CHICAGO (9/10/2025) — Following its wildly popular debut last season, Lyric Opera of Chicago’s
Movie Nights at Lyric series expands in the 2025/26 Season starting with
Disney and Pixar’s Coco in Concert Live to Film. Presented in English with projected Spanish titles, this special event combines the Oscar- and Grammy-winning score by composer Michael Giacchino with a live performance by the acclaimed
Lyric Opera Orchestra, conducted by
Gonzalo Farias. The beloved film will be projected on a massive screen above the stage for two performances only at the Lyric Opera House: Thursday, October 16, at 7:00 p.m., and Saturday, October 18, at 2:00 p.m.
Along with Giacchino’s original score,
Coco features the Oscar-winning song “Remember Me” by songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, plus additional songs co-written by composer Germaine Franco and co-director and screenwriter Adrian Molina. The film also won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Directed by Lee Unkrich (
Toy Story 3), co-directed by Adrian Molina (
Monsters University), and produced by Darla K. Anderson (
Toy Story 3),
Coco continues to inspire audiences worldwide with its unforgettable music and storytelling.
Coco tells the story of Miguel (voice of Anthony Gonzalez), a young boy who dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol Ernesto de la Cruz (voice of Benjamin Bratt), despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music. Following a mysterious chain of events and desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead. Along the way, he meets a charming trickster named Héctor (voice of Gael García Bernal), and together they embark on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history.
Chilean-born conductor Gonzalo Farias, Associate Conductor of the Houston Symphony, will lead the Lyric Opera Orchestra in these performances. A passionate educator and advocate for musical storytelling that builds community, Farias has previously held conducting posts with the Kansas City Symphony, Jacksonville Symphony, and Virginia Symphony Orchestra, and served as Music Director of the Joliet Symphony Orchestra. His work has also been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts and the League of American Orchestras.
“After seeing the incredible energy and excitement around
Singin’ in the Rain last season — a one-night-only sellout — we knew we had to bring more
Movie Nights to Lyric,” says
John Mangum, General Director, President & CEO of Lyric Opera of Chicago. “They are a wonderful way to welcome new and younger audiences into the opera house, share the thrill of live orchestral music, and celebrate beloved films in a truly unforgettable setting.”
In addition to projected Spanish titles at both performances,
Coco in Concert Live to Film will include accessible offerings such as American Sign Language interpretation and SoundShirt technology at the Saturday matinee. This presentation marks the first of two
Movie Nights at Lyric in the 2025/26 Season, with Disney’s
Mary Poppins in Concert Live to Film to follow on April 10 & 11, 2026.
Tickets start at $43 (all fees included). For tickets and more information, call 312.827.5600 or visit
lyricopera.org/coco.
This presentation is licensed by Disney Concerts.
