Lyric Lately

From sweeping music and unrelenting drama, to fearless performances and fantastical scenery, Cherubini's "Medea" comes to Lyric for the first time in the 2025/26 Season.

Music Director Enrique Mazzola’s whirlwind summer continues in Berlin where he offers high praise for Massenet, Meyerbeer, and other old friends.

Through innovative partnerships, residences of numerous kinds, and immersive programming, Lyric Unlimited serves thousands of students across the greater Chicago area every year. In this blog, explore a few highlights of the 2024/25 Season.

Read about Gabriela Lena Frank and Nilo Cruz’s magical opera, "El último sueño de Frida y Diego," and step into a dream world where true love defies death, March 21-April 4 at Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Maestro Enrique Mazzola's summer continues in Paris and Tuscany. In this second installment, we get insights on aging wine, museum-going, and the surprising adventures of debuting in new houses.

Two of Broadway’s most celebrated performers take the stage at Lyric for one unforgettable night. On Friday, October 10, Tony Award winners Brian Stokes Mitchell and Laura Benanti join Maestro Rob Fisher and the full Lyric Opera Orchestra for the Lyric Opening Concert, launching the 2025/26 Season with a dynamic evening of Broadway favorites, jazz standards, and timeless classics from the Great American Songbook.

In recent seasons, Lyric audiences have traveled down the Amazon River alongside Florencia Grimaldi in Florencia en el Amazonas (2021/22), walked along the streets of 19th century Paris with Mimì and Rodolfo in La Bohème (2018/19), witnessed the splendor of the gingerbread house in Hansel and Gretel (2022/23), and seen 17th century Rome come to life in Tosca (2021/22). What unites all of these different stories? Food! Maria DeFabo Akin, Lyric’s Production Design Director provides a behind-the-scenes look at how delicious meals and extravagant feasts are prepared for Lyric’s stage.

As we allow ourselves to become immersed in the fantasy of Japan portrayed in Puccini's "Madama Butterfly," it's illuminating to consider through whose lens we are viewing this opera. In this director's note, Matthew Ozawa explains his vision for Lyric's upcoming production.

Revival Director Mikhaela Mahony discusses her relationship with Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek's newest opera "The Listeners" and how she's bringing the intense, edge-of-your-seat drama to the stage for its Lyric premiere.

“The Listeners” considers the power of sound itself, and confronts the dangers of following a charismatic leader at all costs. Learn more about this thrilling contemporary opera and what it says about people's quest for community in this article from Dr. Justin Vickers.

The Listeners receives its Chicago premiere this spring. We spoke with its dynamic creators — composer Missy Mazzoli and librettist Royce Vavrek — about genre, wildness, and what makes this opera such a powerful work for the contemporary moment.

La Bohème seamlessly captures the essence of young love, artistic passion, and the bittersweet nature of life’s fleeting joys. Learn more about the iconic opera that has remained in the hearts of opera lovers since its premiere in 1896 and see it live March 15 through April 12, 2025.

This spring, Samoan tenor Pene Pati makes his Lyric debut as Rodolfo in Puccini's La Bohème — a role he has performed to great acclaim on major stages from London to Berlin. In this conversation, he shares his favorite moment in the opera, what makes Puccini's music timeless, and much more.

Sondra Radvanovsky's triumphs in the operas of Puccini have included Musetta (La Bohème), Liù (Turandot), and the title roles of Manon Lescaut, Tosca, Suor Angelica, and Turandot. The world-renowned American soprano took a moment away from her recent European concert tour to discuss her longtime fascination with the indispensable composer and which selections audiences can expect to hear in The Puccini Heroines on February 8, 13, and 16.

A selection of 19th-century works from the collection of the Art Institute illuminates Puccini’s conception of bohemian life — and reveals the unsung contexts of the lives of the leading ladies of "La Bohème."

As The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center celebrates its 50th anniversary in the 2024/25 Season, we reflect on where it all began.

Learn more about the history of the Carol Fox Award, as well as the 2025 recipient Penelope Steiner.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at Lyric's Chorus Director and Head of Music, Michael Black. During his tenure at Lyric, Black guides the Lyric Opera Chorus from music learning to stage performances, shaping their voices and understanding each opera's details. With tales of challenges and triumphs, he reveals the dynamic blend of artistry and collaboration that brings operatic magic to life.

