African American subject matter has been all but absent from operatic stages for most of the history of the form, but Lyric Opera of Chicago has taken a step toward filling that gaping void with the world premiere of “The Factotum.”
This vibrant, often heartwarming 2½-hour work, which opened Friday night at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance for five performances, is one of the first anywhere to have an entirely Black and BIPOC cast and creative team.
