The LYRIC SEASON COMPANION and COMMENTARIES ON CD thoroughly explore the operas of Lyric’s 54th season: Massenet’s Manon, Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers, Berg’s Lulu, Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, and Mozart’s The Abduction from the Seraglio.
Lyric Season Companion
The Lyric Season Companion, written by a host of opera experts, is filled with fascinating articles about each opera’s history and composition. The highly informative 96-page volume looks at each production: the sets, costumes, directors, and designers. It also examines the motivations and personalities of the composers and librettists, and the vocal challenges of the major roles. Along with a pronunciation guide, cast lists, and performance schedules, the Lyric Season Companion offers recommendations for CD and DVD purchases and lists other books and articles for further reading.
The 2008-09 Lyric Season Companion sells for $17. An order form can be downloaded from the Lyric website: www.lyricopera.org, or the book may be purchased at opera performances in the opera-house lobby, where libretti for all 2008-09 productions are also on sale. Lyric Opera of Chicago gratefully acknowledges the support of Susan M. Miller as exclusive sponsor of the 2008/09 Lyric Season Companion.
Commentaries on CD
Commentaries on CD are professionally produced recordings about each Lyric Opera season that include notes on each composer, musical excerpts and interpretations, character analysis, and plot summaries. The entire set covering all the productions of Lyric’s 2008-09 season costs $155. All Commentaries are also available as singles for $25 each. Shipping and handling fees are included in all pricing.
This season’s commentators include Lyric’s Music Director Sir Andrew Davis (Lulu, Tristan und Isolde, and Cavalleria Rusticana / Pagliacci), General Director William Mason (Madama Butterfly), Ryan Opera Center Director Gianna Rolandi (The Abduction from the Seraglio), Lyric Opera Dramaturg Roger Pines (Manon), Director of Operations Nicholas Ivor Martin (Porgy and Bess), and Audience Education Manager Jesse Gram (The Pearl Fishers).
A project of the Lyric Opera of Chicago Women’s Board, the Commentaries provide a wealth of information on the operas of Lyric’s 54th season. “The Commentaries on CD offer so much about opera in an entertaining way. I really enjoy the insider information about the production,” said Mrs. Anthony A. Antoniou, a member of Lyric’s Women’s Board. “You can purchase the full set, which will prepare you for the entire season, or just the individual recordings of those operas with which you are less familiar.” -- www.lyricopera.org
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