Ailyn Pérez has a heartstoppingly beautiful voice. It’s a glowing, full-toned lyric soprano, produced with sovereign technique and abundant artistry, so that it seems to draw every person who hears her into an embrace. She combines that sound with a warm, gracious, utterly natural stage presence that illuminates every character she plays.

With a voice that’s big, warm, and full, with an emotional pull that draws any audience into his orbit whenever he’s onstage, Russell Thomas has made a strong impression on Lyric audiences.

Renée Fleming is no stranger to Lyric Opera of Chicago. While the Grammy Award-winning soprano has performed at every major opera house around the world, on the soundtracks of Oscar-winning films, and even at the Super Bowl, we have been proud to call her a member of the Lyric family for more than 30 years.

The opera season may be over, but it’s never a bad time to immerse yourself in the beauty of storytelling, in any form. Inspired by the drama, passion, and tragedy of our 2024/25 Season, here are six books to add to your summer reading list.

The upcoming season at Lyric offers a wealth of incredible performances, featuring both exciting new works and timeless classics. With a variety of exceptional productions to choose from, why not create your own perfect trio of performances?

Opera at Lyric may pause during the summer months, but there are still plenty of ways to stay connected to the art form — whether you're looking to attend a live performance, enjoy streaming from home, or deepen your appreciation through a great read. Here’s how to keep opera alive all summer long, right here in Chicago and beyond.

Catch up with Maestro Enrique Mazzola on his summer adventures. In this first installment, he spoke to us from Tokyo, where he was wrapping up performances of Madama Butterfly with the Tokyo Philharmonic at the New National Theatre Tokyo.

Soprano Karen Slack wraps up her time as Lyric Unlimited Artist-in-Residence this June with a recital of her Grammy Award-winning album, "Beyond the Years." Learn more in this blog.

Internationally renowned tenor and Ryan Opera Center alumnus Matthew Polenzani has been an audience favorite since his Lyric debut in 1995. This season he returns as Giasone in Cherubini's Greek drama, "Medea."

Berwyn-born soprano Sondra Radvonovky has thrilled audiences with her powerful portrayals as some of opera's most dramatic heroines from Norma to Lady Macbeth. This fall she opens Lyric’s 25/26 season with Medea. We sat down with her to chat about this thrilling performance and how she prepares for such a demanding role.

From the opening night of Verdi's "Rigoletto" to the final curtain of "La Bohème," this season was one to remember. Scroll through some of our favorite excerpts to relive the magic of the 2024/25 Season.

Grand operas, a pair of world premieres, and a roster of world-class talents will arrive at Lyric for the 2025/26 Season.

Explore Your Lyric is an opportunity for audiences of all ages to come into the opera house and learn who we are, what we do, and why we do it. See what we have in store for this fun-filled, family-friendly event in this blog.

Members of the 2024/25 Ryan Opera Center Ensemble reflect on their time at Lyric as they prepare for their final performance in the program. See them onstage in "Rising Stars in Concert" on April 25.

Leoncavallo's "Pagliacci" is ubiquitous in television, film, and popular music. Here are a few notable mentions from The Simpsons to Batman ahead of Lyric's November production.

For more than three decades, Billy Corgan has been an architect of sonic innovation, reshaping alternative rock with The Smashing Pumpkins. This fall, he embarks on an unprecedented collaboration with Lyric Opera of Chicago to present A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness, a reimagining of the seminal double album with full orchestral and choral arrangements. We spoke with Corgan about how this unique project came to be, his connection to Lyric, and his vision for the performance.

As Lyric Opera of Chicago prepares to bring an electrifying concert to the opera house, we spoke with Chorus Director Michael Black about A Wondrous Sound. From operatic gems to Broadway classics, this event promises a thrilling musical experience with something for everyone. Join us for A Wondrous Sound on April 16 or 19, 2025.

Canadian conductor Jordan de Souza returns to Lyric for "La Bohème." In this conversation, he talks about the mastery of Puccini's score, its moving intimacies, and how conductors really learn their trade.

Music Director Enrique Mazzola talks about the score of The Listeners — its mystery, its expressive power, and even its silences — and the many pleasures to be found in Missy Mazzoli’s music.

Raise a toast to Puccini's "La Bohème" with a Moon Over Paris — Lyric's signature cocktail. It's a little bitter, a little sweet, and has just as much potent force as the opera that inspired it.

Program co-creator and pianist Mark Markham elaborates on his creative process for DREAM VARIATIONS and his collaboration with Lyric Unlimited Artist-in-Residence Karen Slack.

