Chicago Opera Theater (COT) invites audiences on an extraordinary artistic journey this fall, culminating in the highly-anticipated Chicago Premiere of Antonio Salieri’s Falstaff, ossia Le tre burle (Falstaff, or The Three Tricks), December 3–7, 2025, at the Studebaker Theater. This sparkling comedy—celebrating the 200th anniversary of Salieri’s death—stands as the centerpiece of a thoughtfully curated series of performances and events, inviting audiences to explore the world around the opera before seeing it on stage. Leading up to the Chicago premiere, COT will present a Discovery Concert devoted to Shakespeare’s musical legacy and a joint program with Steppenwolf Theatre at the Driehaus Museum, in conjunction with Steppenwolf’s upcoming production of Amadeus, that spotlights the myth versus the reality of Salieri himself.
“Opera is most exciting when it engages in dialogue with other art forms, with history, and with the audiences who give it meaning today,” said Chicago Opera Theater General Director Lawrence Edelson. “By bringing together a Discovery Concert that celebrates Shakespeare’s enduring influence on opera, a collaborative conversation with Steppenwolf that examines the myth and legacy of Salieri, and the long-overdue Chicago premiere of Salieri's incredibly entertaining Falstaff, we are not only shining the spotlight on an unjustly neglected opera, but also creating opportunities for audiences to connect ideas, history, and artistry across disciplines. This trilogy of events embodies COT’s spirit of discovery—championing works that expand our understanding of the repertoire, forging collaborations with other vital cultural organizations, and offering audiences a chance to engage with opera in ways that are dynamic, thought-provoking, and deeply connected to Chicago’s extraordinary arts community.”
Discovery Concert – Shakespeare Sings
Sunday, October 19, 2025 at 3:00 PM
The Studebaker Theater, 410 S Michigan Ave. | Tickets: $25–$65
While composer Antonio Salieri and librettist Carlo Prospero Defranceschi were among early adaptors of Shakespeare’s plays into operas with their work Falstaff, ossia Le tre burle, the Bard’s works were frequently adapted for the opera stage in the 19th century and continue to be a source of inspiration for opera writers to this day. The Merry Wives of Windsor alone spawned at least three additional operatic adaptations including Otto Nicolai’s Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor (1842), Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Sir John in Love (1929) and the most enduring version, Giuseppe Verdi’s Falstaff (1894).
Shakespeare Sings will take audiences on an unforgettable journey through the passion, comedy, tragedy, and romance inspired by the lasting genius of Shakespeare. Featuring a rich tapestry of arias and scenes from operas inspired by the Bard’s plays, the concert will showcase both beloved masterpieces and hidden gems from the operatic repertoire that have never been performed in Chicago before, including works by Rossini, Bellini, Nicolai, Gounod, Verdi, Faccio, Zandonai, Wagner, Hahn, Vaughan Williams, Britten, Sutermeister, Barber and more.
Soprano Meghan Kasanders, mezzo soprano Anna Laurenzo, tenor Yi Li, and bass baritone Peter Morgan bring this exciting program to life, with Yasuko Oura returning to COT as Music Director and Pianist.
Chicago Opera Theater and Steppenwolf Present:
Rivalry, Myth, and the Legacy of Salieri
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 at 7:00 PM
The Driehaus Museum, 50 E Erie St. | Free with RSVP
Who was Antonio Salieri – envious schemer, misunderstood genius, or history’s fall guy? Immortalized in Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus, Salieri remains one of the most intriguing and misunderstood figures in classical music. This special evening invites you to step into the drama and discover the man behind the myth.
Through a dynamic panel discussion interspersed with live performances, we will explore Salieri’s place in music history as a prolific and innovative composer, a respected conductor, and a highly influential teacher to a generation of composers — including Beethoven, Schubert, and Liszt. We’ll examine how and why Salieri became enshrined in popular imagination as the vicious rival to Mozart, as seen in Amadeus; and hear excerpts from his opera Falstaff, to shed light on the real Salieri — an accomplished composer in his own right whose music reveals a talent and wit that history has too often overlooked.
Bringing together voices from both the opera and theater worlds, the discussion will be moderated by Chicago Opera Theater’s Edlis Neeson General Director Lawrence Edelson, joined by conductor Christine Brandes, who leads COT’s upcoming production of Falstaff; Steppenwolf Artistic Director Audrey Francis; and Jonathan L. Green, Steppenwolf’s Director of New Play Development and dramaturg for Amadeus.
Falstaff, ossia Le tre burle – Chicago Premiere
Sung in Italian with English Supertitles
December 3, 2025 at 7:30 PM | December 6 & 7, 2025 at 3:00 PM
The Studebaker Theater, 410 S Michigan Ave. | Tickets: $50–$150
Though best known today for his supposed rivalry with Mozart, Antonio Salieri was a prolific and successful composer in his own right. COT honors the 200th anniversary of Salieri’s death in 1825 with the Chicago premiere of his sparkling comedy, Falstaff, ossia Le tre burle (Falstaff, or The Three Tricks). Librettist Carlo Prospero Defranceschi based his work on the charming anti-hero, Sir John Falstaff, from multiple Shakespeare plays.
Premiered in 1799 and inspired by the plot of Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, Falstaff follows the misadventures of the arrogant and bumbling knight as he schemes to seduce two married women — only to be hilariously outwitted by their clever tricks. This comedic tale of human folly, deception, and the triumph of wit over arrogance remains as fresh and funny as ever.
COT’s new production of Salieri’s Falstaff will be directed by Robin Guarino and conducted by Christine Brandes, both making their debuts with the company. Internationally acclaimed bass-baritone Christian Pursell makes his COT debut in the title role, alongside distinguished local artists soprano Vanessa Becerra as Mistress Ford, tenor Andrew Morstein as Master Ford, Tzytle Steinman as Mistress Slender, bass-baritone Peter Morgan as Bardolfo, and recent Ryan Center alumni baritone Laureano Quant as Master Slender and soprano Denis Vélez as Betty.
Tickets & Information
Tickets for all events may be reserved at www.cot.org.
- Shakespeare Sings: $25–$65
- Falstaff: $50–$150
- Rivalry, Myth, and the Legacy of Salieri: Free with RSVP
About Chicago Opera Theater
Chicago Opera Theater’s mission is to enrich the lives of those who live, work and play in Chicago by bringing rarely produced and contemporary operas to life, supporting gifted emerging artists, and providing hands-on experiences with opera that entertain, empower creativity, and cultivate a lasting and meaningful connection to the arts. Guided by our core values, COT serves Chicago through unique, relevant, and innovative opera experiences that reflect the aspirations of our city — dynamic, inclusive, and forward-thinking — fostering inspiration, dialogue and belonging. Since its founding in 1973, COT has grown from a grassroots community-based company to a national leader in an increasingly vibrant, diverse, and forward-looking art form. COT has staged over 160 operas, including over 90 Chicago premieres and 50 operas by American composers. COT is led by Edlis Neeson General Director Lawrence Edelson who was appointed in 2023.
Chicago Opera Theater’s 2025/26 season continues with Discovery Concert: In America’s Embrace January 18 – a concert of arias and scenes from operas by composers who immigrated to America in advance of Weill’s Der Silbersee; Der Silbersee: A Winter’s Fairy Tale March 4-8, 2026 – the Chicago premiere of Kurt Weill’s politically daring, genre defying masterpiece; and the concert world premiere of Trusted May 30, 2026 – the seventh opera commissioned and developed under the auspices of the Vanguard Initiative.
For more information on Chicago Opera Theater productions, visit chicagooperatheater.org/