Lyric Opera of Chicago 2011-2012

When you think of opera what comes to mind? 'Opera is an art form consisting of a dramatic stage performance set to music.' ... or, as George Bernard Shaw put it: '{Opera is when} a tenor and soprano want to make love, but are prevented from doing so by a baritone.'

All operas have interesting facts beyond their stories. Take for instance, Offenbach wanted to write one serious opera, The Tales of Hoffmann, before he died. Unfortunately, he never got to see the show; he died during rehearsals. "Someone else finished the rehearsals, doing major restructuring, omitting an act, and generally messing with the thing." (Opera for Dummies)

Lucia di Lammermoor is based on a novel called The Bride of Lammermoor by Sir Walter Scott. The first names have all be Italianized, but the last names remain Scottish. Australian soprano Nellie Melba inserted a lengthy cadenza with solo flute.

Boris Gudunov is Mussorgsky's only completed opera in about ten attempts. Mussorgsky stated, "Her's what I would like: that my characters speak on stage as living people speak.

Ariadne auf Naxos is a comic opera about a serious opera being presented in a rich guy's house. This opera was designed as a thank-you note, a mini-mini-opera for the producer of the composer's previous opera.

Come hear the stories, music and more in the Multipurpose room, given by a docent from the Chicago Lyric Opera Lecture Corps on Thursdays from 7-8:30 pm. You can register online or by calling the Reader Services Desk at 847-729-7500.

The Tales of Offmann by Jacques Offenbach - September 22

Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti - October 6

Boris Godunov by Modest Mussorgsky - October 27

Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard Strauss - November 3