Jonathan Tetelman (Photo: Ben Wolf)
Opera Festival of Chicago returns for its 2024 season. The festival, whose first season took place in 2021, is dedicated to presenting seldom-performed Italian opera titles. This year, the ensemble will share two programs in June and July, plus a season-opening all-Puccini recital.
Opening the season is a recital headlined by rising tenor Jonathan Tetelman. June 21's Puccini Forever concert features an array of soloists performing excerpts from all twelve operas by Giaocomo Puccini. The performance will take place at Jarvis Opera Hall at DePaul University School of Music.
Next up is Giacomo Puccini’s Manon Lescaut, held at Cahn Auditorium on the Northwestern University campus. The company’s production offers split casts across three performances – Maria Natale will play the title character in the June 27 and 30 performances, with Jessica Sandidge stepping into the role on June 29. Eric Dubin will play her brother, Lescaut, in all performances. Music director Emanuele Andrizzi will conduct.
Other Season Announcements
Apollo’s Fire Returns to Chicago for 2024–25 Season
September 18, 2024
New Contemporary Chamber Series Launches in Loop Fall ’24
August 21, 2024
Forward Motion: Chicago Sinfonietta’s ’24–25 Season
July 29, 2024
Bella Voce’s ’24–25 Season Charts Vocal Voyages Across Musical Traditions
July 1, 2024
Guarneri Hall Announces ’24–25 Season With 20th Century, Jazz
June 19, 2024The second production comes July 11 and 14: a dark 20th-century double feature of Luigi Dallapiccola’s Il Prigioniero and Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Medium. Franco Pomponi, the festival’s artistic director, will be the titular prisoner in the first work, and Laura McCauley (Monica) and Viktoria Vizin (Madame Flora) share top billing in The Medium. Andrizzi again conducts these performances, which will be held at the Athenaeum Center in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood.
For more information, visit operafestivalchicago.org. This piece has been updated to include the recently announced Puccini Forever concert taking place June 21.
