My Fair Lady

L Y R I C O P E R A O F C H I C A G O

(left) Così fan tutte at Lyric, 2006. DAN REST

showed her to be a masterful interpreter of Mozart’s music and comedy, will be joined by French mezzo-soprano Marianne Crebassa (delightful in her debut last season in Romeo and Juliet ) and a new artist at Lyric, the captivating Russian soprano Elena Tsallagova. The cast also includes Alessandro Corbelli, today’s ultimate master of comic repertoire, as Don Alfonso. “No director understands this opera better than John Cox,” says Freud, “and he’ll be collaborating with the brilliant American conductor James Gaffigan, who has rapidly ascended to the top rank internationally.” Charles Gounod’s Faust, the tale of an old philosopher who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for youth, is a work Freud has loved for his entire operagoing life, “thanks to its overwhelmingly romantic music. Of course, I also relish the matchlessly elegant yet sinister characterization Gounod gives Méphistophélès, the spirit of the devil!” Acclaimed at Lyric for three productions (including last season’s world premiere of Bel Canto ), director Kevin Newbury will return to create Lyric’s new Faust. His production designer, American artist (far left) Among the stars of Così fan tutte are Lyric favorites Ana María Martínez (Fiordiligi – she also sings Marguerite in the final performance of Faust ) and Alessandro Corbelli (Don Alfonso).

soprano roles and an aria taking the tenor to F above high C ! “Opera companies can produce I Puritani only when four extraordinary singers are available,” says Freud. “The two lovers, Elvira and Arturo, will be Albina Shagimuratova, who has enraptured our audiences in Lucia di Lammermoor and Rigoletto , and Lawrence Brownlee, following up on his dazzling Lyric debut in Cinderella . Our Riccardo is the exceptionally gifted Ryan Opera Center alumnus Anthony Clark Evans, now embarked on a major career. Two artists who made outstanding Lyric debuts in this season’s Lucia – bass Adrian Sâmpetrean and conductor Enrique Mazzola – will be with us as well, in the

Met’s lovely traditional production.” Any occasion to present an opera by Mozart is cause for rejoicing. Lyric’s Mozartian treat for 2017/18 is Così fan tutte, an endlessly intriguing, thought- provoking “school for lovers” story in which two couples learn a great deal about each other while singing truly heavenly music. In addition to tremendous skill as vocalists and musicians, “a Così cast needs the ability to relate to each other on a very intimate level,” notes Freud. “It’s the ensemble opera par excellence, although the solo opportunities for individual characters are fabulous as well!” Lyric favorite Ana María Martínez, whose Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni

CHRISTIAN CLAVADETCHER

The embodiment of Faust’s aspirations representing his search for life’s meaning. Art by Faust production designer John Frame.

Faust stars (clockwise from top) Benjamin Bernheim (title role), Erin Wall (Marguerite), and Christian Van Horn (Méphistophélès)

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