Lyric Opera's Conductor Sir Andrew Davis Starts the
Evening.
Oak Park Journal photo

Samuel Ramey, Sondra Radvanovsky, and Scott Ramsay Welcome all to the
Lyric Opera's Grant Park Concert Sept. 8, 2002
Oak Park Journal photo

review by Ed Vincent

The Lyric Opera’s Grant Park Concert was a thrill for the entire city.
The singing was a selection from numerous composers of music and
song and brought to the stage by the generous contribution of the
Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust.  Other supporters of the event included
the Recording Industries Music Performance Trust Funds through the
Chicago Federation of Musicians and the Sears on State Downtown
Neighborhood Campaign.  There is also special thanks that must go to
Mayor Daley for his support of the Arts in the entire city.

There was no rain, even though the humidity could have been less and
no one would have been offended.  This is one of those rare opportunities
to actually see some of the Lyric Opera Orchestra and the Lyric Opera
Chorus.  Often these two group of  excellent performers are either hid
beneath the stage or singing mysteriously from behind the curtain.
It was a pleasure to see their smiling faces.

The folks on the instruments and vocals from the chorus  are often
relegated to the ether of the performance.  In car racing these folks would
be the pit crew, and make sure that there team wins. In this case some are
often in the pit of the orchestra, or behind the scences, this event allowed
them to interact with the singers on a face to face basis.

The wonderful singing and cloak juggling performed by the Mr. Samuel
Ramey was a sight to see.  Mr. Ramey performed his scheduled numbers
and also stood in to sing the Toreador Song “Votre toast” from Bizet’s
Carmen.  When Samuel Ramey came to the stage the applause was from a
warm and welcoming crowd of admirers and I noted my glancing here
and there for Billy Budd and the rigging of the masts.

Sondra Radvanovsky was a thrill to see, and hear as she sang a selection
by Tchaikovsky (Yevgeny Onegin) , "Puskai pogibnu ya, no pryezhdye"
(Tatiana) and joined others on stage later.  Ms. Radvanovsky was born
in Berwyn, Illinois and now lives in Canada.  She will be staring in this
year's production of "Susannah" by Carlisle Floyd.

Opera Season opens in Chicago in only a few weeks and this year the
Lyric will have a full plate of delicious works to tempt one and all who
love the music, staging, drama, and performances of the fabulous
Lyric Opera.

PROGRAM
LYRIC OPERA ORCHESTRA
SIR ANDREW DAVIS, conductor

Alexander Borodin
(1883-1887)
 Kynaz' Igor (Prince Igor)
Act Three: Polovtsian Dances
LYRIC OPERA CHORUS
 

Dolora Zajick  and Lyric Opera conductor Bruno Bartoletti
Oak Park Journal photo

Sergei Prokofiev
(1891-1953 )
Voyna i mir (War and Peace)
Act Two: Aria, "Kagda zhe" (Kutuzov)
SAMUEL RAMEY
 
 

SONDRA RADVANOVSKY
Oak Park Journal photo

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Yevgeny Onegin (Eugene Onegin)
Act One: Letter Scene, "Puskai pogibnu ya, no pryezhdye" (Tatiana)
SONDRA RADVANOVSKY

 Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Yevgeny Onegin (Eugene Onegin)  Act Three: Recitative and Aria, "Kuda,
kuda...Chto dyen gryadushchi mnye gotovit?" (Lenski)
VINCENZO LA SCOLA

Modest Musorgsky
(1839-1881)
Boris Godunov
Prologue: Coronation Scene, "Da  zdravstvuet tsar' Boris Fjodorovich!"
(Boris, Shuisky, Chorus)
SAMUEL RAMEY
SCOTT RAMSAY
LYRIC OPERA CHORUS

      Intermission

LYRIC OPERA ORCHESTRA
BRUNO BARTOLETTI, conductor

Georges Bizet
(1838-1875)
Carmen
Act Four: Entr'Acte and Chorus, "A deux cuartos!"
LYRIC OPERA CHORUS with Lauren McNeese,
Philip Torre, Wayne Tigges
 

Oak Park Journal photo

Gaetano Donizetti
(1797-1848)
La favorite
Act Three: Recitative, Aria, and Cabaletta, "L'ai-je bien entendu?...
O mon Fernand...Mon arr?t descend du ciel" (Leonor)
DOLORA ZAJICK

Charles Gounod
(1818-1893)
Faust
Act Five: Trio, "Alerte, alerte!" (Marguerite, Faust, Mephistopheles)
SONDRA RADVANOVSKY
SCOTT RAMSAY
SAMUEL RAMEY
 

JEAN-PHILIPPE LAFONT
Oak Park Journal photo

Giuseppe Verdi
(1813-1901)
Les vepres siciliennes (The Sicilian Vespers)
Act Two, Recitative and Aria, "Palerme!
O mon pays...Et toi, Palerme" (Procida)
SAMUEL RAMEY
 

Johan Botha
Oak Park Journal photo

Umberto Giordano
(1867-1948)
Andrea Chenier
Act One, Recitative and Improvviso:
"Colpito qui m'avete...Un di  all'azzurro spazio" (Chenier)
JOHAN BOTHA
 

Svetla Vassileva
Oak Park Journal photo

Svetla Vassileva
Oak Park Journal photo

Giacomo Puccini
(1858-1924)
La rondine (The Swallow)
Act One, Aria: "Chi il bel sogno di Doretta (Magda)
SVETLA VASSILEVA
 

Vincenzo La Scola  and Lyric Opera conductor Bruno Bartoletti
Oak Park Journal photo

Giacomo Puccini
(1858-1924)
Tosca
Act One: Finale, "Tre sbirri...Una carozza...Va, Tosca" (Scarpia, Spoletta, Chorus)
JEAN-PHILIPPE LAFONT
SCOTT RAMSAY
LYRIC OPERA CHORUS

Svetla Vassileva and Lyric Opera conductor Bruno Bartoletti
Oak Park Journal photo

Some of the Hidden Orchestra are Brought to Light

The End of a Perfect Evening....
Oak Park Journal photo
 

Mr. William Mason, the General Director of the Lyric
embraces Sir Andrew Davis on a job well done.
Oak Park Journal photo

This Seasons Schedule

BY TRAIN
The Civic Opera House is conveniently located near both Union Train
Station and the Richard Ogilvie Transportation Center (formerly
Northwestern Station). Union Station is bound by the following
streets: Clinton (west); Canal (east); Jackson (south); and Adams
(north). The Ogilvie Transportation Center is bound by the following
streets: Clinton (west); Canal (east); Madison (south)/ main entrance;
and Washington (north). For additional information, including train
schedules, contact METRA Train Information/Passenger
Services at (312) 322-6777.

Please take advantage of the special opera rates

101 South Wacker
Madison-Wells
215 West Washington
Monroe & Wells
77 South Wacker
Randolph & Franklin
Franklin & Lake
500 West Monroe
319 West Randolph
25 South Wacker
150 North Wacker
100 North Riverside
300 West Monroe
10-30 South Wacker
Madison-Clinton
Washington-Madison-Wells
1 South Wacker
30 North Wells
1 South Wacker
Washington & Franklin

LyricOpera.org