The goal behind the concert at Orchestra Hall, which featured the notably “conductorless” New York-based Orpheus Chamber Orchestra along with saxophone master Branford Marsalis, was to explore the intriguing early intersection of classical and jazz music.
Stories by hedy weiss
CSO Boldly Explores Tchaikovsky Scores Inextricably Linked to Ballet
What this glorious, superbly performed concert did prove was that listening to these works without the element of dance that ordinarily is a crucial partner of the music, you begin to hear them in a wonderfully fresh and exciting way.
Pianist Igor Levit’s Orchestra Hall Concert Heightened the Art of Listening
Pianist Igor Levit’s riveting concert at Orchestra Hall on Sunday afternoon not only displayed his technical brilliance but also raised the art of listening to a science.
A Night of Sheer Brilliance, Maestro Muti & CSO’s Bravura Musicians Prove Beethoven is Forever New
Maestro Riccardo Muti was in stellar form during Thursday night’s concert in Orchestra Hall. He clearly is in love with the indomitable musicians of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and they return that passion with a magnificent combination of sound and fury and absolute beauty.
National Touring Production of ‘Oklahoma!’ Wreaks Havoc on a Musical Theater Classic
The production is a sad introduction for new audiences and a spirit-crushing experience for those who’ve seen “Oklahoma!” many times throughout the years.
Paying Homage to an Artistic Collaborator in Hershey Felder’s ‘Mozart and Figaro in Vienna’
The “musical film” is a fascinating look at the creation of “The Marriage of Figaro,” the first of the composer’s three major operas in Italian.
While Plagued by Sound Problems, Dance Became the Most Audible Element in Music Theater Works’ ‘Billy Elliot’
From almost the very first note it was apparent that something was very wrong with the sound system and miking, and much of the dialogue and singing, all along the way, was either inaudible or garbled. In fact, the only clear sound came from the orchestra, seated in the pit and led by Michael McBride.
‘8-Track’ Brilliantly Taps Into the Emotional Heat and Exuberance of Songs From a Turbulent Era
While its score may be classic retro, the songs are performed with great authenticity by artists who came of age decades after the baby boomers and Generation Xers who grew up with them.
Imagining Santa Claus’ Childhood in a Chicago Opera Theater Production
Have you ever wondered what Santa Claus’ childhood was like? Or why he’s so driven to take off from the North Pole for an arduous worldwide trip each Christmas Eve? The answers to those questions can be found in the 90-minute opera “Becoming Santa Claus.”
At the CSO, Bravura Turns by Violinists Ray Chen and Hilary Hahn, and Much More
Two different concerts by the ever-remarkable Chicago Symphony Orchestra arrived on the Orchestra Hall stage. Each came with a fascinating CSO-commissioned new work, a superb visiting conductor, and breathtaking performances by the phenomenal virtuoso violinists.
A Tip of the Hat to ‘Mr. Dickens’ Hat’ and Its Beguiling Twist on Charles Dickens’ Legacy
Every performer in this demanding show is multitalented and able to deftly shift from one character and mood to another in record time.
The Joffrey Ballet’s Lavish ‘Nutcracker’ Lights Up the Lyric Opera House Stage
Pure winter magic. The Joffrey Ballet’s altogether unique production of “The Nutcracker,” has never looked more glorious or been danced more ideally.
Unforgettable Moments in Chicago Productions of Sondheim Musicals
In the wake of Stephen Sondheim’s death, a look back at his impact on Chicago theater.
Celebrating the Centennial of Tango Master Astor Piazzolla in Grand Style
Two remarkable concerts took place recently in Chicago and were designed to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Astor Piazzolla – the composer who transformed the traditional tango into an irresistible classical music hybrid.
At the Marriott, a Broadway-Worthy Rendering of Cole Porter’s ‘Kiss Me, Kate’
The infrequently revived 1948 musical gem boasts a brilliant score by Cole Porter of nearly 20 knockout songs, almost all of which are classics. It’s a wonderfully clever play-within-a-play book by Sam and Bella Spewack that owes a deep debt of gratitude to that guy by the name of William Shakespeare.
Hubbard Street Dancers Make a Remarkable ‘RE/TURN’
Hubbard Street’s phoenix-like rebirth was fully on display this weekend in an aptly titled program, “RE/TURN,” that featured three fascinating, superbly performed pieces.
‘Paradise Square’ Does a Fierce and Timely Dance Into a Civil War Era Racial Uprising
What really blows this show out of the park is its knockout dancing, and the brilliant choreography by Bill T. Jones that in many ways is more potent than any spoken dialogue.
A ‘Sister Act’ Production Bound to Raise the Spirits of Musical Theater Believers
Reneisha Jenkins’ direction, along with the wonderfully playful, hip-swiveling choreography of Christopher Chase Carter and the impeccable music direction of keyboardist Diana Lawrence, has infused the show with genuine emotional heat as well as laugh-generating irreverence and comic sparkle.
Lyric Opera Rides the Powerful Waves of Genuine Musical Magic in ‘Florencia en el Amazonas’
“Florencia en el Amazonas” (“Florencia in the Amazon”), the first Spanish language opera to be performed on the Lyric Opera mainstage, is pure magic on every count.
Porchlight’s Rousing Revival of ‘Pump Boys & Dinettes’ Serves Up Delicious Diner Nostalgia
Created by a group of six performers and musicians, the 1981 musical is now being brought back to vivid life in a terrific production devised by director Daryl Brooks, music director Robert Reddrick and choreographer Rueben D. Echoles.
E. Faye Butler Brings Civil Rights Activist Fannie Lou Hamer Roaring Back to Life
The Chicago actress is giving a rip-roaring performance in playwright Cheryl L. West’s “Fannie: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer,” a 75-minute, one-woman show to which the actress brings all the grit, endurance, fiery spirit and vocal power that marked the indomitable Hamer herself.
Classical Music in a Multitude of Manifestations
Hedy Weiss reviews the Lyric Opera production of “The Magic Flute,” a Chicago Symphony Orchestra concert, and “Homecoming,” the latest entry in the CSO’s MusicNOW series.
Music Theater Works Makes Sensational Return With Searing Production of ‘Ragtime’
There are many fine performances and clarion ensemble voices in this production. But it is Curtis Bannister, as ragtime musician Coalhouse Walker Jr., who steals the show.
CSO Soars on Wings of Two Brilliant Century-Spanning Modernists
Thursday evening’s Chicago Symphony Orchestra program opened with “Coincident Dances,” a fascinating 2017 work by Jessie Montgomery, the orchestra’s current Mead Composer-in-Residence. She never fails to enthrall with her rhythmically complex, richly orchestrated, highly original pieces.
Deeply Rooted Dance Theater Attracts Vast Audience to Its Rousing Auditorium Theatre Performance
An estimated 2,000 people cheered the company’s superb artists as they took to the stage Saturday to perform a series of works, including a preview of “Goshen, The Story of Exodus.”
Giordano Dance Chicago Lights Up the Stage in Its Return to the Harris Theater
In their first major live performance since the pandemic began, members of Giordano Dance Chicago were in grand style and exceptional form.
