March 16, 2020

Week of August 10: Lyric Commentaries for opera streaming and more!

Welcome to the latest roundup of opera-streaming opportunities! Featured this week are performances from Glyndebourne, Irish National Opera, Houston Grand Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, Seattle Opera, and Santa Fe Opera. Summer in Chicago may be cooling off, but opera streaming all over the world is heating up. 

Lyric Opera Commentaries discuss the synopses, music, and some historical insights into how each piece was created. It’s like a Pre-Opera Talk you can hear at home.

Enjoy the background and enjoy the operas. View more Lyric Commentaries to enhance your opera streaming experience. 

Lyric Opera Commentaries are sponsored by the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Foundation in memory of their parents.

Monday, August 10

Glyndebourne Festival
Handel: Giulio Cesare (Julius Caesar)

This production from Glyndebourne stars Sarah Connolly, Danielle de Niese, Patricia Bardon, and Angelika Kirchschlager, and was directed by Sir David McVicar. Giulio Cesare was conducted by William Christie in 2005. This opera stream will be available through August 15, 2020. This charming Bollywood-inspired production triumphed at Lyric in 2007 and introduced our audiences to soprano Danielle de Niese.


Lyric Commentary from the 2007/08 Season is by Bill Mason, former general director of Lyric Opera of Chicago. 

Julius Caesar

By  George Frideric Handel

Lyric Opera Commentaries are sponsored by the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Foundation in memory of their parents.

Commentary by Bill Mason

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Tuesday, August 11

The Metropolitan Opera
Bizet: Carmen 

This production from The Metropolitan Opera stars Aleksandra Kurzak, Clémentine Margaine, Roberto Alagna, and Alexander Vinogradov, and was directed by Paula Williams. Carmen was conducted by Louis Langrée on February 2, 2019. This opera stream will be available until 6:30pm on Wednesday, August 12. 

Clémentine Margaine will star in Lyric's upcoming 2021 Season as Delilah in Samson and Delilah. Visit our production page to learn more. 

Lyric Commentary from the 2016/17 Season is by Jack Zimmerman. 

Carmen

by Georges Bizet

Lyric Opera Commentaries are sponsored by the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Foundation in memory of their parents.

© 2016/17 Lyric Opera Commentaries
Musical excerpts provided through generous arrangement with Warner Classics, Official Education and Promotion Music Provider for Lyric Opera of Chicago. All rights reserved. Recording & Production services provided by Mark Travis.
A project of the Women's Board.

Wednesday, August 12

Seattle Opera
Songs of Summer with Will Liverman

Presented by Seattle Opera, this virtual concert showcases baritone and Ryan Opera Center alumnus Will Liverman performing works by Vaughan Williams, Copland, and Mendelssohn with Jonathon King on the piano. This stream premiered on August 6, 2020, and will be available until August 20, 2020. 


LEARN MORE


Lyric audiences will remember Will Liverman most recently from Lawrence Brownlee and Friends: The Next Chapter. Visit our production page to learn more about this incredible artist, and for a chance to watch this virtual concert, available until the end of August. 

Thursday, August 13

Santa Fe Opera
Songs from the Sante Fe Opera: M. Butterfly

Hosted by tenor Joshua Dennis, this episode of "Songs from the Santa Fe Opera" features selections from Huang Ruo and David Henry Hwang's M. Butterfly. Performances will be followed by a conversation with Ruo, Hwang, and Artistic Director Alexander Neef. 

Watch Now! 

Friday, August 14

Houston Grand Opera
Lehár: The Merry Widow

This production from Houston Grand Opera stars Susan Graham, and Bo Skovhus, and was directed by Stanley M. Garner. The Merry Widow was conducted by Patrick Summers in 2003. This radio broadcast will be available until September 14, 2020. 

Lyric Commentary from the 2015/16 Season is by Anthony Freud in collaboration with Nicholas Ivor Martin. 

The Merry Widow

by Franz Lehár

Lyric Opera Commentaries are sponsored by the Patrick G. and Shirley Welsh Ryan Foundation in memory of their parents.

© 2015/16 Lyric Opera Commentaries
Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of Warner Classics. All rights reserved. Recording & Production services provided by Mark Travis.
A project of the Women’s Board.

Saturday, August 15

Irish National Opera
Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice (Orpheus and Eurydice)

This production from Irish National Opera stars Sharon Caty, Sarah Power, and Emma Nash, and was directed by Emma Martin. Orfeo ed Euridice was conducted by Peter Whelan in 2019. 

Lyric Commentary from the 2017/18 Season is by Anthony Freud in collaboration with Nicholas Ivor Martin. 

Orphée et Eurydice

by Christoph Willibald Gluck

Lyric Opera Commentaries are sponsored by the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Foundation in memory of their parents.

© 2017/18 Lyric Opera Commentaries Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of Warner Music Group. All rights reserved. Recording & Production services provided by Mark Travis.
A project of the Women’s Board

Sunday, August 16

Houston Grand Opera
Verdi: La traviata 

This production from Houston Grand Opera stars Renée Fleming, Paul Charles Clark, and Bruce Caproni, and was directed by Frank Corsaro. La traviata was conducted by Patrick Summers in 2003. This radio broadcast will be available until August 17, 2020. 

Lyric Commentary from the 2018/19 Season is by David Buch. 

La traviata

by Giuseppe Verdi

Lyric Opera Commentaries are sponsored by the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Foundation in memory of their parents.

© 2018/19 Lyric Opera Commentaries. All rights reserved. Recording & Production services provided by Mark Travis. The music featured in Lyric Commentaries is generously furnished by Warner Classics.
A project of the Women’s Board

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Photos: Robert Kusel, Todd Rosenberg

Music used in Lyric Commentaries is provided courtesy of Warner Classics, the Official Education and Promotion Music Provider of Lyric Opera of Chicago.