Understudies are the mostly unsung heroes of the opera world. They lip-synch their memorized roles from the sidelines, spend hours in rehearsals and practice rooms, and wait for the call that doesn’t come. Until it does.

There is a small club of composers who have had only one significant operatic hit. Not everyone can be Mozart, Verdi, Wagner, or Puccini—here are just a few examples of some very familiar operatic one-hit wonders from surprising sources.

Rossini's overture to The Barber of Seville is instantly recognizable to almost anyone who has watched a movie or TV show at some point in their life. But what exactly is an overture? Here's a very brief introduction to this musical form.

If you come to see an opera performance at Lyric, you may see a small black box sticking up at the edge of the stage above the orchestra pit. Can you believe that a person actually spends an entire opera in that small space? It's the prompter's box!

Sopranos are divas. Tenors are lovers. A bass is always the bad guy. What are the different voice types? And what roles do they play? In this brand-new series, Lyric's own Anthony Freud, Sir Andrew Davis, and Renée Fleming take you on a guided tour (with plenty of audio examples) of the various voice types in opera.  

If you ever wondered what a master class is, you're not alone. Lyric offers master classes for students and artists of all ages and levels of experience, and is committed to cultivating the next generations of opera singers and music performers.

One of the most common questions we receive here at Lyric is “How should I dress?” Fortunately for you, we’ve compiled this handy list of frequently asked questions and answers so you’ll know exactly what to wear on your next outing to Lyric.

Is there anyone in the business busier than Craig Terry? Between an international performance career, studio recordings, and his leadership role in the Ryan Opera Center, Lyric has been proud to call this multi-talented musician part of the family for more than 16 seasons.

Over the past few years, you may have seen the name Yuval Sharon pop up in opera coverage in the Wall Street Journal, LA Times, and other publications. Dubbed “opera’s disrupter in residence” by The New York Times, this acclaimed director has been making cultural waves since early in the new millennium and made a splash with Lyric for the 2020/21 season, as well.

In this blog, get to know interdisciplinary artist avery r. young, Chicago’s first-ever poet laureate and the creator of safronia — a new opera, premiering at Lyric Opera of Chicago in April 2026.

As a first-year member of the Ryan Opera Center, soprano Emily Pogorelc made a sparkling Lyric debut as Cinderella’s comical stepsister Noémie in Cendrillon in 2018.

Lyric presented The New Classics: Songs from the New Golden Age of Musical Theater, a virtual cabaret highlighting the best of new and old Broadway, on Thursday, June 10, 2020. With a starry new cast, this singular evening of musical theater was hosted by music director David Chase from a way back stage at the Lyric Opera House.

There’s nothing more gratifying for an opera company, or for an opera audience, than discovering a gifted young artist and then watching that artist’s talent blossom. That’s been a special pleasure for everyone in the Lyric family who first heard Hawaiian baritone Quinn Kelsey during his tenure at the Ryan Opera Center. 

Since her company debut as Liù in Puccini's Turandot during the 2017/18 Season, soprano Janai Brugger has quickly become an audience favorite at Lyric. Reviews praised her plummy lyric soprano as well as her innate ability to connect with the audience.

Ryan Opera Center director of vocal studies Julia Faulkner adores beautiful, interpretively meaningful, technically accomplished singing. The American soprano was known for giving audiences exactly that on major stages during an outstandingly successful international career.

Success in the prestigious Operalia competition propelled Grammy Award® winner Ana María Martínez to international prominence at a young age. Her exceptionally beautiful voice, probing musicality, extraordinary acting, and luminous stage presence have brought her starring roles with every major opera company.

Discover the story of Bill Billingham, Assistant Conductor on the Music Staff of the Lyric Opera Orchestra, and explore his vital role behind the curtain of one of opera’s greatest ensembles.

In a music competition, there’s usually a moment when you just know that a particular artist has clinched it. In 2005, Nicole Cabell represented the U.S. at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World, one of the most prestigious of all vocal competitions just a few weeks after concluding her tenure at The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center. It was clear that a new star had arrived.

Without the voice of a true dramatic soprano, the largest-scale Wagner and Strauss works aren’t feasible to produce at the highest level. When a dramatic soprano such as Christine Goerke comes along with the necessary vocal beauty, power, and size, matched by extraordinary musicality and electrifying stage presence, the result is world-renowned.

