Wherein I attempt to rank every show I’ve seen this year, a running list as the year unfolds, regardless of genre (theater, music, dance, art). Note, the company I keep is not a factor, though it often redeems the lesser of such evenings. If I’ve written about them, links are provided. If I published a review, it is linked.

Previous Years: 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010

Linda Vista/Steppenwolf/April 8

Die Walkure/Lyric Opera/November 27

An American in Paris/Broadway In Chicago/July 26

Changarrito/Museo de la Ciudad de México/February 7

The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg/Takashi Murakami/June 2

A View From the Bridge/Goodman Theatre/September 18

The Minutes/Steppenwolf/November 19

Destiny of Desire/Goodman Theatre/March 20

My Fair Lady/Lyric Opera/May 6

Spring Series/Hubbard Street Dance/March 17

Global Visionaries/Joffrey Ballet/April 26

An Evening with Mariachi Cobre/Grant Park Orchestra/August 9

A Broadway Romance/Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus/July 22

Orphée et Eurydice/Lyric Opera/September 23

Beethoven Symphony No. 9/Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus/August 19

Mozart “Linz” Symphony/Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus/July 29

Chicagoland Shorts Vol. 3/MCA/May 30

Stacey Kent/Space/March 18

The Rembrandt/Steppenwolf/September 17

Fade/Teatro Vista-Victory Gardens/November 10

Hir/Steppenwolf/July 11

La Havana Madrid/Teatro Vista/April 20

King of the Yees/Goodman/April 9

John Mellencamp/Ravinia/August 27