Lyric Opera 2022-2023 Issue 10 - West Side Story

Lyric Opera of Chicago | 6 Welcome to the Lyric Opera House! We are delighted you have joined us for this thrilling production of one of the great American musicals. West Side Story was revolutionary when it premiered on Broadway in 1957, bringing together a creative team of some of the titans of 20th century musical theater—director and choreographer Jerome Robbins, writer Arthur Laurents, composer Leonard Bernstein, and lyricist Stephen Sondheim—and their masterpiece still feels relevant and fresh onstage today. The team we have assembled to bring it to life here is similarly distinguished. It’s a great honor to welcome back acclaimed director Francesca Zambello, internationally known and respected for her exciting vision. Our cast, too, has brought tremendous excitement to this show—espe- cially our star pair, both making their debuts at Lyric. Our Maria, Kanisha Feliciano, is fresh from the closing run of Broadway’s Phantom of the Opera, where she was the first Latina actress ever to take the lead role. Her love interest, Tony, is played by Ryan McCartan, a well-known television star with leading roles on Broadway in Frozen and Wicked, among other shows. To see these radiant performers on this, the biggest stage in the city of Chicago, provides a rare opportunity to see this show’s captivating choreography and hear its gorgeous music at a scale that truly brings it alive, with the power of the Lyric Opera Orchestra lead by our dazzling music director for this production, James Lowe. We know that some in the audience today are making their debut here, as well. We welcome you with open arms. Whether it is your first time at Lyric or you are a longtime audience member, we trust you’ll be thrilled with the performance—and we hope to see you again for our exciting 2023/24 Season. On behalf of everyone at Lyric Opera of Chicago, we hope you enjoy West Side Story . Something’s coming—something good! From the Chair and the General Director SYLVIA NEIL Chair ANTHONY FREUD OBE President, General Director & CEO The Women’s Board Endowed Chair Todd Rosenberg Todd Rosenberg