The Russian Soprano Anna Netrebko made her long awaited Chicago Lyric Debut in the title role of Puccini's "La Boheme."
Netrebko wowed critics around the Chicago area for her lustrous singing and for her acting. The Chicago Sun-Times stated "Her voice is big, very big, and her sound is rich, even luscious. Her acting can be serious and her decisions strong, including cutting much uncharacteristically silly business that director Louisa Muller had added to Mimi's death scene the first time around."
The Chicago Tribune stated that Netrebko "has beauty, voice and charisma to burn." The publication added, "the velvety richness and beauty of her sound, the sensitivity of her phrasing and the earthy sensuality she radiates on stage make her impressive in this touchstone soprano part."
The Classical Review was also complimentary stating that "Netrebko's luminous rendering of Mi chiamano Mimi was as intimate and affecting as it was beautifully sung, her Donde liete usci, human and expressively nuanced."
Netrebko's on-stage partner Joseph Calleja was also complimented for his golden toned tenor. Soprano Elizabeth Futral also received favorable reviews for her coquettish Musetta.
The soprano opened the Metropolitan Opera House's 2012-13 season in Donizetti's "L'Elisir d'Amore." She next travels to Vienna for her role debut as Tatiana in Tchaikovsky's " Eugene Onegin" and then goes to Salzburg for another role debut as the title role in Verdi's "Giovanna D'Arco." She returns to the Met to open her third straight season, this time in the role of Tatiana. The soprano is expected to release a new Verdi CD for Deustche Grammophon later this year.
"La Boheme" will runs through March 28th at the Civic Opera House.