In the Wings - July 2026
Stay safe out in this heat, folks, it is officially summer. Great Lakes Operetta leads off July with their first full-length, fully-staged production, and The Valkyrie Ensemble brings us poolside to round out the month.
Orpheus in the Underworld
Great Lakes Operetta
July 10, 17, 18 – 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.
July 11, 12, 19 – 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Bramble Arts Loft
5545 N Clark St 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60640
Great Lakes Operetta (GLO) presents its first full-length, fully-staged operetta, Jacques Offenbach’s seminal work, Orpheus in the Underworld. Originally premiering as Orphée aux enfers, this musical spoof of the Orpheus myth was the Hadestown of 1858’s Paris and had a cultural impact comparable to Hamilton or The Phantom of the Opera. The original book was written in part by Ludovic Halévy (of Carmen fame), and the score introduced the now world-famous “cancan” (known in the show as the “Infernal Gallop”). The show is raucous, wacky, and surprisingly modern, and the score is one of Offenbach’s best, ensuring its continued popularity. GLO’s production will premiere a new English translation by Francis Lynch, who also re-orchestrated the score for a small chamber ensemble.
General admission tickets for adults are $38, with discounted rates for children, students, and seniors. Tickets are on sale now – visit https://greatlakesoperetta.com/orpheus/ and use discount code STOREFRONTOPERA for $5 off adult and senior/student tickets.
Acis & Galatea
The Valkyrie Ensemble
July 24, 25 – 7:30-9:00 p.m.
Chicago Danztheatre
650 W Foster Ave, Chicago, IL 60640
The Valkyrie Ensemble – a non-profit feminist opera collective based in Chicago – presents an all-femme production of composer G.F. Handel and librettist John Gay’s glittering Baroque gem Acis & Galatea.
Based on a tale from Greek Mythology, Acis & Galatea tells the story of the water nymph Galatea and her mortal love, Acis. When the cyclops Polyphemus falls in love with Galatea at first sight, jealousy threatens to upend the peaceful lovers. Originally performed in 1718 in an outdoor performance to commemorate the building of a new fountain, The Valkyrie Ensemble’s production sets the action poolside as the tale of young love unfolds under the heat of the summer sun. Acis & Galatea is an English-language opera with a 90-minute run time. The production will be presented with piano accompaniment.
General Admission tickets are $35, and reserved front row tickets are $55.
Following this packed July, August is looking to be a much quieter month. Most companies will be focusing their time and energy on preparing for their 2026-2027 seasons. But for now - see you at the opera.
Photo by Christopher Alvarenga on Unsplash
Bird by Lee Mette from Noun Project (CC BY 3.0)
Storefront Opera Chicago logo by Ross Matsuda
