Chicago Lifestyle Podcast & Video Blog
“Aida” by Giuseppe Verdi under the direction of Francesca Zamnello, and conducted by Enrique Mazzola is opera in the grand tradition at Lyric in Chicago for the first time in more than a decade. [*Please note there was confusion in the names on the podcast. …
Bill Wilson is an alcoholic who realized the help he needed could only come from someone who understood first hand what he was experiencing. After meeting a fellow sufferer of alcoholic addiction, the two realize this process could help others. As a result Bill and …
How did a Chicago Policeman become known worldwide as a collector, publisher, and the savior of Irish traditional music?
After immigrating from Ireland as a young boy Captain Francis O’Neill (August 28, 1848–January 28, 1936) rose through the ranks to become Chief of Police of the Chicago Police Department serving from 1901 to 1905
Since so many individuals had fled the Erin Isle as result of the Great Famine much of the local traditions and cultures were at risk of being lost.
This was similarly true of many other European immigrant populations as well, ultimately making America a repository of cultural traditions which became frozen in time as emigres continued to perform customs and music that was slowly changing and eroding away in their native lands.
Chief Francis O’Neill was a lover of music and took it upon himself to collect the tunes he heard in the pubs, taverns, churches and on the streets of Chicago which had a sizeable Irish descended population.
He recorded much of the music he heard onto newly invented wax cylinders and transposed the tunes into written music that he published. His text quickly became the standard reference for both professional and amateur performers of this genre.
Eventually, these publications made their way back to Ireland during the latter part of the twentieth century where Chief O’Neill has been credited for essentially saving Irish folk music.
Dr. Aileen Dillane of the University of Limerick has written a thesis in which she makes the case that the city of Chicago itself is imprinted in the work of O’Neill.
She describes a perfect storm of opportunity that provided O’Neill not only with the raw material in terms of music and musicians but also the requisite entrepreneurial bedrock he needed to successfully assemble, print and distribute his published collections.
This program was recorded at the Irish-American Heritage Center by Chicago Access Network Television (CANTV).
*Many Chicagoans have become aware of Chief O’Neill through the popularity of the cozy Irish pub on Elston Avenue that bears his name.
Can you shake loose the pain of the past and reclaim your legacy? Shortly after the end of the Civil War two former slaves ruminate on their experiences living and working within Monticello, the estate of former President Thomas Jefferson. In doing so they find …
This Madkap Production of “A Chorus Line” at the Skokie Theater, directed by Wayne Mell is on pointe, tapping into the essence of a story of love and dedication to the art of dance. “A Chorus Line” is an anthology of songs and monologues bringing …
Pippin was co-written and originally directed and choreographed by Chicago native Bob Fosse in 1972 who was at the very epicenter of his highly successful and frenetic career and possibly the pinnacle of his drug addiction that at least partly explains this bizarre tale of young Pippin’s quest for meaning in his life. Fosse’s fingerprints (or dare I say footprints) are all over this psychedelic fever dream
My initial reaction is to characterize Pippin as The Fantastiks meets Godspell. Explaining the plot is about as easy as trying to recall and interpret the details a dream. What happened is not exactly clear but the production is a feast for the senses that makes use of the entire spectrum of theater craft. Music Theater Works is known for musical excellence and they do not disappoint us in this production.
Listen to my entire review and editorial comments.
Note to Chicagoans: Fosse attended Amundsen High School in the West Andersonville / Bowmanville neighborhood. He worked as an underaged dancer in various downtown cabarets and burlesque shows before making his mark in New York City.
