petekat
01-09-2006, 12:36 PM
the usually stuffy crowd at the Lyric opera erupted at the sight of 3 kids decked out in White Sox jerseys..... From the Sun Times review.....
'Magic Flute' suits Lyric's holiday spirit
The opera world doesn't have a certifiable Christmas classic like ballet's "The Nutcracker'' or the theater's various adaptations of "A Christmas Carol.'' If any opera can fill that bill, it is Lyric Opera of Chicago's durable production of Mozart's "The Magic Flute,'' which opened Friday night at the Civic Opera House. There was a scattering of children in the audience Friday night, and while they seemed to snooze during the serious parts, "Magic Flute's'' eruptions of silliness set them giggling.
Comedy in this "Magic Flute'' never turned into slapstick, and the finale warmed the heart, with its gently galumphing animals and swarms of little Papageno-Papagena offspring running about. In a touch that brought cheers, the three silver-voiced angel-boys who guided Tamino and Pamina through their trials descended from on high wearing White Sox jerseys. In 1986, a Bears championship year, they sported Bears jerseys, and the Bulls have been the jersey of choice in other "Magic Flute'' revivals. If Lyric has an ounce of civic pride, this production will stay in the repertoire until the angelic trio has a reason to wear Cubs jerseys. By 2086, perhaps?
'Magic Flute' suits Lyric's holiday spirit
The opera world doesn't have a certifiable Christmas classic like ballet's "The Nutcracker'' or the theater's various adaptations of "A Christmas Carol.'' If any opera can fill that bill, it is Lyric Opera of Chicago's durable production of Mozart's "The Magic Flute,'' which opened Friday night at the Civic Opera House. There was a scattering of children in the audience Friday night, and while they seemed to snooze during the serious parts, "Magic Flute's'' eruptions of silliness set them giggling.
Comedy in this "Magic Flute'' never turned into slapstick, and the finale warmed the heart, with its gently galumphing animals and swarms of little Papageno-Papagena offspring running about. In a touch that brought cheers, the three silver-voiced angel-boys who guided Tamino and Pamina through their trials descended from on high wearing White Sox jerseys. In 1986, a Bears championship year, they sported Bears jerseys, and the Bulls have been the jersey of choice in other "Magic Flute'' revivals. If Lyric has an ounce of civic pride, this production will stay in the repertoire until the angelic trio has a reason to wear Cubs jerseys. By 2086, perhaps?