opera Archives - Chicago Reader

Two dancers are seen from above at a slightly distorted angle, with their arms stretching away from their bodies.

Season of plenty

by Kerry Reid, Deanna Isaacs and Irene Hsiao September 21, 2023September 27, 2023

Despite rumors of its demise, live performance is still happening in abundance on Chicago stages this season. Here are just a few suggestions in opera, dance, theater, and comedy to consider in the months ahead. And as always, be sure to check out our updated reviews and features every week for the latest comprehensive coverage. […]

Two men dance onstage. The man on the left is in tan pants, a pale pink tank top, and socks. The man on the right is wearing darker trousers, a light T-shirt, and blue vest. He is also wearing socks. The man on the left is bent over, his arms flung to the sides. The man on the right has his leg extended toward the right of the picture, and is reaching to the left with one hand to grasp the face of the man on the left.

Performing Arts Feature

Spring in our steps

by Kerry Reid, Irene Hsiao and Deanna Isaacs March 22, 2023March 23, 2023

Winter might have been more mild than usual this year, but spring is coming in hot with live performances to light up the season. From remounts of favorites to world premieres, Chicago stages offer an intriguing seasonal bouquet in dance, opera, theater, comedy, and more. Here are 20 shows to consider in the days and […]

A person in dark clothing, their back to the camera, climbs a rope. The photo is filled with a purplish wash

Arts & Culture

Gray days, but vibrant stages

by Kerry Reid, Irene Hsiao and Deanna Isaacs January 30, 2023January 30, 2023

We’re finally getting a taste of the usual winter weather, but that’s no reason to stay housebound. (Unless you’re being extra COVID-cautious, for which we don’t blame you!) But if you’re up for some cultural adventures, there are some great possibilities on tap the next couple of months. Chicago Theatre Week, sponsored every year by […]

A line of Black dancers of all genders. The male-presenting dancers are shirtless and wear dark trousers. The female-presenting dancers are in cream-colored slip dances.

Arts & Culture

Some best bets for the fall harvest of performance

by Kerry Reid, Irene Hsiao and Deanna Isaacs September 16, 2022September 16, 2022

It’s impossible to summarize everything that’s happening onstage this season. (It’s also hard to tell you exactly what COVID-19 precautions are required at venues now; we suggest checking ahead and being prepared to show proof of vax, and wearing a mask as a courtesy to other patrons.) But here are ten offerings that promise to […]

Music

Pioneering electronic producer Man Parrish reworks the music of his departed friend Klaus Nomi

by Micco Caporale September 14, 2022September 22, 2022

You might expect an album of Klaus Nomi material to sound like Klaus Nomi, but Man Parrish’s Dear Klaus Nomi isn’t that. Instead, the New York producer has added highly technical musical accompaniments to archival recordings of the cult figure’s songs to give them fresh sounds and feelings. The result is a love letter from […]

Arts & Culture

Building an opera in the waiting room

by Coco Picard June 17, 2022June 17, 2022

Editor’s note: Coco Picard spoke to Chicago artist and School of the Art Institute of Chicago assistant professor Anna Martine Whitehead in early June. The comic above captures moments of their conversation. Text from the comic is transcribed here to ease readability. Performance maker Anna Martine Whitehead has been writing and developing FORCE! An Opera […]

A South Asian woman in a dark top and light trousers kneels, lunging forward toward the right side of the photo, drenched in a blue light.

Arts & Culture

Springing ahead with live performance

by Kerry Reid, Deanna Isaacs and Irene Hsiao April 4, 2022April 6, 2022

While the BA.2 variant of COVID-19 looms as a possible impediment to attending live performances (even as some of us now qualify for a second booster), shows are booming. We’ve got a baker’s dozen of events to consider if you feel up to getting out and about in the next couple of months. We also suggest […]

Performing Arts Feature

Jump back into the cultural stream

by Salem Collo-Julin, Irene Hsiao, Deanna Isaacs and Kerry Reid September 15, 2021September 23, 2021

Theaters, comedy clubs, museums, galleries, and other venues are blowing off the COVID-19 shutdown dust and preparing to welcome you back this fall. Many companies are picking up with productions that were cut short in March 2020, while others have world premieres up their sleeves. We suggest calling venues ahead of time or checking their […]

Music

Will Liverman and Paul Sánchez celebrate Black composers and writers on a collaborative album

by Hannah Edgar March 2, 2021August 18, 2021

While listening to Dreams of a New Day: Songs by Black Composers, the most recent release by operatic baritone Will Liverman with pianist and recital partner Paul Sánchez, I realized with a start that time had ground to a halt. But when? Had the clock stopped with H. Leslie Adams’s churning 1992 composition “Amazing Grace”? […]

Music

Nicole Mitchell and Lisa E. Harris explore soulful Afrofuturist visions on EarthSeed

by Steve Krakow July 11, 2020August 18, 2021

A friend in Houston recently described multidisciplinary artist and space goddess Lisa E. Harris as a “force of nature” in the Texas scene and beyond. Upon investigation, I had to concur. Harris channels the Afrofuturism of Sun Ra, the transcendent devotionals of Alice Coltrane, and the deep-listening experiments of Pauline Oliveros—all while maintaining her own […]