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From classroom to center stage: CPS choir students to take over Lyric Opera of Chicago

From classroom to center stage: CPS choir students to take over Lyric Opera of Chicago

CHICAGO (10/21/2026) — Lyric Opera of Chicago will welcome more than 150 choir students from six Chicago Public High Schools (CPS) to the Lyric Opera House on Thursday, October 22, for Choral Fest, a day-long celebration of choral music that brings together student singers participating in Lyric’s High School Choir Residency.

From 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., students and their choir directors will join Lyric teaching artists, chorus members, and staff for collaborative music-making, breakout sessions exploring different facets of opera production, and a final rehearsal on the Lyric Opera House stage, directed by world-renowned Lyric Chorus Director Michael Black. Lyric Opera Chorus members will work alongside the students throughout the day, sharing their expertise and helping them prepare for the final combined ensemble rehearsal.

“I look forward to working with these choral students every year. Each student brings their own voice, experience, and musical instincts, and one of the most rewarding aspects of Choral Fest is watching students from different neighborhoods and schools across Chicago come together, connect, and discover the power of singing as one ensemble,” says Black. “Hearing nearly 200 young singers fill the Lyric stage is a remarkable experience, and seeing the friendships and musical connections they form makes this annual gathering especially meaningful. We aim to make it a day that is remembered for a lifetime.”

The High School Choir Residency is part of the Negaunee Education Programs at Lyric, which offer learning opportunities for elementary through high school students and teachers. Through these residencies, Lyric partners with CPS choirs throughout the school year to give students hands-on experience with professional opera artists and staff. Choral Fest is a focal point of this residency. For many participants, the day offers a first opportunity to sing as part of a large combined ensemble and to rehearse on a professional stage.

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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