FALSTAFF, ossia LE TRE BURLE
FALSTAFF, or THE THREE TRICKS

Chicago Premiere

Dec. 3 @7:30 PM | Dec. 5 @7:30 PM | Dec. 7 @ 3:00 PM, 2025

Studebaker Theater at the Fine Arts Building | 410 S Michigan Ave.

Though best known today for his supposed rivalry with Mozart, Antonio Salieri was a prolific and successful composer in his own right. COT honors the 200th Anniversary of Salieri’s death in 1825 with the Chicago premiere of his sparkling comedy, Falstaff, ossia Le tre burle (Falstaff, or The Three Tricks). Librettist Carlo Prospero Defranceschi based his work on the charming anti-hero, Sir John Falstaff, from multiple Shakespeare plays. Premiered in 1799 and inspired by the plot of Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, Falstaff follows the misadventures of the arrogant and bumbling knight as he schemes to seduce two married women — only to be hilariously outwitted by their clever tricks. This comedic tale of human folly, deception, and the triumph of wit over arrogance remains as fresh and funny as ever.

COT’s new production of Salieri’s Falstaff will be directed by Robin Guarino and conducted by Christine Brandes, both making their debuts with the company. Internationally acclaimed baritone Stephen Powell – who began his career as a member of the Young Artist Program at Lyric Opera of Chicago - also makes his COT debut in title role, alongside distinguished local artists soprano Vanessa Becerra as Mistress Ford, tenor Andrew Morstein as Master Ford, Tzytle Steinman as Mistress Slender, recent Ryan Center alumni baritone Laureano Quant as Master Slender and soprano Denis Vélez as Betty. Audiences are sure to enjoy this enchanting blend of Italian opera buffa and Viennese classical elegance, offering a unique perspective on one of Shakespeare’s most beloved characters.

DER SILBERSEE: A WINTER’S FAIRY TALE
THE SILVERLAKE

Chicago Premiere

Mar. 4 @7:30 PM | Mar. 6 @7:30 PM | Mar. 8 @ 3:00 PM, 2026

Studebaker Theater at the Fine Arts Building | 410 S Michigan Ave.

Premiered in Germany on February 18, 1933, and promptly banned by the recently elected Nazi party, Der Silbersee (The Silverlake) was composer Kurt Weill’s final theatrical work written before he fled to Paris in March 1933 to escape the rising tide of fascism, eventually immigrating to the United States. A groundbreaking work that stands as both a testament to artistic defiance and a timeless reflection of humanity's struggles and hopes, Der Silbersee is a genre-defying masterpiece that blurs the boundaries between opera, operetta, and musical theater, paving the way for the future of music drama. Written in collaboration with dramatist Georg Kaiser, the narrative tells the poignant story of Severin, a destitute man shot while stealing a pineapple, and Olim, the policeman who wounds him but later nurses him back to health as he seeks redemption. At its heart, this deeply human tale asks a question that resonates deeply today: How can we find reconciliation and hope in a fractured world? Weill’s score —an extraordinary blend of late-Romantic lyricism, sharp modernist edges, and the propulsive energy of popular song — underscores the work’s emotional depth and political urgency, seamlessly shifting between satire, poignancy, and surrealism.

The Chicago Premiere production at COT will be directed by Lawrence Edelson and conducted by James Lowe in his COT debut. The cast will feature tenor Curtis Bannister as Severin, and the COT debuts of bass baritone Justin Hopkins as Olim, Ariana Strahl as Fennimore, and tenor Dylan Morrongiello as both The Lottery Agent and Baron Laur. Mezzo soprano Leah Dexter returns to COT as the duplicitous Frau von Luber, and soprano Boya Wei and mezzo soprano Sophia Maekawa are featured as the Shopgirls. With its stunning music, moving story, and enduring message, Der Silbersee is as relevant now it was in 1933 — a mirror to the past, a reflection of our world today, and a beacon of hope for the future.

