Chicago City Opera Brings Intimate 'Cendrillon' to Storefront Venue

The CheckOut in Lakeview hosts a charming production of Massenet's 'Cinderella' opera for Valentine's Day weekend.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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On Valentine's Day weekend, Chicago City Opera brought Jules Massenet's Cendrillon (Cinderella) to the CheckOut, a former 7-Eleven in Lakeview that has been revived as a venue for chamber music and new music events. The intimate, salon-style production proved that opera can thrive in non-traditional spaces, with a cast that shone in the close quarters and a piano accompaniment that highlighted Massenet's score.

Why it matters

This production highlights Chicago City Opera's mission to bring opera to more accessible, community-focused venues, in contrast to the grand stages of larger institutions. By prioritizing live, in-person performances in smaller, non-traditional spaces, the company is creating entry points for new operagoers who may feel priced out or intimidated by the formality of traditional opera houses.

The details

The CheckOut was transformed for the performance, with theater-style seating for about 60 people and simple set elements like an oversized ottoman and a privacy screen. The immediate acoustic of the space, with its faint background noises, provided an ideal environment for focused listening. Director Ross Matsuda used the limitations of the venue to his advantage, while Donna Spencer's costumes blended traditional and modern touches. The performance used the original French libretto with projected supertitles, and Jordan Crice's piano accompaniment, guided by Alexandra Enyart's conducting, held the musical threads together with clarity and sensitivity.

  • The performance took place on Valentine's Day weekend (February 14, 2026).
  • Chicago City Opera's next production, Der Rosenkavalier, will be on June 6-7, 2026.

The players

Chicago City Opera

A company that prioritizes live, in-person performances at smaller, non-traditional venues, offering worthwhile evenings for both committed fans and curious newcomers.

The CheckOut

A former 7-Eleven in Lakeview that has been revived as a venue for chamber music and new music events, providing an intimate, salon-style setting for the Cendrillon production.

Hayley Fox

The soprano who portrayed the lead role of Lucette (Cinderella), delivering a soulful and vulnerable performance that set the tone for the evening.

Noah Gartner

The baritone who played Pandolfe, Lucette's father, providing a necessary pathos with his weary but warm voice.

Marissa Simmons

The mezzo-soprano who portrayed Madame de la Haltière, Cinderella's stepmother, delivering an assured and scheming performance.

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What they’re saying

“Opera doesn't need a palace to thrive; sometimes, a storefront is magic enough.”

— Zach Carstensen, Music critic (thirdcoastreview.com)

“The intimacy of the CheckOut crystalizes the opera's human stakes. In a massive hall, the relationship between a father and his daughter can feel distant; here, it felt like eavesdropping on a private moment.”

— Zach Carstensen, Music critic (thirdcoastreview.com)

What’s next

Chicago City Opera's next production, Der Rosenkavalier, will be on June 6-7, 2026.

The takeaway

This production of Cendrillon at the intimate CheckOut venue demonstrates how opera can thrive in non-traditional spaces, creating accessible entry points for new audiences and showcasing the art form's ability to connect with people on a human level, even in the most unexpected of settings.