Maria Tallchief (1925-2013) is often described as America's first true prima ballerina. Certainly she played that role at Lyric Opera of Chicago; not only did she grace our productions with her legendary talent as a ballerina, but she also created a balletic tradition which continues here today.

The only person in history to sing an encore in three different productions at the Metropolitan Opera, Mexican tenor Javier Camarena will make his Lyric debut as the Duke of Mantua in Verdi's Rigoletto (Sept 14 - Oct 6, 2024). Originally from Xalapa, Veracruz in Mexico and now residing in Zurich, Switzerland, Camarena has achieved international acclaim for his burnished tone and commanding vocals.

Baritone Igor Golovatenko demonstrated extraordinary musical versatility early on, graduating first as a cellist from the Saratov Conservatory, then as a conductor from Moscow's Tchaikovsky Conservatory before turning to vocal studies at the Moscow Academy of Choral Arts. He first wowed Chicago audiences in 2022, with his Lyric debut as Rodrigue in Don Carlos.

Armenian soprano Mané Galoyan will make her house debut as Gilda in Lyric Opera of Chicago’s upcoming Rigoletto. Get to know the talented artist in this blog post and see her onstage at Lyric, September 14-October 6.

To compose Champion, Terence Blanchard knew he’d have to rely on his own individual sensibilities. See what inspired the seven-time Grammy winner to delve into opera in this blog and experience his "opera in jazz" onstage at Lyric, January 21-February 11.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at Lyric's Chorus Director and Head of Music, Michael Black. During his tenure at Lyric, Black guides the Lyric Opera Chorus from music learning to stage performances, shaping their voices and understanding each opera's details. With tales of challenges and triumphs, he reveals the dynamic blend of artistry and collaboration that brings operatic magic to life.

In everything Tamara Wilson sings, we hear someone who truly can do it all. Since her debut as Leonora in Il trovatore in Lyric's 2018/19 Season, her star has only continued to rise. Learn more about her life and career in this spotlight article.

Today’s “go-to” diva for the coloratura, trills, floated high notes, and huge climaxes of these roles is Sondra Radvanovsky, whose dazzling career has taken her from her native Berwyn, Illinois, to every prestigious opera house in the world.

Ailyn Pérez has a heartstoppingly beautiful voice. It’s a glowing, full-toned lyric soprano, produced with sovereign technique and abundant artistry, so that it seems to draw every person who hears her into an embrace. She combines that sound with a warm, gracious, utterly natural stage presence that illuminates every character she plays.

There are certain singers who seem able to rise to even the most formidable challenges in any role in their vocal category. Charles Castronovo is one of those singers. Vocally the American tenor navigates with perfect ease, thanks to masterful control of his instrument. He combines superb technique with passionate dedication to every character he portrays.

For nearly five decades, The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center has nurtured the talents of a diverse range of emerging singers and pianists. Building on that legacy, the program added a new position to its 2021/22 Ensemble: Conductor/Pianist. We are thrilled to introduce the first person to take on this role, Donald Lee III.

Louisa Muller is known for her “absorbing, provocative staging” (Opera News) and is breaking new ground as a young stage director. Recently named a finalist in the “Best Newcomer” category at the 2020 International Opera Awards, Muller’s work is respected and admired around the world. This season, we are elated to welcome her back to this new-to-Chicago production of Puccini’s beloved Tosca.

Canadian baritone Joshua Hopkins is a man of many voices —master of Mozart, bel canto, French repertoire, and exceedingly challenging contemporary works. Effortlessly adapting his velvety instrument to the demands of every style he takes on, he invariably impresses not just with his voice and the terrific technique behind it, but also probing, thoughtful interpretations that mark him as one of today’s truly outstanding artists.

With a voice that’s big, warm, and full, with an emotional pull that draws any audience into his orbit whenever he’s onstage, Russell Thomas has made a strong impression on Lyric audiences.

Renée Fleming is no stranger to Lyric Opera of Chicago. While the Grammy Award-winning soprano has performed at every major opera house around the world, on the soundtracks of Oscar-winning films, and even at the Super Bowl, we have been proud to call her a member of the Lyric family for more than 30 years.

A familiar face — and voice — at Lyric, tenor Lawrence Brownlee has been an audience favorite since his company debut in 2015. Here, we take a look back at some of his operatic triumphs and sold-out concerts at the Lyric Opera House and around the city of Chicago.

