Lyric leans toward tradition in announcing 2013-14 season

The Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced a very traditional eight-opera lineup for the 2013-14 season.

It features Verdi’s Shakespearean tragedy “Otello” (eight performances from Oct. 5-Nov. 2); Puccini’s tear-jerker of bigamy and cultural misunderstanding, “Madama Butterfly” (11 performances from Oct. 15-30 and Jan. 11-26); Wagner’s Holy Grail-inspired “Parsifal” (six performances from Nov. 9-29); Verdi’s tragic romance “La Traviata” (10 performances from Nov. 20-Dec. 20); Strauss’ frothy operetta “Die Fledermaus” (nine performances from Dec. 10-Jan. 18); Rossini’s zany comedy “The Barber of Seville” (10 performances from Feb. 1-28); the Lyric debut of Dvorák’s “Little Mermaid”-influenced “Rusalka” (six performances from Feb. 22-March 16) and Mozart’s late opera seria “La Clemenza di Tito” (seven performances from March 5-23).

Only one opera is a revival (“Otello”), while four others feature new productions (“Rusalka,” “The Barber of Seville,” “Parsifal” and “La Traviata”). Three are new-to-Chicago stagings: “Madama Butterfly,” “Die Fledermaus” and “La Clemenza di Tito”.

The Lyric also announced its partnership with the Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization through its American Musical Theater Initiative to produce four other spring musicals by the celebrated Broadway composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II. The Lyric will stage “The Sound of Music” in 2014, “Carousel” in 2015, “The King and I” in 2016 and “South Pacific” in 2017 following this May’s 70th anniversary production of “Oklahoma!”

Also on tap is a Subscriber Appreciation Recital featuring German star tenor Jonas Kaufmann with Lyric creative consultant Renée Fleming on March 19, 2014.

All operas are performed with projected English translations. For more information on casting, conductors, directors and designers, call (312) 332-2244, ext. 5600, or visit lyricopera.org.