A soprano with a golden voice and tenor who sings with power and beauty. Plus a baritone whose phrasing is exquisite and a bass whose low notes are sinister, indeed. That’s the core of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Ernani,” now in production at the Lyric Opera, and Chicago has assembled a dream team. American soprano Sondra Radvanovsky, […]
ValsList Thanksgiving Mix
When the laurel-laden production “Billy Elliot the Musical” opens in Chicago in March, it will star 3 young boys with astonishing talents. The dancers will alternate in the role, and Broadway in Chicago introduced the trio—and their moms and caretakers—to the press Sept. 10. The Broadway show, based on the 2000 film about an […]
Has the missing link ever been found? In 1912 a skull supposedly unearthed in Sussex, England seemed to prove that man had evolved from the ape, supporting Charles Darwin’s “Origin of the Species” published more than half a century earlier. That’s the crux of the new, thought-provoking drama “Fake,” which opened at Steppenwolf on Sept. […]
Is your iPod the only thing not feelin’ the heat these days? No worries—we’ve got songs to make your summer sing, whether you’re lounging outdoors or on the go. These two playlists are the mixology of Winnetka’s Val Haller, creator of the music site Valslist. To purchase and download all the songs at once, simply […]
Most of us are struggling to balance family and career obligations, but for some, too much is not enough! Of course, you’ve got your golf and tennis nuts, the devoted gardeners and the Internet surfers, but some parents are choosing to spend their “spare” time a little more creatively. There’s been a real proliferation […]
This off-beat comedy bears the master’s signature—one liners and sassy repartee. But most of the action takes place inside Jake’s head. Chuck Quinn gives a vigorous performance as the alternately manic and befuddled Jake, an author experiencing a mid-life crisis and facing the break-up of his second marriage. In addition to creating his fictional characters, […]
Imagine taking your family to a sunny Italian hamlet that time forgot, far away from the midwinter blahs…without jet lag! All you need are tickets to Lyric Opera of Chicago’s charming production of The Elixir of Love – available at special prices just for MakeItBetter readers! Lyric is offering discounted Mib tickets for adults (25%+ […]
