Led by music director Sir Emanuele Andrizzi with stage direction by Sasha Gerritson, Opera Festival of Chicago triumphed in its July 2025 production of Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci.
The company has been committed to showcasing elite Chicago-based artists, drawing heavily on local talent for a robust chorus and supporting roles. As Silvio, baritone Jonathan Wilson, who regularly stars in Chicago’s storefront opera scene and sings with the city’s professional choruses, was on par with the three other outstanding principals: soprano Michelle Allie Drever as Nedda, baritone (and the company’s artistic director) Franco Pomponi as Tonio, and tenor Jonathan Burton as Canio. Securing the powerhouse dramatic tenor for the role of Canio was the company’s ultimate coup. Renowned for his thrilling vocal heft, Jonathan Burton transfixed audiences, proving that the young company — just five years old when Pagliacci was recorded for the WFMT Opera Series — could deliver world-class performances.
CAST
Nedda: Michelle Allie Drever
Canio: Jonathan Burton
Tonio: Franco Pomponi
Peppe: Jerek Fernández
Silvio: Jonathan Wilson