Ariadne auf Naxos at Lyric Opera

Chicago Stage Review - Highly Recommended

"...This is an upbeat and imaginative twist on Lyric’s traditional holiday operetta and a great piece for first-time operagoers. Packed with gorgeous music, wonderful acting and slapstick humor,Ariadne auf Naxos is Lyric’s surprise package of the season."

Chicago On the Aisle - Highly Recommended

"... Hats off as well to conductor Sir Andrew Davis for musical leadership that was animated, expansive and majestic, stage director Jon Cox for the “Noises Off” slapstick spirit of the Prologue and the convulsively crazy business that spiced the Opera, and set designer Robert Perdziola for his cleverly detailed backstage."

ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended

"...There is such interplay between comedy and tragedy – two sides of the same Dionysian coin – and between Apollonian form and structure and Dionysian chaos. Strauss’ Ariadne is far from a typical opera, and far from typical Strauss: it has a fairly small orchestra, closer to what Mozart would use than Wagner. It is light and airy and jokey, but it is also an intellectual piece, a satire that makes fun of overserious opera, of the very wealthy, of the self-absorbed composer. It is a rich and wonderful work, and the Lyric presents it with deft direction, beautiful sets and costumes, and excellent execution."

Chicago Theater Beat - Highly Recommended

"...Ariadne auf Naxos is unique. It pokes fun of the composer’s creative process, sponsor’s over-involvement and performers’ demanding nature. It’s behind-the-curtain fun. Still, the opera within the opera is an emotional journey to love. There are strong moments of heart-tugging chopped into the light-hearted merriment of one woman wooing four men. It’s seriously playful and playfully serious. It’s two operas within one."