Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center Announces Auditions for 2026/27 Ensemble Singers and Pianists

CHICAGO (1/16/25) — The renowned Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago, celebrated for its commitment to developing emerging operatic talent, announces that applications are now open for singers and pianists for its 2026/27 Ensemble.

Building on the excitement of the Ryan Opera Center’s 50th Anniversary Season in 2024/25, the program continues to provide transformative training and performance opportunities for gifted artists.

Artists from around the world are invited to submit an initial online application, which includes video recordings. Applications are free and must be submitted via YAP Tracker; free registration for a YAP Tracker account is available at yaptracker.com. Deadlines for submission range from March 3 through June 6, 2025, depending on audition dates and locations. For complete information, visit: lyricopera.org/ryanoperacenter/auditions.

The Ryan Opera Center is an equal-opportunity employer/program and encourages qualified artists from historically underrepresented groups, including but not limited to those who identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color, to apply for its Ensemble.

Select applicants will be invited to live Preliminary Auditions in New York or Chicago. Final Auditions for singers will be held on September 24, 2025, and include a hosted weekend in Chicago with coachings, interviews, and auditions on Lyric’s mainstage.

The approximate program dates for the 2026/27 Ryan Opera Center Ensemble are May 4, 2026, through April 25, 2027, with an option for renewal, as the positions are expected to have a two-year residency.

Recognized as one of the premier training programs for emerging operatic professionals, the Ryan Opera Center offers a uniquely comprehensive approach to artist development, focusing on advanced, post-collegiate-level artists. Ensemble members are immersed in rigorous training that includes voice lessons, language coaching, acting classes, and master classes with world-renowned artists. The program’s access to Lyric’s mainstage productions allows participants to understudy and perform alongside the world’s leading opera singers, conductors, and directors, orchestra and chorus.

For questions about Ryan Opera Center auditions, please contact Susanna McNatt, Ryan Opera Center Manager, at [email protected] or 312-827-3510. To learn more about the Ryan Opera Center, go to: lyricopera.org/ryanoperacenter.

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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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About the Ryan Opera Center

The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center is Lyric’s preeminent artist-development program that nurtures the talents of some of the most promising operatic artists of each generation. The program’s Ensemble members earn their coveted spot by successfully auditioning among more than 500 artists worldwide. Its alumni are among the dominant names in opera today. Donor generosity ensures continued unparalleled training, performance experience, and professional readiness of Ensemble members. This highly competitive program, established in 1974, is led by Director Dan Novak, Music Director Craig Terry, and Director of Vocal Studies Julia Faulkner.

Learn More about the Ryan Opera Center