Back to school: A new season of learning at Lyric

The lights go down. The orchestra tunes. A hush falls across the room and the conductor walks to the podium as the applause begins. The music takes hold, whisking audiences along for the ride, and the curtain rises to acrobatic feats of singing, larger-than-life emotions, grand-scale theater, and timeless stories. 

Imagine the young people in your life experiencing all of this for the first time.

As we approach back-to-school time, it’s the perfect moment for teachers and parents to consider all of the ways that Lyric can incorporate music into learning throughout the school year. 

This June, Lyric Opera of Chicago announced the Negaunee Education Programs, supported by a generous landmark gift that builds on years of partnership in arts education. Lyric’s Negaunee Education Programs are about igniting a lifelong passion for opera and building future audiences, one meaningful experience at a time.

Different classrooms call for different options, and Lyric’s 2026/27 Season includes exciting field trip opportunities for grades three through twelve, including:

Free Dress Rehearsals for Students: Afternoon final rehearsals that allow students to view the opera at no cost in the opera house. The experience may include views of scene changes and technical staff making final adjustments during the course of the rehearsal — a great way to cultivate a love for the performing arts. Plus, with Lyric’s Behind the Curtain program, students can learn about the opera in advance with a complimentary in-school visit from a Lyric teaching artist. 

Performances for Students: The chance to attend a full opera performance with patrons of all ages, and the option to add a pre-talk before the performance. Offered at a deeply reduced ticket price (starting at $20), groups can come to the opera house, learn how to be a great audience member, and be moved by music during a matinee or evening performance. 

Opera in the Neighborhoods: Field trips are closer to your school than you may think, with Earth to Kenzie, a free opera for grades 3-6 performed in neighborhoods around Chicago during the fall and spring. You’ll meet Kenzie, a fifth grader with homework, asthma, and a big imagination. When she and her mother have to move into a family shelter, Kenzie finds refuge in the world of video games alongside her avatar, Edwin, in her quest for confidence — and a way home. (Opera in the Neighborhoods will have select, free public performances during the year, too!)

Classes may also apply to Lyric for bus scholarships to help with transport to and from the Lyric Opera House. Lyric also provides online teacher resources for select productions to help teachers prepare their students for their performance experience, and easy-to-follow information about the field trip experience, from booking to pick-up at the theater. 

Beyond these programs, Lyric offers a variety of additional student, teacher, and family programs in the classroom and with partner institutions around Chicago. Lyric also offers child-priced tickets for each opera, and hosts Explore Your Lyric, an exciting day of exploration of the opera house for families and young people each spring. And if you’re looking for another great way to introduce young people to the joys of classical music, consider Encanto in Concert Live to Film, when the classic movie hits the big screen of Lyric Opera House with the lush sound of a live orchestra accompanying it.

If you’re a teacher, consider completing our interest form to make sure you’re receiving emails about our educational opportunities for your classroom. If you’re a parent, be sure to share this information with the teachers and leadership at your child’s school for consideration. There’s no time like the present to instill a love for music in young people — and Lyric is excited to be your partner in providing that magic!