The big top came to Wacker Drive

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CHICAGO (4/30/2026) — On Sunday, April 26, 2026, Lyric Opera of Chicago threw open the doors of one of Chicago’s most beloved civic landmarks and turned it into something it has never quite been before: a circus. More than 1,600 first-time visitors, families, children, and longtime opera lovers poured into the Lyric Opera House for Explore Your Lyric — a one-day open house that filled five floors of the building with music, creativity, hands-on discovery, and more than a little magic.

Inspired by this season’s production of Katie: The Strongest of the Strong, the afternoon crackled with circus energy from the moment guests arrived. Roaming jugglers and stilt walkers worked the Grand Foyer. Circus demonstrations drew crowds. Face painters transformed young visitors into big-top royalty. DJ Jawon Mayberry kept the energy electric all day long inside one of the world’s great opera houses. Not a bad Sunday afternoon in Chicago.

One of the afternoon’s most charming surprises unfolded in the Grand Foyer, where Lyric Music Director Enrique Mazzola greeted guests at a special Meet the Maestro session — signing autographs, posing for photos, and delighting visitors young and old with his warmth and humor. Each guest who stopped by received their very own pair of red glasses to match the Maestro’s signature look.

Lyric’s stage came alive twice during the afternoon with abridged performances of Katie: The Strongest of the Strong. This opera by Faye Chiao and Anton Dudley tells the remarkable true story of Katie Sandwina — known as "the strongest woman in the world" — who was a passionate advocate for women's suffrage. With an all-female cast and a vibrant score, Katie introduced young audiences to opera while celebrating resilience, justice, and community — values Lyric has championed for more than seven decades.

Backstage, the Lyric Opera House revealed itself as the extraordinary working machine it is. Guests peeked into the orchestra pit and met members of the Lyric Opera Orchestra up close. Scenic designers, costume designers, and sound engineers opened their worlds to curious visitors. Analena Schiller led make-and-take scene painting sessions on the second floor. Karroll Hoffman taught balloon construction. Lively readings of Katie, Big and Strong: The True Story of a Mighty Woman Who Could Lift Anything ran throughout the afternoon, and every guest walked away with their own copy of the book by Jennifer Cooper. During the event, attendees received personalized tours of the opera house from General Director John Mangum and got to see costume displays up close.

Visitors also learned more about the history of Lyric’s leaders through an exhibit curated by members of Lyric’s Chapters. From the fifth floor, visitors got a bird's-eye view of the stage — the largest in downtown Chicago.

“Explore Your Lyric lets visitors step behind the scenes and see the magic of opera up close,” says Sheran Goodspeed Keyton, Director of Civic Engagement at Lyric. “It’s an annual opportunity for residents and visitors of Chicago to discover how one of the world’s leading opera companies creates its productions and trains the next generation of opera performers. We want everyone to leave inspired — and to feel that the opera house truly belongs to them.”

It does. And on Sunday, it showed.

If you missed out on the fun, mark your calendar for the next Explore Your Lyric on Sunday, April 18, 2027.

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For those who fell in love with Katie: The Strongest of the Strong at Explore Your Lyric, the full opera returns for two free public performances this May as part of Lyric’s Opera in the Neighborhoods program:

Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. — Kennedy-King College
Sunday, May 3, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. — Merit School of Music

Free tickets for the complete public performances of Katie: The Strongest of the Strong can be reserved at lyricopera.org/katie.

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About Lyric

Lyric Opera of Chicago is committed to redefining what it means to experience great opera. The company is driven to deliver consistently excellent artistry through innovative, relevant, celebratory programming that engages and energizes new and traditional audiences.

Under the leadership of General Director, President & CEO John Mangum and Music Director Enrique Mazzola, Lyric is dedicated to reflecting, and drawing strength from, the diversity of Chicago. Lyric offers, through innovation, collaboration, and evolving learning opportunities, ever-more exciting, accessible, and thought-provoking audience and community experiences. We also stand committed to training the artists of the future, through The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center; and to becoming increasingly diverse across our audiences, staff, programming, and artists—magnifying the welcoming pull of our art form, our company, and our city.

Through the timeless power of voice, the splendor of a great orchestra and chorus, theater, dance, design, and truly magnificent stagecraft, Lyric is devoted to immersing audiences in worlds both familiar and unexpected, creating shared experiences that resonate long after the curtain comes down.

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For more information on Lyric's upcoming 2024/25 Season, visit lyricopera.org/newseason.