Director

The season begins with Puccini’s La Bohème, the definitive portrait of “Bohemian” life. In the frozen garrets of Paris, we meet the dreamers: the poets, painters, philosophers, and musicians who sacrifice everything for their craft and for each other. It is a timeless story of youthful passion and the fragile beauty of a love that flickers brightly before the cold reality of the world intrudes.

EPSG:4326

La bohème

North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie

An intensive opera workshop in collaboration with the Opera Festival of Chicago and California State University Northridge (CSUN) with Sasha Gerritson (Stage Director), Emanuele Andrizzi (Conductor) of OFC and Elisabetta Russo (Artistic Director) of Opera Lab.  Italian Opera Lab is a three-day intensive workshop dedicated to the Italian Operatic repertoire , featuring semi-staged scenes, focused coaching vocal technique, interpretation, and Italian diction. The program also includes a lecture and panel discussion, and concludes with a final public performance.

Italian Opera Lab

California State University, Northridge

The season concludes with Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, one of the most powerful and enduring works of the Italian verismo tradition. The opera follows a troupe of traveling actors whose onstage comedy begins to mirror the painful realities of their own lives. As jealousy, betrayal, and heartbreak intensify, the boundaries between performance and truth collapse, leading to a shocking and unforgettable climax. Audiences are also invited to a pre-performance talk exploring the evolution of Italian opera and how the art form transformed from virtuosic vocal display into gripping theatrical drama.

Pagliacci

### Event Description: Music Theater Works: Carousel

**Event Title:** Music Theater Works: Carousel

**Venue:** Center Theatre, North Shore Center For The Performing Arts

**Dates and Times:**
- **Thursday, August 8, 2024:** 2:00 PM
- **Friday, August 9, 2024:** 7:00 PM
- **Saturday, August 10, 2024:** 7:30 PM
- **Sunday, August 11, 2024:** 2:00 PM
- **Wednesday, August 14, 2024:** 2:00 PM
- **Thursday, August 15, 2024:** 7:30 PM
- **Friday, August 16, 2024:** 7:30 PM
- **Saturday, August 17, 2024:** 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM
- **Sunday, August 18, 2024:** 2:00 PM

**Description:**
Experience the timeless magic of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s "Carousel," a musical masterpiece voted the best musical of the 20th Century by Time Magazine. Directed by Sasha Gerritson and choreographed by Andrew Waters, this production brings to life the powerful and moving story that has captivated audiences for generations. Featuring beloved songs such as "If I Loved You," "You’ll Never Walk Alone," and "Soliloquy," "Carousel" promises an unforgettable theatrical experience.

**Tickets:**
Tickets are available for purchase through [Ticketmaster](https://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/896810venueId57523).

**Additional Information:**
For more details on safety entry procedures, directions, parking, and other visitor information, please visit the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts website.

**Contact:**
- **Box Office:** 847-673-6300
- **Admin Office:** 847-679-9501

**Location:**
9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie, IL 60077

Don't miss your chance to see this iconic musical brought to life on stage. Add the event to your calendar and secure your tickets today!

Music Theater Works: Carousel

Seattle Center

### Event Description: Manon Lescaut by Giacomo Puccini

#### Overview
The Opera Festival of Chicago proudly presents Giacomo Puccini’s celebrated opera, *Manon Lescaut*. Based on Abbé Prévost’s novel, this tragic tale explores Manon’s internal conflict between love and luxury. Premiered in 1893, *Manon Lescaut* remains a timeless masterpiece in the operatic repertoire.

#### Performance Details
- **Dates and Times:**
  - **Thursday, June 27, 2024, at 7:30 PM**
  - **Saturday, June 29, 2024, at 7:30 PM**
  - **Sunday, June 30, 2024, at 2:00 PM**
- **Venue:** Cahn Auditorium, 600 Emerson St, Evanston, IL 60201
- **Running Time:** 120 minutes with a 15-minute intermission
- **Language:** Performed in Italian with English supertitles
- **Tickets:** $25 - $125

#### Cast and Crew
- **Conductor:** Emanuele Andrizzi
- **Director:** Sasha Gerritson
- **Chorus Master:** Reid Taylor
- **Featuring:**
  - **Maria Natale** (Manon Lescaut - June 27 & 30)
  - **Jessica Sandidge** (Manon Lescaut - June 29)
  - **Eric Dubin** (Lescaut)
  - **Matthew White** (Chevalier Renato des Grieux - June 27 & 30)
  - **Benjamin Werley** (Chevalier Renato des Grieux - June 29)
  - **Anthony Reed** (Geronte di Ravoir)
  - **Reuben Lillie** (Edmondo)
  - **David Greene** (Dance Master/Lamplighter)
  - **Aurelien Mangwa** (Sergeant at Arms)
  - **Chris Filipowicz** (Innkeeper L’Oeste)
  - **Kevin Wheatle** (Naval Captain)
  - **Floriana Bivona** (Wig Maker)
  - **Lauryn Nelson** (Solo Madrigal Singer)
  - **Gisella Milla, Elise Hurwitz, Vera Schmitz, Carmen Vizin** (Quartet madrigal singers)

#### Additional Information
- **Libretto by:** Luigi Illica, Marco Praga, and Domenico Oliva
- **Orchestra and Chorus:** Opera Festival of Chicago Orchestra & Chorus

#### Venue Directions
- **Google Maps Directions:** [Cahn Auditorium](https://maps.google.com/?q=600+Emerson+St,+Evanston,+IL+60201)

#### Ticket Purchase
- **Purchase Tickets:** [Link to Ticket Purchase](#)

Join us for an unforgettable evening of passion, drama, and exquisite music as we bring Puccini’s *Manon Lescaut* to life. Secure your tickets now and be part of this extraordinary operatic experience.

Manon Lescaut by Giacomo Puccini

Northwestern University

From the writing of T. S. Eliot’s 1935 play, “Murder at the Cathedral” remains one of Ildebrando Pizzetti’s most celebrated compositions. This dramatic opera portrays the assassination of Archbishop Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral during the reign of Henry II in 1170.

Director

Sasha Gerritson

Events

Past events

Jun 26 - Jul 5, 2026

La bohème · Opera Festival of Chicago

10 - 13 Mar, 2026

Italian Opera Lab · Opera Festival of Chicago

About

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