Lyric Opera of Chicago closes its 2007-2008 season with outstanding productions of Rossini’s ever-popular comic opera The Barber of Seville, and Tchaikovsky’s romantic tragedy, Eugene Onegin (pictured), based on the novel in verse by Alexander Pushkin. It’s somewhat odd that Pushkin is universally regarded as the Russian national poet, but Tchaikovsky is not regarded as a Russian national composer. As great as he was, Tchaikovsky never embraced Russian nationalism in music (the use of folk melodies and native musical forms), but looked to Western European composers for inspiration. With world-class casts and lavish productions, Barber and Onegin continue in repertory through March 30 at the Civic Opera House; 312-332-2244; $187-$31. Photo by Ken Howard
SPOTLIGHT
