“I believe that Karenina is a magical moment of looking at our beautiful art form and taking it a step forward,” says Ashley Wheater, Joffrey Ballet’s artistic director. One of the cornerstones of the production is 35-year-old composer Ilya Demutsky’s brand new, full-length orchestral score, the first such commission in Joffrey’s 62-year history.

Renée Baker’s interest in Baldwin began when she first heard recordings of his voice. “The person that I’d only accessed from books became quite real once I was able to actually hear and listen to him speak.” She notes.

The season features four Chicago premieres and the return of two reimagined staples.

If you’re looking for quick summer reads to add to your list, give these music-themed short stories a try, with everything from Anton (Chekhov) to Zora (Neale Hurston). The best part: they’re all available for free online!

If “Music oft hath such a charm / To make bad good, and good provoke to harm,” perhaps these 10 Shakespeare-inspired operas will charm you.

Author and activist Maya Angelou is best for her autobiographical memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. But have you heard Angelou sing?

Pulitzer-winning composer Paul Moravec: “A supernatural story makes total sense for an opera…”

“Opera is deeply satisfying in a way that Shakespeare cannot be,” stage director Barlett Sher said backstage at Lyric Opera of Chicago during rehearsals for Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette.

We spoke with the Chicago theater institution’s founder and artistic director about the music that inspires her.

Chicago-based author Sara Paretsky is known for her crime and detective novels, but what may be less well-known is that Paretsky is a longtime fan of classical music.

Blair Tindall’s Mozart in the Jungle: Sex, Drugs, and Classical Music shocked readers when it exposed some of the low points of high culture.

If you need recommendations for what to read when you’re relaxing on the beach, look no further; our staff shares their favorite books about music.

Today is World Book Day, a yearly event celebrated worldwide on April 23rd and organized by UNESCO to promote reading, publishing and copyright. Looking for a good read to celebrate World Book Day? We at WFMT have picked some of our favorite reads to share with you.