Sonia Goldberg – Leading Player
Connor Ripperger – Pippin
Kathleen Puls Andrade – Berthe
Thomas M. Shea – Charlemagne
Savannah Sinclair – Fastrada, Leading Player U/S
Andrew Freeland – Lewis
Desiree Gonzalez – Catherine
Di’Aire Wilson – Theo
The Pippin Ensemble are
Jenny Couch – ensemble, Catherine U/S
Ciara Hickey – ensemble
Alex Iacobucci – ensemble
Lacey Jack – ensemble
Samira Jasmine – ensemble
Katie Kotila – ensemble, Fastrada U/S
Justin Payton Nelson – ensemble, Lewis U/S
Mollyanne Nunn – ensemble
Jordan “J.Ro” Ordonez – ensemble
Kaitlyn Pasquinelli – ensemble
Dane Strange – ensemble
Eustace J. Williams – ensemble, Pippin U/S
Adeera Harris – swing
Wilson Paul Hicken – swing
The Pippin creative team includes
An entertaining Asian-American rockabilly musical at the Lookingglass Theatre, Lucy and Charlie’s Honeymoon by Matthew C. Yee is a light romp with a dark twist followed by a hasty, muddled ending wrapped up in a cloud of very good music all of which is performed …
For a professional theater experience in Chicago you can’t do much better than the Lyric opera production of West Side Story. This Leonard Bernstein / Stephen Sondheim musical deemed cutting edge and somewhat avantgarde when first introduced is now a classic. West Side Story leans …
Sighted and visually impaired members of the Chicago Uptown Lions Club enjoyed a special tour of the new state-of-the-art Pepper Family Wildlife Center recently opened to replace the old Lincoln Park Zoo Lion House.
Fans of the old Lion House originally built in 1912 will be happy to see that the renovation was achieved in a way that preserves and enhances the architecturally significant features of the historic structure.
Use player above or click here to listen to the podcast.
Thanks to tour guide Bill Green, Hart Prins Fund Accessibility & Inclusion Manager.
Chicago Uptown Lions Mark Kotz, Sharon Howerton, Suzy Travers-Byster, Bob Solomon and Albert Anderson, with guest Juile Lovison.
Update: This original story written by us was printed in the Inside Publications Chicago area newspapers and an excerpt was used in the Lions International Club magazine.
This is a very interesting and well done documentary produced by the Jewish Neighborhood Development Council about the West Ridge / West Rogers Park neighborhood that includes a fair amount of history as well as current activity driving the popularity of this neighborhood particularly among …
This podcast episode can be described as a day in the life of a Jeopardy! champion. As a huge fan of the popular game show I was very excited to talk with seven time winner Brian Chang about the behind the scenes action from a …
My wife Julie and I were on hand Friday, January 27th, 2023 at Lighthouse ArtSpace to celebrate the 267th birthday of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, which included a sneak peek kickoff of their newest experiential exhibit – – Mozart Immersive: The Soul of a Genius. Before the doors opened to the general public and V.I.P guests I had an opportunity to record and exclusive interview with the production’s musical director, Maestro Constantine Orbelian which you can hear in the podcast above.
Past ArtSpace presentations have featured the works of visual artists such as Van Gogh and Frida Kahlo. The unusual multi-media exhibits employ cutting edge projection techniques to create a 360 degree immersive visual experience. This particular Mozart presentation is the first to feature a musician. The producers assembled the expert creative team of Massimiliano Siccardi (Artistic Creator), Luca Longobardi (Composer) and Vittorio Guidotti (Artistic Director) to craft dream-like 18th century inspired imagery.
Mozart Immersive will have its world premiere in Chicago, March 10, 2023 at the Lighthouse ArtSpace on the corner of Clark Street and Germania Place with no immediate plans for the exhibit to travel to other cities.
Terri Hemmert of WXRT Radio acted as host and emcee for the birthday bash with live music by The Ryan Center Ensemble featuring Basso vocalist William Clay Thompson singing an aria from Don Giovanni with Chris Reynolds on Piano followed by an expert chamber quartet from The Music of the Baroque performing the ever popular Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and Divertimento in D Major.
The final production will be a kind of retrospective of highlights from the short life of Mozart. The program integrates video re-enactments alongside the animation. Many will be delighted to see legendary dancer and actor Mikhail Baryshnikov in the heart-rending role of Mozart’s father, Leopold.
The music arranged by Composer, Luca Longobardi, that will accompany the Mozart Immersive production was recorded under the baton of four-time Grammy Nominated Maestro Orbelian, by the Lithuanian, Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra where he is chief conductor.
Take a listen to the podcast (at the top of this page) to enjoy my conversation with the Maestro.
Details: Tickets are on sale now for Mozart Immersive at http://mozartimmersive.com
Lighthouse ArtSpace Chicago is at 108 W. Germania Place off Clark Street just one block south of North Avenue.
(Photo-credit: Kyle-Flubacker)
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