Lyric Opera of Chicago presents Sunday in the Park with Lyric, a free family-friendly event in Millennium Park on August 20

CHICAGO (7/31/23) — Everyone at Lyric Opera of Chicago is delighted to usher in the 2023/24 cultural season on a high note with Sunday in the Park with Lyric, an evening of beautiful music led by Enrique Mazzola along with members of The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center and the Lyric Opera Orchestra. Hosted by Lyric's General Director, President & CEO Anthony Freud and NBC5-Chicago's LeeAnn Trotter, this event takes place on Sunday, August 20, at 7:00 p.m. at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph Street, Chicago.

Sunday in the Park with Lyric will feature selections from a variety of works in the upcoming 2023/24 opera season, offering a preview of the extraordinary productions to come. Audiences can look forward to compelling moments from Lyric’s new-to-Chicago productions of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman, Donizetti’s The Daughter of the Regiment, Janáček’s Jenůfa, Rossini’s Cinderella, Verdi’s Aida, and the Lyric premiere of Terence Blanchard and Michael Cristofer's Champion. All selections will feature projected English titles. Additionally, attendees will receive exclusive ticket offers for Lyric's highly anticipated upcoming season.

Leading the concert will be Lyric's esteemed music director, Enrique Mazzola, entering his third full season with the company. Mazzola’s upcoming season at Lyric is full of firsts, including his first Wagner opera in Chicago with The Flying Dutchman, his first contemporary work at Lyric with Champion, and his first-ever production of Verdi’s Aida, which will also be his 100th operatic title as a conductor.

Lyric Opera of Chicago's 2023/24 Season opens on Saturday, September 23, and promises a powerful lineup of productions. The season opens with The Flying Dutchman (September 23 - October 7) and is followed by the Season Opening Gala: An Evening with Audra McDonald (October 6). The season continues with The Daughter of the Regiment (November 4 - 25), Jenůfa (November 12 - 26), Cinderella (January 21 - February 10), Champion (January 27 - February 11), Aida (March 9 - April 7), and Mozart's Requiem (March 22 & 24).

To ensure the safety and security of all attendees, please note that enhanced security protocols will be in effect at Millennium Park. Visitors arriving after 5:30 p.m. may be required to undergo bag checks and pass through metal detectors, and visitors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult, with a maximum of four minors per adult.

Lyric's performances for the 2023/24 Season will take place at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, and will feature easy-to-follow English translations projected above the stage. Subscriptions and single tickets are available now. For detailed information on specific performance dates and ticket availability, please visit lyricopera.org or call 312.827.5600.

Sunday in the Park with Lyric is generously supported through an endowment by an Anonymous Foundation with additional support from the Rhoda & Henry Frank Family Foundation, and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events.

Maestro Enrique Mazzola is generously sponsored by Alice & John Butler, H. Gael Neeson, Sylvia Neil & Daniel Fischel, and the Robert and Penelope Steiner Family Foundation as members of the Enrique Circle.

Lyric Opera of Chicago thanks its Official Airline, American Airlines, and acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

Lyric Opera's Season is presented by

Lyric Opera of Chicago thanks its Official Airline, American Airlines, and acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

About Lyric

About Lyric

Lyric Opera of Chicago is where the world sings — and where Chicago comes alive.

Under the leadership of General Director, President & CEO John Mangum and Music Director Enrique Mazzola, Lyric stands at the intersection of artistic excellence and civic purpose, harnessing the full power of opera — voice, orchestra, stagecraft, and story — to illuminate the questions, emotions, and experiences that define us as human beings. Nearly 75 seasons of world-class performances have made Lyric one of the greatest opera companies in the world. What drives us now is what has always driven us: the belief that this art form, at its best, can move people in ways nothing else can.

Lyric is also Chicago’s partner — in its neighborhoods, its schools, and its communities — through education, engagement, and a relentless commitment to making opera accessible, relevant, and irresistible to everyone. At the heart of that commitment is The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, which trains the artists who will carry this art form into its future. Every night when the curtain rises, Lyric reminds this city — and the world — why live performance still matters.

Lyric Opera of Chicago doesn’t just present opera, it redefines what opera can be. It’s where Chicago comes to be moved, inspired, and connected.

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