Entertainment-Lyric Opera The Factotum at Harris Theatre opens Friday Feb. 3

By Dwight Casimere

Lyric Opera of Chicago presents the World Premiere of the new all-Black opera The Factotum Friday Feb. 3 at 7pm at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph, Chicago.

Loosely based on the opera, The Barber of Seville, the action of The Factotum is set in a South Side Chicago Barber Shop. Combining elements of Soul, Gospel, Hip Hop, Classical Opera and Modern Dance, the new opera is the creation of an all-Black team lead by Will Liverman and DJ King Rico.

Co-Book Writer and Director Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj and Conductor Kedrick Armstrong will helm the production at Chicago’s Harris Theater during its five-performance run. For the first time ever, a live DJ will be a part of the orchestration for a Lyric Opera presentation.

Baritone Will Liverman, who starred in Lyric’s presentation of Terence Blanchard’s Fire Shut Up in My Bones last season, says he was inspired to write the work after seeing a documentary on the creation of the Broadway smash hit Rent, which was based loosely on Puccini’s La Boheme. “Neighborhood barber shops have always played an important role in African American culture,” Liverman noted. “and a factotum is a kind of jack-of-all-trades. That describes Mike, the owner of Master Kutz, a barber shop on Chicago’s South Side. “

Liverman describes The Factotum as “a soul opera” with a wide range of musical and cultural influences. A barbershop quartet serves as its musical center, acting as a kind of Greek chorus. A terrific set of inspired dance numbers infused with elements of rap, hip-hop and R and B move the plot along.

There’s been nothing like it in Lyric Opera history. For more, visit lyricopera.org.