March 06, 2019

My Fair Lady's Fab Five

The Leading Lady and Gentlemen in Lyric’s My Fair Lady Will Take the Town by Storm

Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady needs a remarkable quintet of singing actors in the major roles, and Lyric’s got them! Each has scored terrific successes — whether onstage or onscreen — that make them the ideal leading players of our production.

Richard E. Grant, who’s portraying Henry Higgins, made his acclaimed musical-theater debut in this role at Opera Australia (Sydney) in 2008. He achieved international renown in his first film, Withnail and I. Just a few of his other memorable screen appearances include Bram Stoker’s DraculaL.A. StoryGosford ParkThe Iron Lady, and most recently Jackie. He has countless television credits, including Dr. WhoDownton AbbeyGame of Thrones, and Girls.

Portraying Eliza Doolittle, the  “fair lady” herself, is Lisa O’Hare, revisiting a character she played in U.S. and U.K. national tours. On Broadway she originated the role of Sibella Hallward/A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder. She’s starred in the title role/Mary Poppins in Australia, on the U.K. tour, and at London’s Prince Edward Theatre.

Nicholas Le Prevost previously played Lerner and Loewe’s Colonel Pickering in London’s West End (Olivier Award nomination). He’s appeared at the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre, on BBC Radio, in popular television dramas (The Jewel in the CrownBrideshead RevisitedFoyle’s War) and films (Shakespeare in LoveClockwise, and The Girl in a Swing).

Donald Maxwell (Alfred P. Doolittle), who possesses a repertoire of nearly 100 roles, has appeared with all the major British opera companies, as well as with the Met, La Scala, the Vienna State Opera, and the leading houses of Paris, Brussels, Berlin, and Zurich. In addition to DVDs including La fille du régimentLa bohème, (both from Covent Garden) and Pelléas et Mélisande (Welsh National Opera), he’s amassed a highly varied discography.

Bryce Pinkham (Freddy Eynsford-Hill) originated the role of Monty Navarro/A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder on Broadway (Tony, Grammy, and Drama Desk nominations). He’s also been featured in Holiday InnThe Heidi ChroniclesGhost the Musical, and Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (Broadway);  and The Good WifePerson of Interest, and God in America (television). 


You can expect great performances from Richard, Lisa, Nicholas, Donald, and Bryce. Join us in welcoming them to the Lyric premiere of My Fair Lady!  

Lyric Opera premiere of Lerner & Loewe’s My Fair Lady generously made possible by

Negaunee Foundation

Anonymous Donor

Mrs. Herbert A. Vance and Mr. and Mrs. William C. Vance

The Jacob and Rosaline Cohn Foundation

Robert S. and Susan E. Morrison

Mr. and Mrs. J. Christopher Reyes

Liz Stiffel

MY FAIR LADY

Book and Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Music by Frederick Loewe
Adapted from George Bernard Shaw’s Play and Gabriel Pascal’s motion picture “PYGMALION”
Original Production Directed by Moss Hart

Production created by the Théâtre du Châtelet Paris, on December 9, 2010, in coproduction with the State Academic Mariinsky Theater.

Photo: Marie-Noëlle Robert/Théâtre du Châtelet, Pip Seed, Lisa Keating Photography, Simon Annad, L. Flood, Susan Shacter