LISTEN TO THE LISTENERS. DO YOU HEAR THE HUM?
Perhaps the most contemporary opera ever to grace the Lyric stage, Missy Mazzoli’s The Listeners borrows heavily from reality television, social media, conspiracy theories and science fiction. Liberally sprinkled with f-bombs, Royce Vavrek’s edgy libretto is based on an original story by Jordan Tannahill (b. 1988). After publishing The Listeners as his second novel in 2021, Tannahill adapted it as a four-part TV miniseries for BBC1 that was released in 2024. Lyric’s production of The Listeners often feels like television, with its reality show confessionals and quickly changing scenes. And its suburban dystopia is so similar to recent offerings on Netflix, Max, and Prime. Moreover, Mazzoli’s score feels consciously contemporary with its harmonious blending of orchestral music and electronica.
The Company of The Listeners
Jasmine Habersham, Gemma Nha, Sophia Maekawa
Chicago audiences are the last to see The Listeners, co-commissioned by Norwegian National Opera (world premiere in 2022), Opera Philadelphia (US premiere in 2024), and Lyric Opera of Chicago. And yet we might be most familiar with composer Missy Mazzoli’s work. Two of her operas have already been produced in Chicago: Songs from the Uproar by Chicago Fringe Opera in 2016 and Proving Up by Lyric Opera in 2022. From 2018-2021, she was Mead Composer-in-Residence at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Jonas Hacker, Nicole Heaston
The Company of The Listeners
Unlike Mazzoli’s earlier chamber operas, The Listeners was conceived on a much grander scale. There are twenty named roles in this production; nineteen vocal and one dance. Six roles are filled by members of the indomitable Lyric Opera Chorus. While there are many gorgeous moments in Mazzoli’s score, especially in the lush orchestral accompaniments, the solo vocal writing often feels stilted and unnatural. This could be partially remedied by less vibrato, but really comes down to an imbalance between text and music, i.e. too many long notes. Where the score gets more interesting is in the choral writing of the second half, which builds lush harmonies on top of the hum. Melodies might be few, but dissonance is thankfully minimal.
Nicole Heaston
Rachel Harris, Nicole Heaston
The heroine of The Listeners is Claire Devon (Chicago native Nicole Heaston in her Lyric debut), a suburban high school teacher in Ranchlands, California. She hears an incessant humming noise that is driving her crazy and alienating Claire from her husband Paul (Zachary Nelson) and daughter Ashley (Jasmine Habersham). This is beautifully illustrated in the opening scene where she talks to a coyote (played by dancers Rachel Harris and Morgan Reed McDaniel). But is the coyote real or imagined? Is it symbolic of some dark force? She soon discovers that her student Kyle (Jonas Hacker) also hears the hum. Is the hum real or imagined?
Jonas Hacker, Kyle Ketelsen, Nicole Heaston
Kyle Ketelsen the Company
Claire and Kyle soon discover a cult-like group gathered at the house of wealthy psychiatrist Howard (Kyle Ketelsen). Not everyone is sold on Howard’s leadership, however. Thom (Joseph Lim) interrupts one group meditation by declaring, “I can’t stand this shit!” In the opera’s lengthy climax, ex-soldier Dillon (John Moore) pulls a gun on Howard before provoking a police raid that gets Kyle killed and Howard arrested. Who will lead Howard’s followers now? And are they crazy or just lonely, seeking connection and purpose?
John Moore and the Company
John Moore the Company
Nicole Heaston, who originated the role of Claire Devon in the Oslo production, propels the narrative forward with her sympathetic portrayal and delightful singing. Her tone is clear, well-rounded and beautifully powerful, but never overbearing. She is well-matched in Kyle Ketelsen, last seen in Lyric’s 2021 production of The Elixir of Love. His suave, commanding bass-baritone perfectly fits the role of sleazy guru. Two more impressive debuts are Jonas Hacker and John Moore, the former for his soaring tenor and the latter for his visceral acting. Lastly, Adia Evans deserves a shoutout for her portrayal of news anchor Theresa Alvarez. Her pretty voice and sparkling smile light up the stage.
Adia Evans John Moore the company
Daniela Mack, Jonas Hacker, Nicole Heaston
Undoubtedly created for adults, The Listeners features coarse language, gun violence, and sexual content. All of the above make this opera transgressive, even shocking, at first, and contribute to the opera’s contemporary vibe. Kate Voyce’s costume designs could have enhanced this edginess or spiced it up, but instead they veer into the plain and conservative. The most interesting thing about them is how the colors reflect group dynamics, as when Howard’s followers all wear blue in the second half. The direction (Lileana Blain-Cruz and Mikhaela Mahony) and set design (Adam Rigg) are dynamic and smooth, making for the kind of well-paced, seamless production that one typically expects of musicals. Music Director Enrique Mazzola conducts from the podium with his usual flair.
Nicole Heaston Rachel Harris the Company
Daniela Mack, Kyle Ketelsen
Bizarre, crude, and challenging are all words that describe Missy Mazzoli’s The Listeners. Others are contemporary, entertaining, and delightful. Did I mention that it’s funny? Yes, for these and many more reasons, The Listeners is worth listening to.
photos by Cory Weaver and Andrew Cioffi
The Listeners
Lyric Opera of Chicago
Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive
2 hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission
April 2, 5, 8, and 11
ends on April 11, 2025
for tickets, call 312.827.5600 or visit Lyric Opera
for more shows, visit Theatre in Chicago
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Great review, Barnaby!
Modern American opera seems hell-bent on shrinking itself into something smaller, safer, and oddly sterile. The wild ambition that once made the genre dangerous and beautiful has been traded for a kind of tidy, self-conscious politeness. Look at Jake Heggie, Missy Mazzoli, and Mason Bates. Heggie serves up an endless stream of sentimental sludge, and somehow this gets confused for emotional depth by critics desperate to feel something. Mazzoli writes music that, while texturally pretty, often floats by like expensive wallpaper. It’s competent but rarely grabs you by the throat the way real opera should. Then there’s Bates, who seems convinced that tossing a little electronica into the mix counts as being cutting-edge, when mostly it sounds like an exhausted attempt to stay current.
Today’s American operas feel like they’ve been gentrified. They’re polished, tasteful, and about as gripping as a well-designed brochure. If this really is the future of opera, maybe the art form doesn’t need saving at all. Maybe it deserves to die.