Lyric Opera Auditions

Thank you for your interest in auditioning for Lyric Opera of Chicago. Here you will find current audition opportunities across the company.

Singers and instrumentalists wishing to receive audition information from Lyric Opera of Chicago or The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center may contact the appropriate administrators as follows:

Lyric Opera of Chicago announces auditions for the spoken role of Der Haushofmeister in Ariadne auf Naxos.

Lyric Opera of Chicago will hold auditions in Chicago for local German-speaking actors to portray the role of Der Haushofmeister in Richard Strauss’s opera Ariadne auf Naxos. The rehearsal period begins Monday, February 15, 2027, opening performances on Thursday, March 11, 2027, with six performances closing on Friday, March 26, 2027.

Artists should be local to the Chicagoland area and have daytime availability for rehearsals and performances. Lyric Opera of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer committed to inclusive casting and encourages all highly accomplished actors to audition.

Ariadne auf Naxos is an opera in two parts, the Prologue and the Opera, which is an opera-within-the-opera. The richest man in Vienna has hired two companies of performers to entertain his guests: a commedia dell’arte troupe is meant to perform a burlesque after a young composer’s serious, dramatic opera. Due to dinner running late and a fireworks show scheduled to begin immediately after the performances, Der Haushofmeister – the Major-domo of the house – informs the performers that his employer would like the comedy and the tragedy to take place at exactly the same time.

Audition schedule

Auditions will take place at Lyric Opera of Chicago, 40 North Wacker Drive (stage door) on Thursday, September 3, 2026 at 2:00pm.

Auditions are by invitation only.
To be considered, please complete a submission form at this link: https://forms.gle/m9DCHvahQw33Rxtv6, including a link to a German-language monologue or scene, and submit resume and headshot to [email protected].

Deadline for submission is Wednesday, August 26, 2026.

Not all applicants are guaranteed an audition, and all auditions must be done live in Chicago. Applicants will be notified if they have been granted an audition by Friday, August 28, 2026.

Audition requirements

Successful applicants should prepare the two Haushofmeister Sides found in the audition notice. Audition sides do not need to be memorized. Auditions will take place on the stage of the Lyric Opera House and will not be amplified. Amplification of the role in performances will be determined by the production and creative teams during the rehearsal process.

• Download Side 1
• Download Side 2 

Additional information

Artists at Lyric Opera of Chicago are represented by the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA). Should an artist be hired, they will be required to join this union if they are not already a member. Auditionees must be United States citizens or possess, at the time of the audition, legal permission to work in the United States of America during the rehearsal and performance period.

This role will be paid $2,227.00 per week for the six-week engagement. Lyric Opera of Chicago will engage two actors at this rate, one to perform the role and one to cover the role.

For more information please email [email protected], or visit our website at www.lyricopera.org/about/auditions.

 

About Lyric Opera of Chicago

Lyric Opera of Chicago’s mission is to express and promote the life-changing, transformational, revelatory power of great opera. Lyric exists to provide a broad, deep, and relevant cultural service to Chicago and the nation, and to advance the development of the art form. To learn more about Lyric’s current and future season, visit lyricopera.org.

Lyric Opera of Chicago is committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, parental status, socio-economic status, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. We strongly encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply.

Assistant Principal Bassoon/Contrabassoon Auditions

Auditions to be held October 27–31, 2026
Successful candidate to start in September 2027

Currently, the Bassoon Section consists of two musicians, Principal and Assistant Principal/Contrabassoon. As such, the Assistant Principal Bassoon/Contrabassoon currently performs primarily as Second Bassoon, is responsible for Principal Bassoon when the Principal is not in attendance (typically, at least one opera per season), Contrabassoon whenever required, and any other needed parts in the section.

The Contract

In the 2027/2028 season, players will receive:

• 22-week contract (late September–late April)
• Base rate of $3,346.79 per week (total base pay of $73,629.38)
• Additional 10% Principal overscale pay (additional $7,362.94)
• Additional 18% vacation pay (additional $14,578.62)
• 11.99% pension
• Sick and personal time
• Year-round health and life insurance, including dental and vision
• Group term life insurance in the amount of $50,000
• Optional pre-tax deductions for flexible spending, dependent care, and 403(b) retirement savings
• Additional paid performance opportunities through various arms of the company, including Lyric Unlimited and the Musical Theater Initiative

The Audition

Preliminary Round

• Tuesday, October 27, 2026
• Wednesday, October 28, 2026
• Thursday, October 29, 2026

Semi-Final and Final Rounds

• Friday, October 30, 2026
• Saturday, October 31, 2026

Note: While the dates reserved for semi-finals and finals will not change, we may not use both days. The final schedule will depend on the number of auditionees advancing from the preliminary round.

A candidate who does not initially advance to the semi-final or final round of auditions may be invited to do so at the conclusion of the preliminary and/or semi-final rounds. This candidate will be notified promptly of their invitation to advance.

Vacancies resulting from the selection of a current Orchestra member for a principal or assistant principal position may be filled at that time by any other player who auditioned in the same final audition.

Audition Repertoire

To request the Assistant Principal Bassoon/Contrabassoon audition repertoire, please email the auditions coordinator at [email protected].

The Application Process

Please send a cover letter, resume, and deposit check for $50.00 to:

Lyric Opera of Chicago
Attn: Orchestra Personnel Manager
Assistant Principal Bassoon/Contrabassoon Audition
20 North Wacker Drive, Ste. 860
Chicago, IL 60606

Your cover letter should include your first, second, and third choice for your audition date. Times will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

Alternatively, you may submit your cover letter and résumé electronically by replying to this email. Please note that audition times will only be confirmed upon receipt of all requested materials, including your $50.00 deposit. Submission of your résumé alone will not guarantee an audition time.

The Deadlines

Submission of Materials

Postmarked by Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Submissions received after this date will not be accepted for planning purposes.

Cancellations

Except in emergencies, cancellations must be made at least 5 business days prior to your audition date to recoup your deposit.

There are no dance auditions at this time. 

Lyric Opera of Chicago's music staff consists of cover conductors, répétiteurs, and prompters. If you you like to be considered for a position on Lyric Opera's music staff, please email your résumé and references to [email protected]. If you are interested in cover conducting and have conducting reels available to you, please be sure to include them.

Alternate contact information is:
Lyric Opera of Chicago
Music Staff Auditions
20 N. Wacker Drive, Ste. 860
Chicago, IL 60606

There are no musical theater auditions currently scheduled.

Lyric grants auditions for principal roles to professional opera singers on an invitation-only basis. The artist's management should email [email protected] with requests for an audition.

 

To request an information packet about becoming a supernumerary at Lyric Opera of Chicago, please email Tommy Novak, super captain, at [email protected].

 

There are no Lyric Unlimited Auditions at this time. 

Singer applications for the 2027/2028 Ensemble have closed. Application information for the 2028/2029 Ensemble will become available late Fall 2026. For questions about the Ryan Opera Center's application and audition process, please contact Logan Skirm at [email protected].

 

---

Photo: Todd Rosenberg