Chicago Tribune - Highly Recommended
"...On Broadway, Guettel is famous for having a limited output. He is at work on another show, a musical version of "The Days of Wine and Roses," for which I cannot wait, especially since that feels like material that will suit his gifts. Thankfully, the period before there is more to enjoy from this musical genius, "Piazza" is still very much alive and, in this staging, as vital as ever. What is more appealing at the theater than hope-filled complexity with notes that seem to ricochet through your own life?"
Chicago Sun Times - Highly Recommended
"...As would be expected, director Daniel Evans takes a conventional approach to the staging, doing a capable job of shaping the characters and highlighting the show's gentle humor. He also makes the most of the 10-member supporting cast to project a vibrant sense of street life as they take on different classic types from a priest and nuns to a tour guide and cafe servers."
Chicago On the Aisle - Recommended
"...Now 60, Fleming has exited many of her mainstage opera roles, but she has remained vibrant as a theatrical performer and recording artist, lending her clout and enthusiasm to works based on iconic characters such as Tennessee Williams' Blanche DuBois and Odysseus' long-suffering wife Penelope, the artist Georgia O'Keefe and Marilyn Monroe. In Chicago, Fleming has been transformative as creative consultant to Lyric Opera; high on any list of achievements was her help in convincing the Rodgers and Hammerstein estate to give Lyric Opera permission to present its most iconic musicals, expanding the company's theatrical purview."
Let's Play at ChicagoNow - Recommended
"...Lyric Opera of Chicago provides Chicagoans who love theater and opera a treat with The Light in the Piazza. Based on the novel by Elizabeth Spencer, book by Craig Lucas with music and lyrics by Adam Guettel, who won two Tony Awards, for Best Score and Best Orchestrations, and two Drama Desk Awards, for Best Music and Best Orchestrations. The Light in the Piazza has dazzled the audience for years."
Around The Town Chicago - Recommended
"...Yes, at the Lyric, there is a large orchestra and a dynamic cast! They have a set that is absolutely stunning, and yet, I miss the intimacy of the story. The story, for those of you who have never read or seen it is a lovely one with music that is highly romantic. The story takes place in 1953 as Margaret Johnson ( Renee Fleming brings her wonderful voice to The Lyric) brings her daughter, Clara ( an amazingly brilliant Solea Pfeiffer) to Florence Italy. As they are in the Piazza, the wind blows her hat off and it is retrieved by a local young man Fabrizio ( deftly handled by Rob Houchen) and as their eyes meet, it is love at first sight. Here is where the intimacy of the smaller theater pays off. It is difficult to see the emotion in the vast auditorium. By the way, the wind gust was not very creative. Little TheoUbique did it much better."
WTTW - Somewhat Recommended
"...Created for Broadway (and over the years seen on such diverse Chicago-area stages as the Goodman, Marriott and Theo Ubique theaters), the show belongs in a space that can fully embrace that intimacy. The Lyric Opera House, where it is now being presented by the recently formed U.K.-based Scenario Two Ltd. and Karl Sydow, is not such a place. While the current production (initially staged at London’s similarly vast Royal Festival Hall) has undeniable visual grandeur, it often lacks the essential emotional punch needed to drive the work. This is most notable in the first of its two acts, with Guettel’s poetic lyrics often muddied and Daniel Evans’ direction more efficient than magical. Things get a good deal better in the second act. (Note: While the show uses the Lyric Opera Orchestra, led by Kimberly Grigsby, and stars Lyric mainstay Renee Fleming, this is not a Lyric production.)"
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...This majestic new production of Craig Lucas and Adam Guettel’s operatic musical is an Italian feast for the eyes and ears. The music fills the audience with romance and splendor, boasting a lush score that perfectly complements the story. With Renee Fleming singing the leading role, and supported by a wonderfully talented supporting cast, this is a “Light in the Piazza” that should positively not be missed."
Chicagoland Musical Theatre - Highly Recommended
"...Renée Fleming as Clara’s mother, Margaret Johnson, is every bit the master soprano, earning every rave she ever received. She possesses all the bountiful technique that years of experience forges, and a life-affirming quality that can’t be taught."
Chicago Theater and Arts - Recommended
"...“Piazza,” the musical, won six Tony awards (2005) but the theme music and songs are unlikely to be hummed when leaving the theater. This production pairs its story, mostly narrated by Margaret, with a score similar to operatic music. Kimberly Grigsby who was the 2006 national tour’s music director conducted in LA and now, in Chicago. The production is directed by Olivier winner, Daniel Evans."
PicksInSix - Highly Recommended
"...Evans has assembled an all-star design team for the journey from the streets of Florence to the ruins of Rome and back again through the Robert Jones Duomo-inspired design combined with Brigitte Reiffenstuel's stunning costumes, Mark Henderson's lighting design and Kai Harada's sound design to make the Italian neighborhoods burst with color and texture and come to vivid life to tell a beautifully poignant, uplifting and multi-layered love story. "
Picture This Post - Recommended
"...This show is recommended for fans of rollicking, romantic fare and - of course - fans of the superstar Renée Flemming. Those who prefer their theatre served with a bit of grit may wish to look elsewhere."
City Pleasures - Recommended
"...It's the stakes that help make The Light in the Piazza so interesting. When you take the story seriously, it flowers into something infinitely rewarding. Regardless of their backgrounds, all parents make conscious efforts to further the happiness and security of their children. Sometimes they even do so at the expense of their own marriage. This story, encased in music, shows how courage and growth can be inseparable."
NewCity Chicago - Somewhat Recommended
"...The young leads are glistening and bright of voice, and the evening overall is melodious and pleasant. But who is this production for, and why are we watching it in 2019?"