Some 25,000 Chicago-area schoolchildren will be introduced to opera thanks to Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Opera in the Neighborhoods program. Produced by The Patrick G. and Shirley W.
Ryan Opera Center, the program will present 30 performances of The Magic Flute, through Nov. 6, at several city and suburban schools.
Opera in the Neighborhoods For the 13th consecutive year, Opera in the Neighborhoods offers an abridged contemporary English adaptation of a famous work. This year’s The Magic Flute is directed by Michael La Tour and is performed by a youthful cast of professional singers. Music director is Sharon Peterson.
These presentations are designed for students in grades 3-8 and are performed in elementary, high-school, and college auditoriums throughout the Chicago area without charge (although voluntary donations are accepted). Two performances (starting at 10 a.m. and noon) are staged each scheduled day. Each show consists of 50 minutes of the opera (abridged, in English) followed by a short question-and-answer session with the cast. Specially prepared study guides are provided in advance for each attending student and teacher.
Written by Lyric’s Education Department, the study guide explains the opera and contains the composer’s biography as well as suggestions for incorporating the opera into the curriculum. It also explores how an opera is created and how the various musical pieces fit together. Much of the guide emphasizes language arts through reading and vocabulary development and meets state instructional guidelines in a number of subjects. The study guides are underwritten by Donna Van Eekeren.
Lyric Opera of Chicago will present Opera in the Neighborhoods’ The Magic Flute in the
following locations with performances at 10:00 a.m. and noon:
Tuesday, Oct. 14 Christian Heritage Academy, 315 Waukegan Rd., Northfield
Thursday, Oct. 16 Addison Trail H.S., 213 N. Lombard Rd., Addison
Friday, Oct. 17 Pfeiffer Hall, North Central College, 30 N. Brainard St., Naperville
Monday, Oct. 20 Andrew H.S., 9001 W. 171st St., Tinley Park
Wednesday, Oct. 22 Northside College Prep H.S., 5501 N. Kedzie Ave., Chicago
Thursday, Oct. 23 Simeon Career Academy, 8147 S. Vincennes Ave., Chicago
Monday, Oct. 27 Performing Arts Center, Governors State University, University Park (Park Forest)
Tuesday, Oct. 28 South Shore Cultural Center, 7059 South Shore Drive, Chicago
Wednesday, Oct. 29 Lake View H.S., 4015 N. Ashland, Chicago
Monday, Nov. 3 Evanston Twp. H.S., 1600 Dodge Ave., Evanston
Wednesday, Nov. 5 Morton East H.S., 2423 S. Austin Blvd., Cicero
Thursday, Nov. 6 Whitney Young H.S., 211 S. Laflin St., Chicago
“Opera in the Neighborhoods gives students a chance to see opera performed by first-rate professional singers,” says Mark Riggleman, Lyric’s Director of Education. “It’s a learning experience like no other, and it not only gives kids an appreciation for opera, it also broadens their horizons in art, history, and music.” Opera in the Neighborhoods is made possible by a generous and deeply appreciated grant from Mrs. Herbert A. Vance and Mr. and Mrs. William C. Vance, with additional support from JPMorgan Chase and Donna Van Eekeren.
Biographies of the artists:
Queen of the Night/1st Lady - Juliet Petrus
Soprano Juliet Petrus spent the summer of 2007 in the young artist program at Glimmerglass Opera in Cooperstown, New York, where she earned rave reviews in the role of Eurydice in Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld. Recent credits include Lisaveta in A Month in the Country and Amy in Little Women with OperaModa in Chicago, and Harp in Orpheus Returns with Opera for the Young in Wisconsin.
Pamina/2nd Lady - Lisa Yuen
Soprano Lisa Yuen recently earned her graduate degree from Roosevelt University, where she sang The Princess in L’enfant et les Sortileges. Her undergraduate degree is from DePaul University where she appeared as Esmeralda in The Bartered Bride. Other roles with the DePaul Opera Theater include Eternity in La Calisto and Margo in The Merry Widow.
Papagena/3rd Lady - Katherine Calcamuggio
A former member of Florida Grand Opera’s Young Artist Studio, mezzo-soprano Katherine Calcamuggio has participated in the young artist programs of Glimmerglass Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Aspen Music Festival, and Brevard Music Festival. She holds degrees from Northwestern University and Bowling Green State University.
Tamino - William Bennett
Tenor William Bennett started out with a degree in engineering and now holds a graduate degree in vocal performance. Recently he has performed with Chicago Opera Theater and at the Ash Lawn Opera Festival in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he sang the roles of Remendado in Carmen and Freddy in My Fair Lady. This past season, Bennett made his tenor debut as Ewald in Lehar’s Springtime with Chicago Folks Operetta.
Papageno - Martin Woods
A native of Chicago, baritone Martin Woods graduated from Morehouse College and recently received a graduate degree from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. He has performed studio background vocals for several artists including Beyonce Knowles for the Paramount motion picture The Fighting Temptations. Last year he made his Chicago Symphony Orchestra debut as the baritone in All Rise! with Wynton Marsalis.
Sarastro - David Young
Bass-baritone David Young holds degrees from the University of South Carolina and Chicago College of the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. He has been an apprentice artist with Santa Fe Opera and has spent two season in the young artist program of Chicago Opera Theater. He’s twice been a finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council regional auditions and has also won awards from the Bel Canto Foundation.
Stage director Michael La Tour has directed a Kentucky Opera outreach program, has worked as an actor, singer, designer and producer, and has directed for DuPage Opera Theatre. He codirected and choreographed (with Peter Amster) the gala opening of the new Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Chicago’s Millennium Park, Side By Side By Sondheim for Pegasus Theatre, and Madama Butterfly for Apple Tree (winning Chicago’s After Dark Award for his choreography). Among his film and TV credits are Beverly Hills 90210 and numerous commercials.
Music director Sharon Peterson has been a pianist for the Chicago Symphony Chorus since 1978. She has served as accompanist for several years for the Chicago Symphony Singers and Chicago Symphony Chorus’s resident ensembles. She has worked as a staff accompanist at Roosevelt University and North Park University, and she is an organist at North Park Theological Seminary and North Park Covenant Church. -- www.lyricopera.org
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