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Discovery Series Now On Sale

Eight illuminating sessions with the singers, directors, and conductors of Lyric's 2011/12 season. go.

Season Companion and Libretti

Publications with informative articles about each opera of the season, biographies of the composers and librettists, detailed synopses, and more! go.

Lyric Opera Commentaries

2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries

Everyone will enjoy learning about this season’s operas with the convenient and fun Lyric Opera Commentaries! Available again this season, all eight Commentaries to stream free of charge.

Our Commentators simplify abstract plots, share some of their favorite musical excerpts, and narrate anecdotal stories of composers and cast members. The Commentaries promise to make each opera a more rewarding experience.

Commentators:

William Mason
General Director Emeritus
Show Boat*

Roger Pines
Dramaturg
The Tales of Hoffmann
Lucia di Lammermoor
Aida

Jesse Gram
Audience Education Manager
Rinaldo 

Sir Andrew Davis
Music  Director
Boris Godunov*
Ariadne auf Naxos*
The Magic Flute*

*In Collaboration with Nicholas Ivor Martin, Director of Operations

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

Lyric Opera Commentaries are sponsored by the Patrick G. and Shirley Welsh Ryan Foundation in honor of their parents.

A project of the Women’s Board of Lyric Opera of Chicago

Audio

The Tales of Hoffmann Commentary

Intro

The Tales of Hoffmann
by Jacques Offenbach

Commentary by Roger Pines
Lyric Opera Commentaries
2011-2012

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

The Tales of Hoffmann Commentary

Prologue

The Tales of Hoffmann
by Jacques Offenbach

Commentary by Roger Pines
Lyric Opera Commentaries
2011-2012

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

The Tales of Hoffmann Commentary

Act I

The Tales of Hoffmann
by Jacques Offenbach

Commentary by Roger Pines
Lyric Opera Commentaries
2011-2012

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

The Tales of Hoffmann Commentary

Act II

The Tales of Hoffmann
by Jacques Offenbach

Commentary by Roger Pines
Lyric Opera Commentaries
2011-2012

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

The Tales of Hoffmann Commentary

Act III

The Tales of Hoffmann
by Jacques Offenbach

Commentary by Roger Pines
Lyric Opera Commentaries
2011-2012

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

The Tales of Hoffmann Commentary

Epilogue

The Tales of Hoffmann
By Jacques Offenbach

Commentary by Roger Pines

Lyric Opera Commentaries
2011-2012

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

Audio

Lucia di Lammermoor Commentary

Intro

Lucia di Lammermoor
By Gaetano Donizetti

Commentary by Roger Pines

Lyric Opera Commentaries
2011-2012

©2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

Lucia di Lammermoor Commentary

Act I

Lucia di Lammermoor
By Gaetano Donizetti

Commentary by Roger Pines

Lyric Opera Commentaries
2011-2012

©2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

Lucia di Lammermoor Commentary

Act II

Lucia di Lammermoor
By Gaetano Donizetti

Commentary by Roger Pines

Lyric Opera Commentaries
2011-2012

©2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

Lucia di Lammermoor Commentary

Act III

Lucia di Lammermoor
By Gaetano Donizetti

Commentary by Roger Pines

Lyric Opera Commentaries
2011-2012

©2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

Audio

Boris Godunov Commentary

Intro

Boris Godunov
By Modest Mussorgsky

Commentary by Sir Andrew Davis

In collaboration with Nicholas Ivor Martin

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

 

Boris Godunov Commentary

Prologue

Boris Godunov
By Modest Mussorgsky

Commentary by Sir Andrew Davis

In collaboration with Nicholas Ivor Martin

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

 

Boris Godunov Commentary

Act I

Boris Godunov
By Modest Mussorgsky

Commentary by Sir Andrew Davis

In collaboration with Nicholas Ivor Martin

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

 

Boris Godunov Commentary

Act II

Boris Godunov
By Modest Mussorgsky

Commentary by Sir Andrew Davis

In collaboration with Nicholas Ivor Martin

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

 

Boris Godunov Commentary

Acts III & IV

Boris Godunov
By Modest Mussorgsky

Commentary by Sir Andrew Davis

In collaboration with Nicholas Ivor Martin

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

 

Audio

Ariadne auf Naxos Commentary

Intro

Ariadne auf Naxos
By Richard Strauss

Commentary by Sir Andrew Davis
In collaboration with Nicholas Ivor Martin

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

Ariadne auf Naxos Commentary

Prologue

Ariadne auf Naxos
By Richard Strauss

Commentary by Sir Andrew Davis
In collaboration with Nicholas Ivor Martin

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

Ariadne auf Naxos Commentary

Opera

Ariadne auf Naxos
By Richard Strauss

Commentary by Sir Andrew Davis
In collaboration with Nicholas Ivor Martin

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

Audio

The Magic Flute Commentary

Intro

The Magic Flute
By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Commentary by William Mason
In collaboration with Nicholas Ivor Martin

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

The Magic Flute Commentary

Act I

The Magic Flute
By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Commentary by William Mason
In collaboration with Nicholas Ivor Martin

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

The Magic Flute Commentary

Act II

The Magic Flute
 By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Commentary by William Mason
In collaboration with Nicholas Ivor Martin

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

Audio

Aida Commentary

Intro

Aida
 By Giuseppe Verdi

Commentary by Roger Pines

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

 

Aida Commentary

Act I

Aida
By Giuseppe Verdi

Commentary by Roger Pines

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

Aida Commentary

Act II

Aida
 By Giuseppe Verdi

Commentary by Roger Pines

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

Aida Commentary

Act III

Aida
 By Giuseppe Verdi

Commentary by Roger Pines

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

Aida Commentary

Act IV

Aida
 By Giuseppe Verdi

Commentary by Roger Pines

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

Audio

Show Boat Commentary

Intro

Show Boat
Music by Jerome Kern
Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Based on the novel “Show Boat” by Edna Ferber 

Commentary by William Mason
In collaboration with Nicholas Ivor Martin

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

Show Boat Commentary

Act I

Show Boat
 Music by Jerome Kern
Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Based on the novel “Show Boat” by Edna Ferber 

Commentary by William Mason
In collaboration with Nicholas Ivor Martin

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

Show Boat Commentary

Act II

Show Boat
Music by Jerome Kern
Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Based on the novel “Show Boat” by Edna Ferber 

Commentary by William Mason
In collaboration with Nicholas Ivor Martin

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

Audio

Rinaldo Commentary

Intro

Rinaldo
By George Frideric Handel

Commentary by Jesse Gram

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

Rinaldo Commentary

Act I

Rinaldo
 By George Frideric Handel

Commentary by Jesse Gram

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

Rinaldo Commentary

Act II

Rinaldo
 By George Frideric Handel

Commentary by Jesse Gram

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.

Rinaldo Commentary

Act III

Rinaldo
By George Frideric Handel

Commentary by Jesse Gram

© 2011/12 Lyric Opera Commentaries 2011 Lyric Opera of Chicago

Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of EMI Classics, courtesy of Angel Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Post-production services provided by WFMT, Chicago. Dan Goldberg, Engineer and Managing Producer.