Chicago Theater Openings and Closings this week

Show Openings

The (edward) Hopper Project – The Storefront Theatre

24 Hour Project – Infamous Commonwealth Theatre

Annie – Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University

The Artist needs a Wife – the side project

I Hate Hamlet – Big Noise Theatre

Killer Joe – Profiles Theatre

Kink – Annoyance Theatre

Mamma Mia! – Rosemont Theatre

Mary’s Wedding – Rivendell Theatre Ensemble

The Original Improv Gladiators – Corn Productions

Out of Order – Metropolis Performing Arts Centre

The Prisoner of Second Avenue – Citadel Theatre

Private Lives – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Sleeping Beauty – Winnetka Theatre

Some Paradise – Annoyance Theatre

Too Hot to Handel – Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University

The Wedding – TUTA Theatre Chicago

Show Closings 

Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival – Chicago SketchFest

Death of a Salesman – Raven Theatre

It Came Upon a Midnight Queen – Chemically Imbalanced Theater

A Look Through Our Eyes – Gorilla Tango Theatre

Sketch and Sniff – Gorilla Tango Theatre

Sublime Beauty of Hands and Klown Kantos – Next Theatre and Theatre Zarko

A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientolgy Pageant – A Red Orchid Theatre

REVIEW: Tosca (Lyric Opera)

Puccini’s Violent Love Story Masterpiece

 

Lyric Opera Presents

Tosca

By Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica
Conducted by Stephen Lord
Stage directed by Paula Suozzi
Thru January 29th (ticket info)

By Katy Walsh

Torture, murder, execution, suicide, despite the violent nature of this warhorse opera, Tosca contributes some of the most familiar romantic opera melodies to the mainstream. The Lyric Opera presents Tosca by Giacomo Puccini. Performed in Italian with projected English supertitles (by Francis Rizzo), Tosca is based on Victorien Sardou’s play La Tosca. Floria Tosca is a celebrated opera singer in Rome. Her lover, Mario Cavaradossi, aids an escaped political prisoner and is arrested. The villainous chief of police, Scarpia, coerces Tosca into saving Cavaradossi with promises of sexual favors. Betrayal ensues. No one gets what they want… except the audience. From the first aria of Recondita armonia to the duet Amaro sol per te, the memorable harmonies plunge the audience into an all consuming passionate love story, best experienced as an opera.

The Lyric opened its 2009/2010 season with this crowd pleaser and remounted it this month for a three week winter escape. The principals have changed for this mini-run but the sets and the huge supporting cast are the same. Act I in the Church of Sant’ Andrea della Valle ends with a visual explosion. The house of worship is already decked out with ornate details befitting the 1800’s (set designer Renzo Mongiardino). Cue the Chicago Children’s Choir, several clergy and church-goers in various liturgical vestments and Sunday best finery (costumes by Marcel Escoffier), the 100+ people on stage are merely a spectacular backdrop for Scarpia’s vow to destroy Cavaradossi and have Tosca. It’s these elaborate dramatic moments that elicit the inaudible oohs and aahs usually reserved for fireworks.

Even without the stimulation of extensive sets and costumes, Tosca is still one of Puccini’s masterpieces, sung to perfection by the newest principals. Violeta Urmana (Tosca) sings magnificently through a range of emotions; irrational, jealousy, demanding, enraged, passionate, and desperate. Marco Berti (Cavaradossi) is the lover of beautiful things with unfortunate timing that leads to trouble with his diva girlfriend, an escaped prisoner, and evil police chief. Lucio Gallo is the creepy Baron Scarpia. He delivers wicked lyrics (translated) like “I lust, and then I pursue the one I desire, I satisfy myself, and throw her away” and “How you despise me but that is just how I want you.” Certainly, every woman in the audience wants to stab this guy – but, of course, not until after the final note of Lyric’s exquisite Tosca is heard.

Rating: ★★★½

SPOILER ALERT: Tosca committing suicide is questionable. The dramatic moment is lost behind a prison wall as if she is just escaping. But maybe that’s the Lyric Opera twist, Tosca finally gets a happy ending. Tosca escapes to sing again!

Note: All pictures by Dan Rest

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