This is the first of several reviews you'll see this year of something many of us have never experienced: opera! I've somehow managed to luck my way into becoming kind of an opera buff, and I hope these reviews will encourage you to check out some of Chicago's world-class stuff. If you're still a college student, it is possible to get $20 tickets to any opera by becoming a member of NExT. Those no longer in school might consider purchasing a 4-ticket package, which saves you at least 20% over separate ticket purchases. It's not cheap, but the experiences are astounding. Check out the season as a whole by visiting Lyric Opera's site.

Tosca, currently playing at Chicago's Lyric Opera, is one of the most conic operas of all times. The celebrity of Puccini's masterpiece is something of a mixed blessing – many opera-lovers will expect a raditional and familiar staging, while others would prefer to see something new and unconventional. This time, Lyric opted for the former and stuck to a tried-and-true rendition, right down to the Franco Zefferelli sets, originally designed in the mid-eighties.

For me, the show felt only vaguely familiar, as I've never seen Tosca before. I imagine that anyone well-versed in their Puccini would find the production quite traditional, for better or worse. My grandmother was in town to accompany me to the show, her "favorte opera," and loved every second of it. Sure enough, the sets and the music were entrancing, though I found the intense vibrato employed by leads Deborah Voigt (Tosca) and Vladimir Galouzine (Cavaradossi) a bit too "traditional," so to speak, for my ears. Even Grandma noted that Voigt (who happens to be one of the world's most famous sopranos) sounded a bit strained when reaching for the very highest notes.

Oddly enough, the highlight of the evening was the villain, Scarpio, unexpectedly portrayed by two different singers in Acts I and II. After a thrilling and show-stopping close to Act I, the show literally stopped for bass James Morris; we were told that he was suffering from a cold and couldn't continue. A lone boo from the gallery only strengthened the resolve of the rest of the audience to be supportive, and rightly so, as the substitute, whose name was mentioned but not recorded anywhere for posterity, soared in his Lyric Opera debut.

Respect for tradition and bass-baritone heroics aside, this opera company typically excels at producing unusual and inventive renditions of classic shows, as with last year's Pagliacci, reminiscent of a '60s-era Fellini film. Beyond musical mastery, acting, and story, there was a creativity that made the show's greatness unequivocal. Sure, Tosca is a classic, Puccini is a genius, but Lyric knows well that invention is not a crime. I for one am hoping for a touch more of it as the season continues.