Alessandro Corbelli, known for his uproarious portrayals of some of opera’s most entertaining characters, will delight Lyric audiences with two of his most popular roles in the 2023/24 Season — Sulpice in Donizetti's The Daughter of the Regiment and Don Magnifico in Rossini's Cinderella.

Missy Mazzoli, heralded as a “post-millennial Mozart” (Time Out New York), makes her Lyric debut this season with The Listeners. Whether she's writing for a full orchestra or a string quartet, Mazzoli personifies her music with tonal and atonal sounds, replicating how humans interact in relationships.

With more than fourteen roles to date, it’s always a joy to welcome back a familiar face to the Lyric stage. Bass Raymond Aceto has captivated Chicago audiences with his rich tone and impressive range since his company debut in the 1997/98 Season as The Voice of Neptune in Mozart’s Idomeneo.

It’s always exciting when Lyric can bring a new-to-chicago work like Florencia en el Amazonas to our audiences, but it’s even more compelling when it’s being led by one of the world’s most highly respected directors, Francesca Zambello. She began her journey with Lyric back in 1999 and we are delighted to welcome her back to direct the first Spanish-language work to be presented as part of our mainstage opera season.

This spring, acclaimed baritone Lucia Lucas made her Lyric debut in Caroline Shaw and Jocelyn Clarke's Four Portraits, one of the trio of operas that make up Proximity. Her presence in the cast of this world premiere commission is remarkable for a number of reasons. For one, returning to Chicago was a homecoming of sorts: the artist is an alumna of Roosevelt University. For another, Lucas is the first transgender star to take a leading role on the Lyric stage. That’s consistent with her current focus on her mainstage operatic career, which recently has included exciting debuts on some of the world's biggest stages.

Grammy-nominated soprano and Ryan Opera Center alumna Whitney Morrison is set to make a highly-anticipated return to the Lyric stage in the 2024 production of Terence Blanchard’s Champion.

Winner of six Tony Awards, two Grammy Awards and an Emmy Award, Audra McDonald is in a class all her own. Get to know this star of stage and screen in this blog and see her live on October 6 with the Lyric Opera Orchestra.

A six-time Tony Award-winner for her roles on Broadway, Audra McDonald is equally celebrated for orchestral concerts, which she has performed to huge international acclaim. Ahead of her eagerly awaited first appearance at the Lyric Opera House, McDonald spoke with Lyric’s former dramaturg about her voice, her artistry, and how she prepares her concert programs.

The Lyric Opera House has been a Chicago landmark since it first opened in 1929, but did you know that the block-long Civic Opera Building originally held two theaters? Behind the back wall of the Lyric Opera House, the Civic Theatre was a historical mainstay for the Chicago arts sector.

When performances resume in the Lyric Opera House, new seats will be waiting for you in the Ardis Krainik Theatre. Thanks to dedicated funding from an Anonymous Donor, this project represents an exciting step forward for Lyric's Patron Accessibility initiative.

As The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center celebrates its 50th anniversary in the 2024/25 Season, we reflect on where it all began.

The company's newly appointed leader speaks about his love of opera, his earliest musical influences, and his deeply optimistic view of the art form's future.

The high-caliber training offered at The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center helps emerging talent become ready for star turns on the international stage.

This season marks the 50th anniversary of The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center. Here’s a brief retrospective of highlights of this extraordinary program’s evolution.

Learn more about the history of the Carol Fox Award, as well as the 2025 recipient Penelope Steiner.

Lyric continues to implement barrier-breaking initiatives that make the opera experience even more available. See how Lyric is putting accessibility at the forefront in this article.

Maria Tallchief (1925-2013) is often described as America's first true prima ballerina. Certainly she played that role at Lyric Opera of Chicago; not only did she grace our productions with her legendary talent as a ballerina, but she also created a balletic tradition which continues here today.

Rossini's The Barber of Seville is an operatic classic. Channel the characters and composer with these delightful cocktail recipes, but don't count on Figaro to get you out of a jam if you overindulge!

Verdi called Shakespeare's Macbeth " one of mankind's greatest creations," and when the Italian composer added his musical genius to the story, it was the perfect recipe for a hit opera. If you're looking to get in the mood for this twisted Scottish tale, break out your bubbling cauldron and shake up a Shakespeare-inspired cocktail with these Macbeth Lyric Libations.

Whether you're mixing up drinks with your favorite feather-brained sidekick or falling in love at first sight with a beautiful Prince or Princess, these creative cocktails can only add to the magic of Mozart's music.

