My Fair Lady

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

From the General Director and the Chairman

Welcome to Lyric Opera of Chicago’s presentation of one of the most enthralling masterpieces in musical-theater history. Ever since Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe’s My Fair Lady took Broadway by storm in 1956, it has retained its hold on audiences worldwide. From “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?” and “I Could Have Danced All Night” to “On the Street Where You Live” and “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face,” the melodies are irresistible, while the lyrics wonderfully enhance the characters cre- ated by George Bernard Shaw. That’s the miracle of My Fair Lady, and its greatest achievement: it remains so true to its source (Shaw’s own screen adapta- tion of his glorious play Pygmalion ) that we don’t even notice where Shaw ends and Lerner and Loewe begin. We’re producing My Fair Lady on the grand scale that it deserves, with sumptuous contributions from chorus and orchestra under David Chase, as well as Lynne Page’s delightful choreography and elegant designs by Tim Hatley (sets) and Anthony Powell (costumes). The production originated at one of Europe’s most musically and theatrically adventurous houses, Paris’s Théâtre du Châtelet. Its internationally celebrated director, Robert Carsen, has triumphed repeatedly at Lyric, including our revival of Eugene Onegin earlier this season. All of us at Lyric are thrilled by the cast, led by the charismatic Richard E. Grant (whom many of you will remember from his role in Downton Abbey ) and the dazzling Lisa O’Hare. Many of you are experiencing a Lyric performance for the very first time. We invite you to return next season, since tremendous excitement is awaiting you. Beginning on page 14 of this program, you’ll find a feature article that will tell you all about what we’re planning as we aim to be the great North American opera company of the 21st century. Thank you for joining us. Have a wonderful time at My Fair Lady !

STEVE LEONARD

Anthony Freud

TODD ROSENBERG

David T. Ormesher

David T. Ormesher, Chairman

Anthony Freud, General Director

6 | April - May, 2017