THE VANGUARD INITIATIVE:
TRUSTED

Piano / Vocal Workshop Concert: Sep. 21 @ 3:00 PM, 2025
Gannon Concert Hall at DePaul University | 2330 N Halsted St.

and

Concert World Premiere: May 30 @ 3:00 PM, 2026
Studebaker Theater at the Fine Arts Building | 410 S Michigan Ave.

What is trust? How is it earned, and how is it shattered? When an accomplished financial advisor is exposed for orchestrating a decades-long fraud, the fallout extends far beyond his clients — it fractures the very foundation of his family. His two daughters struggle to reconcile the man they knew with the crimes he has committed. As the truth unravels, so do their own perceptions of loyalty, morality, and the fragile nature of trust itself. Set against the backdrop of a high-stakes financial scandal, Trusted is an intimate exploration of deception, betrayal, and the emotional toll of broken faith. Through a dynamic score by Vanguard Composer Aaron Israel Levin and a taut, contemporary libretto by Marella Martin Koch, the opera delves into the complexities of family bonds, the weight of inherited legacies, and the search for redemption in a world where trust—once lost—may never be regained.

The Vanguard Initiative is COT's comprehensive residency program for composers ready to delve into the world of opera. During the 2025/26 season, COT expands audience access to the creative process by opening the piano/vocal workshop for the seventh opera commissioned through the program. This unique opportunity not only allows audiences to witness the work’s evolution for the first workshop in September 2025 to the concert world premiere in May 2026, but to also play a hands-on role in its development.

Former COT Music Director Lidiya Yankovskaya returns to the company to conduct Trusted.  The cast for both the September workshop and the concert world premiere in May will feature sopranos Tracy Cantin and Meghan Kasanders, mezzo soprano Quinn Middleman, and bass baritone Kyle Albertson.

DISCOVERY CONCERT:
SHAKESPEARE SINGS

Oct. 19 @ 3:00 PM, 2025

Studebaker Theater at the Fine Arts Building | 410 S Michigan Ave.

While Salieri and Defranceschi were early adaptors of Shakespeare’s plays into operas, the Bard’s works were frequently adapted for the opera stage in the 19th century and continue to be a source of inspiration for opera writers to this day. The Merry Wives of Windsor alone spawned at least three additional operatic adaptations including Otto Nicolai’sDie lustigen Weiber von Windsor (1842), Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Sir John in Love (1929) and the most enduring version, Giuseppe Verdi’s Falstaff (1894). Shakespeare Sings will take audiences on an unforgettable journey through the passion, comedy, tragedy, and romance inspired by the lasting genius of Shakespeare. Featuring a rich tapestry of arias and scenes from operas inspired by the Bard's plays, the concert will showcase both beloved masterpieces and hidden gems from the operatic repertoire that have never been performed in Chicago before, including works by Purcell, Rossini, Nicolai, Thomas, Berlioz, Gounod, Verdi, Hahn, Vaughn Williams, Britten, Barber, Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Hoiby, Adès and more.  Yasuko Oura returns to COT as Music Director and Pianist.

DISCOVERY CONCERT:
IN AMERICA’S EMBRACE
CELEBRATING IMMIGRANT COMPOSERS

Jan. 18 @ 3:00 PM, 2026

Studebaker Theater at the Fine Arts Building | 410 S Michigan Ave.

This concert celebrates the extraordinary stories and music of composers who sought refuge in America, escaping persecution in their homelands. This concert will honor the visionary artists who found safety on new shores and transformed the cultural landscape of their adopted home, with music by Kurt Weill, Irving Berlin, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Paul Hindemith, Bohuslav Martinů, Astor Piazzolla, Bright Sheng, Tania León, Igor Stravinsky, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, and others.  These composers found in America not only safety, but also the opportunity to expand their creative horizons.  This concert is part of the America 250 artistic programming taking place nationwide in 2026 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. COT celebrates this milestone by uplifting the profound contributions of immigrant composers and of America’s enduring role as a haven for creative freedom. Laurie Rogers makes her debut with COT as Music Director and Pianist for this special concert.