Mix up a cocktail fit for a king and feel yourself instantly transported to the 16th-century Spanish court with these Ernani-inspired Lyric Libations. Much like a strong drink, the twists and turns of this Verdi opera are enough to make you dizzy!

Highjinks and highnotes abound in Rossini’s final comedy, Le Comte Ory. Get in the mood for this frothy and fun opera with these tasty cocktails, and see the nun-sense unfold onstage, now through November 26.

Tired of the usual grog, mead, and rum? Prepare to drink up, me hearties! These Flying Dutchman-inspired cocktails are sure to put the wind back in your sails.

Attila was the ruler of the nomadic Huns in the fifth century, and his name has become synonymous with that of a ruthless warrior. Throughout history, Attila has been fictionalized in epic poems, in songs performed on The Dick Van Dyke Show, and even written into vampire lore in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Our favorite retelling of this story is, of course, the one with the massive chorus.

There are memorable heroines in Giuseppe Verdi’s early operas, but Luisa Miller is the only one who will make you cry. In the entire opera, Luisa has just one moment of happiness. Once her sparkling, ecstatically lovestruck opening aria is over, the plot leads her on a harrowing path of sorrow and betrayal.

Lyric is planning a spectacular 2021/22 Season opener — a new production of Verdi’s thrilling Macbeth, continuing the company’s Early Verdi Series. This adaptation of Shakespeare’s smoldering tragedy represents a moment in the career of Italy’s greatest opera composer when his genius was truly taking wing.

Across a span of 20 years, Gioachino Rossini wrote 39 operas, five of them in 1812 alone. Though the Italian composer retired from composing operas at age 37, and lived to be 76, his musical legacy lives on. In honor of our production of Cinderella (La Cenerentola), we've compiled a list of some of Rossini's "greatest hits."

Champion, an opera by Terence Blanchard with libretto by Michael Cristofer, tells the true story of welterweight boxer Emile Griffith who is haunted by guilt. Learn more about the "opera in jazz" in this blog and witness its Lyric premiere January 27-February 11.

As we allow ourselves to become immersed in the fantasy of Japan portrayed in Puccini's "Madama Butterfly," it's illuminating to consider through whose lens we are viewing this opera. In this director's note, Matthew Ozawa explains his vision for Lyric's upcoming production.

The humanity of Figaro, as revealed by the music and libretto, has sustained this opera for more than two centuries. Get to know the lively characters of this beloved Mozart opera in this article from Roger Pines.

Prepare to laugh and laugh and laugh again! Laurent Pelly’s production of The Daughter of the Regiment is side-splittingly funny, as grateful audiences have discovered in London, Vienna, and New York.

Revival Director Mikhaela Mahony discusses her relationship with Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek's newest opera "The Listeners" and how she's bringing the intense, edge-of-your-seat drama to the stage for its Lyric premiere.

“The Listeners” considers the power of sound itself, and confronts the dangers of following a charismatic leader at all costs. Learn more about this thrilling contemporary opera and what it says about people's quest for community in this article from Dr. Justin Vickers.

The Listeners receives its Chicago premiere this spring. We spoke with its dynamic creators — composer Missy Mazzoli and librettist Royce Vavrek — about genre, wildness, and what makes this opera such a powerful work for the contemporary moment.

Read about director Christopher Alden's vision for The Flying Dutchman in this Director's Note, and experience his electrifying production of Wagner's masterpiece at Lyric September 23-October 7.

Today, more than 175 years since its premiere, The Flying Dutchman continues to thrill audiences musically, theatrically, and emotionally. If you're new to Wagner, it's the best possible introduction to his incredibly beautiful sound world, and to his extraordinary ability to penetrate into the hearts of his protagonists.

Tony-Award winning composer Jeanine Tesori recounts the legacy of her grandfather, her approach to composing, and collaborating with Blue librettist Tazewell Thompson.

Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro is an intimate study of human relationships and is widely recognized as one of the greatest operas ever written. Read more about Lyric's acclaimed production — directed by Barbara Gaines — and what makes this beloved classic so special.

Music Director Enrique Mazzola excels in the bel canto repertoire — and that requires a positively expert sense of humor.

La Bohème seamlessly captures the essence of young love, artistic passion, and the bittersweet nature of life’s fleeting joys. Learn more about the iconic opera that has remained in the hearts of opera lovers since its premiere in 1896 and see it live March 15 through April 12, 2025.

