Close Up: The Importance of Being Earnest
Join Chicago Opera Theater for Close Up with The Importance of Being Earnest, an engaging conversation exploring Oscar Wilde’s beloved comedy and Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s musical adaptation of the work. Moderated by Lawrence Edelson, General Director of Chicago Opera Theater, the conversation brings together an extraordinary group of artists and scholars, and will also feature musical excerpts from COT’s upcoming production.
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The Importance of Being Earnest
Chicago Opera Theater brings a “trivial comedy for serious people” to Chicago audiences with the Chicago premiere of Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s The Importance of Being Earnest, a sparkling operatic adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s beloved play and a joyful tribute to the history of classical music itself.
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The Importance of Being Earnest
Chicago Opera Theater brings a “trivial comedy for serious people” to Chicago audiences with the Chicago premiere of Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s The Importance of Being Earnest, a sparkling operatic adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s beloved play and a joyful tribute to the history of classical music itself.
LEARN MORE
BUY TICKETS
The Importance of Being Earnest
Chicago Opera Theater brings a “trivial comedy for serious people” to Chicago audiences with the Chicago premiere of Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s The Importance of Being Earnest, a sparkling operatic adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s beloved play and a joyful tribute to the history of classical music itself.
LEARN MORE
BUY TICKETS
Once Upon a Time - Discovery Concert
Complementing The Juniper Tree, this concert will explore the enduring role of fairy tales in opera, tracing how different artists have drawn on folklore and myth—from familiar childhood stories to more haunting and psychologically complex narratives—to create some of the repertoire’s most evocative works.
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Murder at the Opera - The 2027 COT Gala
Murder at the Opera is an immersive, theatrical gala that blends music and mystery in equal measure. Guests will step into a glamorous operatic whodunnit, where famous opera characters mingle among you, secrets unfold over cocktails and dinner, and musical clues are woven throughout the evening. Whether you choose to immerse yourself in the mystery or simply enjoy watching the drama unfold, the evening promises elegance, surprise, and no shortage of intrigue—all in support of the daring work that defines Chicago Opera Theater.
Additional information about the 2027 Gala will be available in the late fall.
The Juniper Tree
Dark, haunting, and deeply poetic, The Juniper Tree is one of the most striking—and unsettling—stories from the Brothers Grimm. In its Chicago premiere, COT brings this moving fairy tale to life in a mesmerizing operatic adaptation by composers Philip Glass and Robert Moran, with a libretto by playwright Arthur Yorinks.
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The Juniper Tree
Dark, haunting, and deeply poetic, The Juniper Tree is one of the most striking—and unsettling—stories from the Brothers Grimm. In its Chicago premiere, COT brings this moving fairy tale to life in a mesmerizing operatic adaptation by composers Philip Glass and Robert Moran, with a libretto by playwright Arthur Yorinks.
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The Juniper Tree
Dark, haunting, and deeply poetic, The Juniper Tree is one of the most striking—and unsettling—stories from the Brothers Grimm. In its Chicago premiere, COT brings this moving fairy tale to life in a mesmerizing operatic adaptation by composers Philip Glass and Robert Moran, with a libretto by playwright Arthur Yorinks.
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Opera for All - All School Showcase
COT’s Opera for All All-School Showcase brings together students from 30 Chicago Public School classrooms for a joyful culmination of their year-long residencies, as they take the stage to perform scenes from original operas they have created.
Additional information and registration for this FREE event will be available in the winter of 2027.
Inventing Oz
Inventing Oz is a fantastical exploration of how L. Frank Baum’s imagination was ignited during his years living in Chicago, leading to the creation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It illuminates how America’s most beloved fairyland was shaped by Baum’s life in Chicago, including the spectacle of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, how Oz’s good witches were inspired by Baum’s suffragist mother-in-law, and the way Dorothy’s search for home echoes that of her creator. Full of brains, heart and courage, Inventing Oz throws back the curtain to reveal a rapidly changing America, and one man’s struggle to find the right story.
Written by composer Stacy Garrop and librettist Sam Norman, Inventing Oz is projected to premiere in 2029. Audiences will have the opportunity to experience the work’s development firsthand through a piano-vocal workshop and concert of the work-in-progress, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of this exciting new opera while furthering COT’s commitment to expanding access to the artistic process.
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On the Wilde Side - Discovery Concert
Inspired by Oscar Wilde’s enduring influence on composers, the concert will explore the wide range of operatic adaptations and art song drawn from his plays stories and poetry—highlighting both the wit and darker lyricism that define his work, and offering a rich contextual companion to COT’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest.
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Take Home the Drama: COT Costume Sale
As part of Second Fridays at the Fine Arts Building, COT is opening its costume warehouse and offering an eclectic selection of pieces from past productions for sale. Whether you’re searching for a one-of-a-kind Halloween costume, something fabulous for your wardrobe, or simply a theatrical treasure you won’t find anywhere else, come browse the racks and give a piece of COT history a new life!
All proceeds from COT’s Costume Sale will benefit Opera for All, Chicago Opera Theater’s education program serving 30 classrooms across the greater Chicago area.