Opera and Dance Reviews

***RECOMMENDED*** Not even a bout with the flu that was plaguing some of the cast members of Lyric's latest "Madama Butterfly" could prevent this production from being a smashing success. At a recent Sunday matinee performance, a case of musical chairs took place regarding some of the casting. Thanks to the resourcefulness of Lyric's management, several supporting roles were filled by understudies and singers who were scheduled to perform in a specific role were shifted to another. Not to worry -- none of the principals were affected. It all came off brilliantly without a misstep in a seamlessly cohesive yet firmly traditional staging of Puccini's extremely popular opera.  3 SPOTLIGHTS

***** Highly Recommended ***** The Joffrey Ballet’s “Chicago-centric” version of “The Nutcracker”, choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon, is quite simply magnificent. By setting “The Nutcracker” against Chicago’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, Wheeldon gave the city a unique gift.  I am in awe!  Every movement was graceful, precise and exquisitely performed.  This will be the fourth time I’ve seen/reviewed “The Nutcracker” and I love everything about it, including the glorious music played by the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra.  By the way, this is the final appearance of “The Nutcracker” at the Auditorium Theatre.  4 BIG Holiday Spotlights!

****HIGHLY RECOMMENDED**** In 1989, Lyric Opera of Chicago launched an artistic initiative that came to be known as "Toward the 21st Century," wherein the company was committed to presenting at least one 20th-century opera, whether American or European, each season for an entire decade. For the most part, that trend has continued well beyond that initial period, carrying over into the new millennium. Now, as a means to attract new audience members. Lyric Opera is offering performances that are sung in English (with projected English supertitles), Lyric has also refocused that objective to bring more contemporary operas to the mainstage.  Perhaps the most internationally well-known of these modern works, since it has been produced by 70 different companies worldwide, is "Dead Man Walking," which had its world premiere in 2000 at San Francisco Opera and makes its long-awaited Chicago premiere here.  4 BIG SPOTLIGHTS

****HIGHLY RECOMMENDED**** Hubbard Street Dance Chicago has launched its 42nd season with an evening of three bold and exciting works, collectively titled "Forge Forward." The title is appropriate. These edgy and slightly risky works prove once again that Hubbard Street is clearly Chicago's best modern dance company and they have consistently established a reputation for constantly looking toward the future. Two of the pieces presented here are world premieres -- one by New York-based choreographer Kyle Abraham and the other by Hubbard Street Choreographic Fellow Rena Butler.  4 BIG SPOTLIGHTS