by Kathleen Anwar • Nov 7, 2021
A boy and girl falling in love, a vengeful mother-in-law hunting an alleged kidnapper, and ... a group of Freemasons completing their initiation rituals? Mozart's The Magic Flute is full of surprises at Chicago's Lyric Opera. For opera fans, the greatest surprise of all may be the show's unusual production style which relies exclusively on a projected animated backdrop for both set and props, hearkening back to the Nickelodeon era of the 1910s. Spectators who delight in edgy and creative reinterpretations of classic pieces will be sure to enjoy this production-but those who appreciate the extravagance of the traditional opera may find it wanting.