Opera in Chicago

by Ronald L. Davis

Ever since pioneer days, Chicagoans have shown their appreciation of grand opera. In the middle of the last century, impresarios brought their precious prima donnas and star tenors from all over the world to Chicago to delight eager audiences. Later Mme. Patti sang at the opening of Adler and Sullivan's handsome Auditorium, and eventually the home of the Chicago Opera Company. With Cleofonte Campanini for many years, and with Mary Garden for one fantastic season, the company knew a glorious succession of nights. Melba, Caruso, Galli-Curci, Raisa, Mason, Schipa, Chaliapin, and many others sang there, while the McCormicks and other millionaires paid the bills. Finally Samuel Insull took over and built a skyscraper Civic Opera House for the company. It opened in 1929 just in time for the depression and Insull's bankruptcy. Yet opera survived. Today, the Chicago Lyric Opera is one of the world's foremost troupes. It has introduced to this country such great artists as Callas, Gobbi, Cressp