Terence Blanchard's highly acclaimed debut opera, Champion, has made its premiere at Lyric Opera of Chicago. Described in the composer’s subtitle as an “Opera in Jazz,” the work goes beyond the confines of conventional operatic performance, featuring mesmerizing jazz styles seamlessly blended with allusions to traditional opera.

In this exclusive Q&A, Gabriella Reyes delves into her evolving portrayal of Musetta, her heartfelt connection with Chicago audiences, and the joys and challenges of switching between the complex characters of Musetta and Mimì. Her reflections reveal a profound understanding of her craft and the intense emotions that fuel her performances. Whether discussing her favorite moments on stage or balancing the demands of a dynamic career, Gabriella's passion and dedication to opera are unmistakable.

Maestro Joseph Young makes his Lyric debut with Blue. In this blog, he talks about conducting new work, favorite moments, and this opera's special appeal.

Dr. Naomi André delves into how the groundbreaking opera "Blue" brings the contemporary lived experience of Black citizens onto the opera stage.

Masterpieces composed years apart, brimming with drama. Learn about one of the greatest choral pieces every written — Mozart's stunning Requiem — as well as the rarely-performed Thamos, King of Egypt.

Often viewed as simply a clash between nations, Verdi's great war tragedy derives its power from profoundly personal interactions. Read more from Martha C. Nussbaum.

Among Jean-Pierre Ponnelle's most beloved productions is LA CENERENTOLA, a 1969 commission for San Francisco Opera. This work provides an immediate glimpse of quintessentially Ponnellian attributes where every element on the stage amplifies the music.

The 2019 work Blue presents the moving story of ​​a Black middle-class couple in Harlem, whose lives are shattered when their teenage son is shot by a white police officer. Experience its Lyric debut November 16-December 1.

In this director's note, Barbara Gaines shares insights into The Marriage of Figaro — Mozart's beloved comedy about human nature — and the music that inspired her vision.

As Lyric embraces many new-to-Chicago productions and premieres, Fire Shut Up in My Bones should catch the eyes of new and seasoned opera-goers. This coming-of-age story follows a boy of peculiar grace who does not quite fit in with his community. The production challenges audiences with contemporary topics of race, spirituality, and sexuality, musicality rooted in jazz, and stunning movement — distinguishing the piece from many traditional opera productions.

This spring, Samoan tenor Pene Pati makes his Lyric debut as Rodolfo in Puccini's La Bohème — a role he has performed to great acclaim on major stages from London to Berlin. In this conversation, he shares his favorite moment in the opera, what makes Puccini's music timeless, and much more.

A gripping new-to-Chicago production of Fidelio comes to Lyric this fall, directed by Matthew Ozawa. Read about his vision for the piece and experience Beethoven's only opera September 26-October 10.

Sondra Radvanovsky's triumphs in the operas of Puccini have included Musetta (La Bohème), Liù (Turandot), and the title roles of Manon Lescaut, Tosca, Suor Angelica, and Turandot. The world-renowned American soprano took a moment away from her recent European concert tour to discuss her longtime fascination with the indispensable composer and which selections audiences can expect to hear in The Puccini Heroines on February 8, 13, and 16.

In this director' note, director and librettist Tazewell Thompson shares his journey through creating the narrative for Blue.

Anticipated to be one of the most significant operatic events of the 2024/25 Season, "The Listeners" will have audiences on the edge of their seats from the first note to the last. Learn more about Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek's cult thriller and see its Lyric premiere, March 30-April 11.

Daniel Catán's Florencia en el Amazonas is the first Spanish-language opera to be presented as part of Lyric's mainstage season. Learn more about the plot, characters, and music in this blog post.

One of opera’s strongest, most independent, most adoring, and most desirable women — is the flamboyant diva Floria Tosca. Giacomo Puccini’s opera has attracted great sopranos for well over a century, because of its heroine, the thrilling music she sings, and her overpowering emotions.

In this article, scholar Martha C. Nussbaum takes an in-depth look at the characters and politics of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro.

Who could believe that this Bizet opera was considered a failure when it premiered in 1875. Since then, it has become one of the most widely performed operas in the repertoire. This spring, fall in love with CARMEN all over again.

Gioachino Rossini’s CINDERELLA has been an audience favorite since its 1817 premiere. Learn more about the composer's take on the classic fairy tale in this blog and see it onstage at Lyric January 21-February 10.

