure clause. Per The Middle-Class Artist, “despite the financial hardship, Chicago Opera Theatre is ignoring the #Forcemajeure clause and paying its artist the full fee. One singer involved told me, she’s ‘grateful they’re in a {…}

Nov 15, 2019

Elizabeth Caballero, Elizabeth De Trejo, First Operas in Cree & Sámi Headline Top 5 Operas To See This Weekend – North America

You won’t find many repertory staples in this weekend’s top five choices, save for one exception. Otherwise, our recommendations feature two rare double bills and a plethora of new operas, including the first operas in Indigeneous languages of Cree and Sámi. Everest / Aleko – Chicago Opera Theater On Saturday and Sunday, the COT will present a unique double bill {…}

Oct 22, 2019

Chicago Opera Theater Receives $500,000 Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Grant

Chicago Opera Theater has received a $500,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The grant will support the Vanguard Emerging Opera Composer Residency Program, the heart of COT’s Vanguard Initiative. The Residency Program invites composers to join the company for a two-year study of opera-specific skills, with the goal of “bridging the gap between general compositional skills taught in {…}

Oct 14, 2019

MassOpera To Showcase Concert Performance of ‘Freedom Ride’ Along With Chicago Opera Theater

MassOpera will showcase a special concert performance of composer Dan Shore’s “Freedom Ride” on Nov. 3, 2019. The concert, which will take place in Boston, is presented in collaboration with Chicago Opera Theater. The opera, a COT commission, is set to star soprano Alicia Russell, mezzo Imani Francis, tenor Fred C. VanNess, baritone Ron Williams, Melinda Davis, and tenor Steven {…}

Apr 26, 2019

‘The Phoenix,’ ‘Götterdämmerung’ Among Top 5 Operas To See This Weekend – North America (4/26-28)

It seems like this is the weekend of the year. While the entire planet is engaged with the cinematic event of the decade (Marvel’s “Avengers: Endgame”), opera companies from around the continent are lining up some of their most exciting productions. As a result, this was one of the most challenging lists to create in quite some time. But we {…}

Mar 14, 2019

Nathan Gunn & Lidiya Yankovskaya Headline Chicago Opera Theater’s 2019-20 Season

The Chicago Opera Theater has announced its 2019-20 season with the company presenting three productions and a world premiere. Take a look at what the company is set to offer. The season will begin with a double-bill of Chicago premieres. The double bill will include “Everest,” by Joby Talbot with a libretto by Gene Scheer, and “Aleko” by Sergei Rachmaninov. {…}

Mar 7, 2019

Chicago Opera Theater Receives Major Grants From National Endowment for Arts & Opera America

The Chicago Opera Theater has been given a $30,000 grant from the National Endowment for Arts and a $15,000 civic practice grant from Opera America’s Opera Fund. The grant from the National Endowment is for the company’s upcoming production of “Moby Dick,” which opens on April 25, 2019. The grant was one of 972 that were award from 1,605 applicants. {…}

Jan 18, 2019

Chicago Opera Theater Names New General Director

The Chicago Opera Theater has announced that Ashley Magnus will be the new Stefan Edlis and Gael Neeson General Director, effective immediately. Prior to this appointment, Magnus was the company’s General Manager of Strategy and Development and her appointment makes her the second major female leader of the company following Lidiya Yankovskaya’s appointment as the Bill Staley Music Director. Magnus {…}

Nov 9, 2018

Top 5 Operas to See This Weekend – North America (11/9-11)

November means a lot of opera. And a lot of opera means almost endless choices. So in picking this week’s major selections, we recommended a mix of new and old works across the States and Canada. Otello – Austin Opera Verdi’s great masterpiece gets a concert production at the Austin Opera with Marina Costa-Jackson headlining the cast as Desdemona. She {…}