John Von Rhein

In recent seasons Chicago has seen a healthy uptick in underground opera. Small music theater troupes are presenting neglected contemporary chamber operas on shoestring budgets in intimate spaces far removed...

Early music groups come and go in Chicago, but the ensemble that started it all continues to thrive, setting an example of artistic integrity and sound management for the groups...

One of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's prime functions is to serve as a testing ground for promising young conductors. That has been less evident at Lyric Opera. Yet both of...

Portraying empowered women on the operatic stage just seems to come naturally to Albina Shagimuratova. Part of that undoubtedly owes to the Russian soprano's temperament, training and keen musical-dramatic intelligence....

In my review of Lyric Opera's season-opening "Das Rheingold" a couple of weeks ago, I voiced the hope that later performances of this first installment of director David Pountney's new...

Last week found Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra reaching out to ordinary citizens with their annual free community concert and, two nights later, regaling patrons at the CSO...

What a joyride the Ear Taxi Festival has been! From the Patricia Barber song cycle that launched the event Wednesday, to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's MusicNOW program that concluded it...

The staggering amount of brand-new classical music that is emerging from the inaugural Ear Taxi Festival reflects a broad-shouldered synergy among local composers, performers and audience members that's rare in...

It would be nice to be able to report that the first piece of new music played by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra this season was a truly distinguished entry in...