Lucio Silla presented by Chicago Opera Theater at Harris Theater

Stage and Cinema - Highly Recommended

"...Artistic Director Andreas Mitisek’s contemporary and always creative staging enhances rather than distracts from this twice-removed period piece. A simple set, primary colors (black, white, red), and Andrew Meyer’s effective lighting design, allow Mozart’s music to shine in all its youthful splendor. A challenge that Mitisek rises to with aplomb is how to stage this small-scale chamber opera in the vast space of the Harris Theater. He does this partly by augmenting the spare cast with members of the Apollo Chorus, who act as Silla’s guards, and even the ghostly father of Giunia, in addition to portraying the populace of Rome. And the pantomime performed during the overture introduces the plot with economy and style."

ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended

"...Lucia Silla is an opera seria with deep psychological tones with youthful, melodic exciting, yet mature music. lead by tenor Ryan MacPherson as Silla featuring yeoman work by Maeve Hoglund and Christine Arand with fine contributions from Ava Pine (Lucio Cinna) and Valerie Vinzant (Ceilia), the opera plays powerfully as a wrenching melodrama. The twenty person chorus added deep emotionally wrenching singing that sounded heavenly!"