sentences:  He has been a soloist at the Handel Week Festival in Oak Park, Illinois several times, at Mahlerfest in Boulder, Colorado (2001), and sang Felix Mendelssohn's "Elijah" in 1996 with New Oratorio Singers.In 1986, with Chamber Opera Chicago, Kraus played the title role in "Falstaff".He joined the roster of the Lyric Opera of Chicago for the 1990 season, and his roles with the company include Jose Castro in "La fanciulla del West" (1991), Antonio in "The Marriage of Figaro" (1992), Micah in "The Bartered Bride" (1993), Alcindoro in "La bohème" (1993), the Sacristan in "Tosca" (1994), Elder MacLean in "Susannah" (1994), various supporting roles in "Candide" (1994), Amantio di Nicolao in "Gianni Schicchi" (1996), Southern Senator in "Amistad" (1997; world premiere, by composer Anthony Davies), Helmsman in "Tristan und Isolde" (1999), Meyer Wolfshiem in "The Great Gatsby" (2000), the Mayor in "Jenůfa" (2000), Abe Kaplan in "Street Scene" (2001), Ratcliffe in "Billy Budd" (2001–2002), Baron Douphol in "La Traviata" (2003), Benoit/Antonio in "The Marriage of Figaro" (2003), and Harashta in "The Cunning Little Vixen" (2004).