Critic’s Choice

Tue Jan 19, 2016 at 1:32 pm

By Lawrence A. Johnson

Tatiana Serjan. File photo: Todd Rosenberg
Tatiana Serjan. File photo: Todd Rosenberg

It’s a rare Lyric Opera season that doesn’t get around to Verdi or Puccini until the latter half of January.

Nabucco, Verdi’s third opera, was his first great success and the work that launched his career. In addition to offering one of the composer’s most celebrated choruses, “Va, pensiero,” Verdi’s drama of blood, religion and politics contains some of his most challenging solo music.

Fortunately, Lyric Opera has lined up an imposing cast with Željko Lučić in the title role, Tatiana Serjan as Abigaille, Dmitry Belosselskiy as Zaccaria, and Elizabeth DeShong as Fenena. Carlo Rizzi conducts.

Nabucco opens 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Civic Opera House and runs through February 12.  lyricopera.org; 312- 827-5600.

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Chicago native Anthony McGill, principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic, will be heard in two works Friday night in the University of Chicago Presents series. Marking the Marlboro Festival’s 50th anniversary season, McGill will be joined by Musicians from Marlboro in a program featuring Beethoven’s String Trio, Op. 9, no. 3, Penderecki’s Clarinet Quintet and Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet.

Concert time is 7:30 p.m. Friday at Mandel Hall. chicagopresents.uchicago.edu; 773-702-8068.

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