At a press conference on Thursday, March 12, Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a State and City mandate that all large-scale events exceeding 1,000 individuals be canceled for the next 30 days as a preventive measure to stop the spread of COVID-19 disease (coronavirus). Additionally, the State and the City encouraged that community events of 250 people or more should be canceled until May 1st. This encompasses the time period of our long-planned and highly-anticipated Ring cycle. With great regret, we have no option but to cancel all three Ring cycles and the preceding two performances of Gotterdammerung.
We at Lyric, along with you at home, have been carefully monitoring every moment of this global pandemic, working in lockstep with the Chicago Department of Public Health. The health and well-being of our audiences, artists, and staff is our highest priority, and we have been standing at the ready to fully cooperate with our local and state officials in preventing the spread of this dangerous and unprecedented illness.
We are, of course, heartbroken to lose the Ring cycle. For the past six years, more than 300 artists have put their hearts and talents into the development of this event, and the excitement about bringing it to audiences from all 50 states and nearly 30 countries has been mounting since the moment the production was announced. The cycle performances themselves, and a large range of festival programming, promised to be a high point in Chicago's cultural season.
But right now, we all recognize that our top priority must be to contain the spread of COVID-19. For the safety of our loyal patrons and the greater good of our community, we recognize that this is the only choice.
We ask for your patience as we work through this extremely difficult slate of performance cancellations. We need your support at this moment more than ever.
Please bear with us as we work to provide you with the highest level of customer service and look towards a time in the near future when we can all come together to enjoy performances again.
The following performances and events are cancelled as of June 16, 2020:
Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci
September 17, 20, 26, October 1, 3, 7, 10, 2020
Lessons in Love and Violence
September 27, 30, October 3, 6, 9
Tosca
November 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28 & 29
Attila
November 15, 18, 21, 24 & 27
Opera Insider Series
Cav/Pag September 8
Lessons in Love September 15
Tosca October 27
Attila November 3
Backstage Tours
September 26, 30, October 6, 10, November 13, 18 & 21
Lyric Bus
October 1, 6, November 18, 19 & 25
Dress rehearsals that correlate to performances above are also canceled.
The following performances are postponed as of April 2, 2020:
Family Day at Lyric
Original date: 4/16/20. New date: 5/22/21
Ticketholders will receive new tickets to the 2021 event later this summer.
Blue, in collaboration with Chicago Shakespeare Theater at the Yard
Original dates: 6/19-28/20. New dates: 1/15-24/21
Ticketholders will receive new tickets to the 2021 event later this summer.
42nd Street
Original dates: 5/29/20 - 6/21/20. New dates: Spring 2021, dates TBA.
Ticketholders are being contacted with their options.
All public, group, and student Lyric Backstage Tours scheduled through June 30 have been postponed. Ticketholders will be offered dates during Fall 2020.
The following performances are currently canceled. Ticketholders are being contacted about the disposition of their purchase.
Gotterdammerung regular season performances: April 4 & 11
Ring Cycle:
Cycle 1
Das Rheingold, Monday 4/13/20, 7:30pm
Die Walküre, Tuesday, 4/14/20, 6:00pm
Siegfried, Thursday, 4/16/20, 6:00pm
Götterdämmerung, Saturday, 4/18/20, 5:30pm
Cycle 2
Das Rheingold, Monday 4/20/20, 7:30pm
Die Walküre, Tuesday, 4/21/20, 6:00pm
Siegfried, Thursday, 4/23/20, 6:00pm
Götterdämmerung, Saturday, 4/25/20, 5:30pm
Cycle 3
Das Rheingold, Monday 4/27/20, 2:00pm
Die Walküre, Wednesday, 4/29/20, 2:00pm
Siegfried, Friday, 5/1/20, 2:00pm
Götterdämmerung, Sunday, 5/3/20, 2:30pm
Ring Cycle Backstage Tours: April 14 – May 1 at 10 & 11am
The Music of Wagner: April 14, 21 & 28 at 12pm
The Philosophy of the Ring: April 14, 21 & 28 at 2:30pm
Ring Creative Team Discussion: April 15, 2pm
Maestro & Cast Discussion: April 22 & 30
The Flight of the Valkyries: April 13, 20 & 27
Longer! Louder! Wagner! April 15 – May 2