By the Numbers: Lyric Unlimited’s Student Reach

Among its many activities, a major focus of Lyric Unlimited — Lyric Opera of Chicago's Learning and Civic Engagement division — is to bring students into contact with the art form in meaningful ways. Through innovative partnerships, residences of numerous kinds, and immersive programming, Lyric Unlimited serves thousands of students across the greater Chicago area every year.

The 2024/25 Season was successful by any measure. We've done the math, and the story told by the numbers themselves gives a strong sense of Lyric Unlimited's ongoing impact. Here are a few highlights:

Since 2012, the Opera in the Neighborhoods initiative has brought operatic works aimed at grades 3-6 to school groups across the region. This past year, Lyric presented 26 performances of Frida Kahlo and the Bravest Girl in the World to more than 7,500 students. The season concluded with two performances of the work, sung in English, at Lyric's family-friendly Explore Your Lyric event.

Continuing their 12-year partnership with the Merit School of Music, Lyric presented a special performance of Frida to 270 conservatory students.

That's the number of different schools whose students attended free Student Dress Rehearsals at the Lyric Opera House in the 2024/25 Season. More than 1,700 students got to experience opera firsthand — a program supplemented by the Behind the Curtain initiative, where Lyric educators visited 15 classrooms across the region to provide valuable context and spark interest before students made the trip to the opera house.

As part of the annual Sunday in the Park with Lyric concert, Lyric invited children and their adults to join them in the park for the Art-See Jamboree. Kids enjoyed not only storytelling inspired by Laurence Anholt's Frida Kahlo and the Bravest Girl in the World (the book on which the opera is based) but also arts and crafts, live music, and — of course — swag bags. More than 125 guests spent hours in beautiful Millennium Park, taking part in one of the most exciting events of Lyric's summer season.

Lyric brought its Opera Residencies program to 52 classrooms this season. During these residencies by teaching professionals, students explored everything from the basics of vocal technique and stage presence to foreign languages and storytelling methods. The hands-on programs also included field trips to the opera house and access to final dress rehearsals.

Lyric Unlimited Teaching Artists collaborated with classroom teachers to create customized lessons that connected operatic content to core educational goals. Thanks to generous grants and scholarships, this program was offered free of charge to all qualifying schools, reaching more than 1,100 students and helping them fall in love with opera in ways that are memorable, personal, and fun.

In January, 120 students involved in Lyric's High School Choir Residency program participated in the inaugural High School Choral Fest. A large-scale, collaborative effort, the festival brought together students from five schools across Chicago. From Washington Park to Lakeview, school administrators and teaching artists united around a shared love of music, dedicating a full instructional day to gather on Lyric's stage and create something truly special together.

It all adds up to a strong year of investment in the future of Chicagoland students and in opera itself. Lyric Unlimited remains committed to expanding access to opera and deepening community engagement through education. Whether it's a student's first time hearing an aria or a teacher's tenth year partnering with the company, every moment of connection counts. We can't wait to see what the next season brings — and to continue bringing opera to life for audiences of all ages.