FIRST LOOK: Explore Your Lyric 2025

CHICAGO (4/30/25) — On Saturday, April 26, Lyric Opera of Chicago welcomed curious creatives of all ages to Explore Your Lyric, the company’s annual open house that transformed the Lyric Opera House into a choose-your-own-adventure experience. From 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., more than 1,500 guests experienced the artistry behind opera through hands-on activities, live performances, a meet and greet with Maestro Enrique Mazzola, Lyric's music director, and behind-the-scenes access to one of Chicago’s most iconic cultural landmarks.

New photos from the event
Images from April 26 featuring live performance moments, illusionist Walter King, stage combat demos, design workshops, and more are now available for press use. Download from Lyric's online press room here.

Event Highlights
Guests explored the Ken Pigott Stage in the Ardis Krainik Theatre, the orchestra pit, and a wide variety of rehearsal spaces within the opera house while experiencing:

Live performances of Frida Kahlo and the Bravest Girl in the World
A colorful, 40-minute youth opera presented as part of Lyric Unlimited’s Opera in the Neighborhoods program. The production told a true story of friendship, courage, and artistic inspiration through music and movement.
Illusions by The Magic of the Spellbinder
Family-friendly magic shows from acclaimed illusionist Walter King, which blended storytelling and sleight of hand to showcase the theatrical side of opera.
Bilingual movement workshops with Jasmin Cardenas
Interactive sessions led by storyteller and performer Jasmin Cardenas, inviting guests to explore storytelling through movement and rhythm in both English and Spanish.
A mobile street art cart with William Estrada
A hands-on art-making station guided by visual artist William Estrada, where families created take-home pieces while learning how street art and set design intersect.
Creative play with ¡Anímate! Studio
An interactive space where children explored the behind-the-scenes world of set building and engaged in imaginative construction and design activities.
Instrument demos with Lyric artists
Members of the Lyric Opera Orchestra offered an up-close look at their instruments and shared insight into the sounds and skills behind each section of the ensemble.
A "Meet the Maestro" session with Music Director Enrique Mazzola
An opportunity for guests to meet Lyric’s Music Director and learn how he brings opera to life from the conductor’s podium.

Photos and press inquiries
For more information, contact Alana Guggenheim at [email protected] or visit lyricopera.org/explorelyric.

Lyric Opera's Season is presented by

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.

Join us @LyricOpera on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, and Facebook. #WhereChicagoSings