The American Story
Auditorium Theatre presents “Margaret Garner”

In 1856 a woman killed her 2-year-old daughter with a butcher knife rather than see her child return to a life of slavery. This is the story of Margaret Garner. Certainly a controversial story from pre-Civil War America, Garner’s struggle was the inspiration for Toni Morrison’s Pulitzer winning “Beloved,” later turned into a film starring Oprah Winfrey. In 2005 Morrison, along with composer Richard Danielpour, saw the birth of the opera “Margaret Garner”; and now, 2008 brings the grand opera back to Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre.

“This story is an African-American story, yes it is, but it is also an American story,” says Brett Batterson, executive director of the Auditorium. Batterson has been involved with “Margaret Garner” for some time. He worked at Michigan Opera Theatre, the company that originally commissioned the work and co-presents the Chicago engagement, when the work was being developed. He is thrilled to have the opera on the stage of his new home.

“It is important that people come see this,” says Batterson, “it is a wonderful piece of American opera. It is new and accessible.”

Kenny Leon, director of the recent Broadway revival of “Raisin in the Sun,” helms this production. He too has been with the opera since its beginnings. Leon hopes that Chicago audiences will get enthused about the opera and bring the entire family. Above all he feels it is a love story about a family.

Both Batterson and Leon say that this work has the ability to reach beyond the traditional opera crowd to a broader audience that may be intimidated by the idea of opera. Batterson believes it is a great vehicle to introduce members of the community to the art form. Musically Leon feels the work comes from a place listeners might expect from opera while embracing the sounds of more modern genres. “It encompasses many musical tastes but sits in the bed of classical music.”

Although the Auditorium was originally built for opera and classical music, “Margaret Garner” will mark the first time since 1941 an opera of this scale has been presented on its stage. With more than 150 artists, this promises to be grand on the scale of Lyric Opera of Chicago. With the community’s support, Leon hopes it will transcend being a musical experience and become an opportunity to grow. “Through the course of the evening you will learn something about our past, our present and our future.” (William Scott)

“Margaret Garner” opens November 1 at the Auditorium Theatre

ALSO THIS FALL...

Caroline, or Change

The Chicago premiere of Tony Kushner's ambitious musical mixes Negro spirituals, blues and Motown with Jewish Klezmer and folk music against a backdrop of the civil rights struggle in the American South, circa 1963.

Begins September 11 at Court Theatre.

Joffrey Tower Opening Event Series

The Joffrey celebrates the opening of its tower of dance with a series of events, some hoity-toity, some for the people.

September 11-15 at The Joffrey Tower at State and Randolph.

San Francisco Ballet

America's oldest ballet company celebrates its seventy-fifth anniversary season with a week in Chicago, its first visit here in two decades

Opens September 16 at the Harris Theater.

Kafka on the Shore

Haruki Murakami, Frank Galati and the Steppenwolf ensemble. What else do you need to know about this world premiere?

Begins September 18 at Steppenwolf.

Ten Cent Night

Chicago Dramatists kicks off its thirtieth-anniversary season with a world-premiere comedy by Marisa Wegrzyn featuring a dysfunctional country-music family on the road.

Begins September 18 at Chicago Dramatists.

Turn of the Century

Tommy Tune directs Jeff Daniels and Rachel York in the world-premiere musical from the team behind "Jersey Boys," as a duo who travel in time and music through the twentieth century.

Begins September 19 at Goodman Theatre.

David Dorfman Dance

Politically charged dance tackles the Weather Underground and abolitionist John Brown

Opens September 25 at the Dance Center of Columbia College.

Dirty Dancing—The Classic Story on Stage

Will Broadway put Baby in the corner? Chicago gets first look in this pre-White Way premiere of what hopes to be a blockbuster musical.

Starts September 28 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre.

The Troublesome Reign and Lamentable Death of Edward II, King of England, with the Tragical Fall of Proud Mortimer

Wundkerkind director Sean Graney tackles Shakespeare's contemporary rival Christopher Marlowe in a production that features actors performing amongst standing members of the audience.

Begins October 1 at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

Eurydice

Something tells us that Sarah Ruhl's take on the Greek Orpheus myth will be controversial. We heard it on the "Dead Man's Cell Phone."

Begins October 3 at Victory Gardens.

The Fall Series

Hubbard Street Dance kicks off its expanded local season with a couple of audience favorites—“Minus Sixteen" and "Extremely Close"—along with a world premiere.

Opens October 9 at the Harris Theater.

Lulu

Alban Berg's "Lulu," one of the great twentieth-century operas, is a perfect atonal example of German Expressionism that is rarely produced.

Opens November 7 at the Lyric Opera.

Gatz

Experimental theater meets F. Scott Fitzgerald in this six-hour staging of "The Great Gatsby," unabridged, as performed by Elevator Repair Service.

Opens November 14 at the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Cut to the Quick

The side project undertakes a yearlong series of forty unpublished one-acts from mostly local playwrights, including folks like Sean Graney and Brett Neveu.

Begins November 16 at the side project.

Global Rhythms 4

Chicago Human Rhythm Project brings Barbatuques to Chicago for their North American premiere, with their mix of Afro-Brazilian chants, body drumming, stomping feet, video montage and pulsating rhythms.

Opens November 28 at the Harris Theater.

(2008-09-02)

about Newcitychicago | about Newcity magazine | advertising | privacy policy | FAQ | employment