Transgressive Theatre-Opera Announces 2017/2018 Season

Transgressive Theatre-Opera announces its fourth season!

In an exciting new partnership with Hyde Park's The Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company, Transgressive Theatre-Opera will open their season with a double bill of the new concert musical review, The Best of The Worst, After the Carpet Quarrel, The Finest Music in Gilbert and Sullivan's The Grand Duke and Utopia, Ltd., and Cox and Box, for which Sullivan also composed the music. The musical review that examines the final two operettas cobbled together by Gilbert and Sullivan after their partnership began to unravel, is a new compilation of the very best arias, duets, trios, quartets, quintets, and choruses from these two works. The various lovers in the two pieces, jostling their way toward satirical happiness, provide the first operatic classroom-examination in Transgressive Theatre-Opera's 2017/18 season. Producing Artistic Director Aaron Hunt's narration will provide quips and comedy to sew the numbers together. This new piece is paired with a fully-staged production of the Burnand/Sullivan gem, Cox and Box. Written for three men, two of whom occupy the same apartment at different times of the day according to the machinations of the third, finds the two rakes discovering that they have made love to, and then connived to flee from the same woman. Transgressive and The Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company have cast three women in the roles, who will appear in male drag. This is a new and stimulating concept for the production of this piece, rewarding the ladies an opportunity to step into the shoes of the scheming men, pointing up the lessons to be learned in even the frothiest operetta.

Singing the three gents are sopranos Celeste Peake and Teaira Burge, and mezzo-soprano Susan Gosdick.

Producing Artistic Director Aaron Hunt directs, with musical direction by Sarah Jenks.

Here are the production dates, times, and locations for this co-produced, double-bill of Best of The Worst/Cox and Box:

Friday, November 10, 7:30 in Ebenezer Lutheran Church's Sanctuary, 1650 W. Foster Ave., Chicago

Saturday, November 11, 7:30 in Ebenezer Lutheran Church's Sanctuary, 1650 W. Foster Ave., Chicago

Sunday, November 12, 1:30 in Ebenezer Lutheran Church's Sanctuary,1650 W. Foster Ave., Chicago

Saturday, December 9, 7:30 in Goodspeed Hall on the campus of the University of Chicago, 1010 E. 59th Street, Hyde Park, Chicago

Both locations are wheelchair accessible. Tickets are priced at $30.00, and may be purchased via Brown Paper Tickets:

Chicago, northside:

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3079870

Transgressive Theatre-Opera will continue their season with an a full production of Mozart's masterpiece, Cosi Fan Tutte, or All Women Are Like That. Another translation of this tricky title is the moniker for our season, The School for Lovers. For surely the men learn as many lessons about love and loss as do the women in this madcap tale, elevated by Mozart's incomparable score.

In defense of the sudden bursting into song in the lyric theatre cannon, it has been said that the music begins when speech is not enough, when the level of the character's emotions can no longer be conveyed by mere speech. What if it was the other way around? If the soundtrack must be silenced for whispered moments of resounding truth?

Transgressive Theatre-Opera will transport Mozart's foolhardy characters from long-ago to modern day, from coloratura bravado to quietly spoken veracity.

Bringing these pupils to life will be sopranos Mary Lutz Govertsen, Jessie Lyons, Teaira Burge, and Samantha Farmilant, mezzo-soprano Jori Johnson Jennings, tenors Ryan Townsend Strand and Matthew Peckham, baritones Noah Gartner, Jonathan Wilson, Steven Arvanites, and William Swain. Aaron Hunt directs, with musical direction by Sarah Jenks.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, here are the production dates times. All performances will take place in the auditorium at Ebenezer Lutheran Church, 1650 W. Foster Ave. Chicago, and are wheelchair accessible:

Friday, February 9, 7:30

Saturday, February 10, 1:30

Saturday, February 10, 7:30

Sunday, February 11, 6:00

Transgressive Theatre-Opera concludes its season with The Lieder, Chanson, and Hungarian Songs of Franz Lehár. This concert event, featuring all female artists, once more examines the larger human condition from that perspective, as was highlighted in last season's The Maligned Mezzo concert. This could be a continuing trend!

Lehár is often thought to be German, since his wonderfully successful operettas were written in that language. His Merry Widow is still one of the most popular operettas in the standard repertory. However, many do not know that Lehár was, in fact, Austro-Hungarian. Born in Hungary, and returning to Hungary before his death, Lehár penned glorious art song in his first tongue, while of course exercising his deep understanding of German. Even more surprising may be that his ear was so finely attuned to the French language, and his choice of French poetry to endow with his considerable melodic gifts proves that empathy.

TT-O seeks to bring together all communities in Chicago's beautiful human, patchwork quilt, particularly those classical music lovers (and classical music lovers to be!) from the German, French, and Hungarian peoples to hear these songs, written by a composer of profound gifts, and a deep connection to the heartfelt words of Hungarian, German, and French poets. This special concert has the potential to unite us all, at a time in our country's history when division seems to be the order of the day, helping us to momentarily rise above the scandals that beset us, while feeding our collective souls.

Sharing these messages are artists Meghan Guse (soprano), Elizabeth Rudolph (Wagnerian soprano), Catie Huggins (mezzo soprano), Kathryn Wills (mezzo-soprano) and Teresa Kang (piano).

The performance will take place on March 24 at 8:00 at Chicago's DANK Haus, 4740 N Western Ave., which is wheelchair accessible.

About Transgressive Theatre-Opera

Music that is as spoken as it is sung.
Spoken text so evocative and lyrical that it sings.

These are the tools for the type of storytelling that Transgressive Theatre-Opera offers, as envisioned and executed by artists from multiple disciplines: the soul-painters who can imagine and create the productions, and the performers who can inhabit the characters with fulsome artistic sensibilities.

As the line between theatre and music theatre continues to blur, a new lyric theatre is emerging, unhampered by labels and preconceived notions of ownership. Transgressive Theatre-Opera is excited to be part of the change.

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