The Opera Festival of Chicago presents world-class standard productions of Italian opera masterpieces in Chicago that rarely grace the stage in the United States. In doing so we aspire to: generate an inquisitive operatic appetite within Chicago audiences; make our work – and its cultural context – accessible to a wide audience; provide a stimulating and inspirational environment of Italian opera for artists and audiences alike; provide a vital opportunity for young artists entering the profession to uphold the high integrity and demands of Italian opera with artists and musicians who are established professionals; and to highlight and celebrate the immense talent that has originated from the Chicagoland area.
The season begins with Puccini’s La Bohème, the definitive portrait of “Bohemian” life. In the frozen garrets of Paris, we meet the dreamers: the poets, painters, philosophers, and musicians who sacrifice everything for their craft and for each other. It is a timeless story of youthful passion and the fragile beauty of a love that flickers brightly before the cold reality of the world intrudes.
Based on the life of a real-life stage icon, this verismo jewel follows a legendary actress caught in a deadly web of jealousy and political intrigue. In a season defined by those who live for their art, Adriana’s story serves as the ultimate testament to the power of performance and where a single bouquet of violets can signify a final, tragic curtain call.
The season begins with Puccini’s La Bohème, the definitive portrait of “Bohemian” life. In the frozen garrets of Paris, we meet the dreamers: the poets, painters, philosophers, and musicians who sacrifice everything for their craft and for each other. It is a timeless story of youthful passion and the fragile beauty of a love that flickers brightly before the cold reality of the world intrudes.