November 17, 2023

Lyric Family Favorites: November 17

One of the most powerful moments of Janáček’s Jenůfa comes in its swelling finale. Here, the Kostelnička has just been taken to jail and only Jenůfa and Laca remain on stage. Jenůfa tells him that he should not marry someone as disgraced as she, to which he replies, “Nothing matters if you are with me.” Lise Davidsen’s performance as Jenůfa is "...utterly convincing and moving” (Bachtrack). Watch the clip and don’t miss Jenůfa before it’s over!

Plus, watch Lawrence Brownlee sing “Ah, mes amis,” get Lise Davidsen and Nina Stemme’s perspective on Jenůfa, mark your calendar for a Ryan Opera Center Recital, see how you can make your gift go further on Giving Tuesday, and enjoy a special holiday program by the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus.

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Lise Davidsen and Pavel Černoch perform the finale from Janáček’s JENŮFA

In the opera's final moments, Laca (Pavel Černoch) pledges to remain by Jenůfa's (Lise Davidsen) side — resolute that their love can carry them through anything.

Lawrence Brownlee sings “Ah, mes amis”

The aria "Ah, mes amis" from The Daughter of the Regiment is one of the most notoriously difficult in the repertoire. See why this piece has become a calling card for Lawrence Brownlee for more than a decade in this clip from Lyric’s production, on stage through November 25.

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Lawrence Brownlee sings "Ah! mes amis" from THE DAUGHTER OF THE REGIMENT

In this excerpt from Donizetti's The Daughter of the Regiment, bel canto superstar Lawrence Brownlee (Tonio) displays his stratospheric singing in "Ah! mes amis" ("Ah, my friends"), celebrating that as a member of the regiment, he can now marry his love, Marie.

"Brownlee is particularly acclaimed as a bel canto interpreter, and it’s not hard to understand why. He shows an innate affinity for Donizetti’s vocal lines, investing his arias with compelling expressiveness and displaying dazzling technique as he hit every high note and garnered sustained ovations along the way Saturday evening." (The Chicago Sun-Times)

Lise Davidsen and Nina Stemme talk Jenůfa

Lise Davidsen and Nina Stemme, who perform the starring roles in Lyric’s production of Jenůfa, are two of the most in-demand sopranos in the entire opera world. See what they have to say about the opera and what they bring to the characters in this video interview.

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Lise Davidsen and Nina Stemme on Janáček’s JENŮFA

Sopranos Lise Davidsen (Jenůfa) and Nina Stemme (Kostelnička) are accustomed to playing complex characters with complicated relationships. In this conversation, they share their thought process behind their characters' dramatic and desperate decisions in Janáček’s Jenůfa.

Songs of the sea

Tune in to WFMT 98.7FM on Sunday, December 3 at 7:00 p.m. for the Ryan Opera Center Recital Series. Mezzo-soprano Lucy Baker, bass Ron Dukes and pianist Michael Banwarth will perform songs inspired by the sea.

Mark your calendar

Support Lyric this Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday is right around the corner! Donations made to Lyric Opera on November 28 will be matched dollar-for-dollar by generous challenge grants. Your contribution will be multiplied in preserving the beauty, emotion, and artistry of this spectacular art form.

Give now

Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus: The Big 4-0, ho, ho!

Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus celebrates their 40th Anniversary on December 8 & 10 with The Big 4-0, ho, ho!, a celebration of CGMC’s holiday favorites over the last 40 years. Featuring Chicago Tap Theatre! Lyric patrons get $5 off each ticket with code CGMCFAM40.

Learn more

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I always consider myself lucky that I can actually cry listening to some music.”

Itzhak Perlman

Photos: Lyric Opera of Chicago, Michael Brosilow, Neda Navaee, Morten Krogvold, Kyle Flubacker