Lyric Opera of Chicago will open its 2024/25 Season with Giuseppe Verdi's masterpiece Rigoletto, one of the most powerfully dramatic works in the repertoire. Learn more about the iconic opera and see it live with an all-star cast September 14 through October 6, 2024.

A selection of 19th-century works from the collection of the Art Institute illuminates Puccini’s conception of bohemian life — and reveals the unsung contexts of the lives of the leading ladies of "La Bohème."

Magnificent voices, a sumptuous chorus, and an imposing orchestra combine to make Giuseppe Verdi's Aida one of opera's greatest glories. See it onstage at Lyric in a thrilling new-to-Chicago production from Francesca Zambello, March 9-April 7.

While most opera fans have seen Rigoletto, Il trovatore, La traviata, and Aida, Verdi's early work has long been neglected by opera companies. In this blog, learn more about the dozen or so titles that make up the composer's early period and see them onstage as part of Lyric's ongoing Early Verdi series.

For an opera so steeped in foggy highlands that its source material is known to superstitious theater insiders as “the Scottish play,” Lyric Opera of Chicago tapped two proud Scotsmen, Sir David McVicar and John Macfarlane, to create a new production to spark the 2021/22 season — Lyric’s return to live mainstage performance after 18 months dark.

There’s no opera more sparkling than Gaetano Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore (The Elixir of Love). One of the gems of bel canto comedy, it’s sheer delight from start to finish. Welcoming these characters back to the Lyric stage in the 2021/22 Season will be like greeting a group of lovable friends who light up the room and spread joy everywhere.

Lyric’s production of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) is playing November 3-27, so you could possibly be seeing it on a very cold night. We can guarantee that when you leave the theater, you’ll feel like the sun is shining — that’s how totally exhilarating a great performance of this opera can be.

Terence Blanchard and Kasi Lemmons’s powerful Fire Shut Up in My Bones recieves its much-anticipated Chicago premiere this spring at Lyric. Learn more about this bold and affecting opera and see the stunning new co-production between Lyric, the Metropolitan Opera, and Los Angeles Opera come to life, March 24 through April 8.

Few new American operas have earned the acclaim received by Proving Up. “It seizes the imagination,” said San Francisco Classical Voice, and that opinion has been echoed around the country in the three years since Opera Omaha produced the world premiere.

From the rousing choruses of Nabucco to the complex characters of La traviata, there's much more to Giuseppe Verdi than his greatest hits. In this blog, we'll take a look at ten of the celebrated composer's lesser known gems.

Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick, and Joseph Stein's Fiddler on the Roof boasts one of the greatest scores in Broadway history. Since its Broadway premiere in 1964, the timeless story of love, life, and loss has touched countless hearts. Learn more in this article, and see the beloved musical like never before, this fall at Lyric.

Certain great operas become familiar in versions that are quite different from the way they were conceived by the composer. This season, experience the 1886 "Modena version" of DON CARLOS — a company premiere that Verdi fans throughout the Midwest have been eagerly awaiting for decades.

In this article, scholar Martha C. Nussbaum discusses how the Schiller source material, the political and religious movements happening in Italy, and the composer's personal feelings, led to the creation of Verdi's Don Carlos.

There's nothing like rip-roaring early Verdi to set an opera house ablaze with excitement! Think of Ernani, which took the Venice audience by storm at its 1844 premiere. Ever since, this hot-blooded work has been enthralling operagoers with its glorious arias, powerfully dramatic ensembles, and massive choruses.

The 1830 Paris premiere of Victor Hugo’s Hernani, the play on which Verdi’s Ernani is based, was a significant milestone that marked the beginning of the Romantic era of French drama (the first time I read it was in an undergraduate theater history survey course).

Written in 1828, Rossini's Le Comte Ory is the final opera of this master composer’s incomparable career, and one of his comic masterpieces. Learn more in this blog pot and experience it at Lyric for the first time this fall.

Humperdinck deployed all the Wagnerian tricks to create an enduring fairy tale.

The Brothers Grimm fairytale of two brave children lost in the forest is one of the most enchanting stories ever told. How much more wonderful it is when accompanied by Humperdinck’s music!

Love letters have been set to music before, but never with more beauty and eloquence than in Kevin Puts’s captivating song cycle for soprano, baritone, and orchestra, "The Brightness of Light." See Renée Fleming, Rod Gilfry, and Music Director Enrique Mazzola in the Midwest premiere of this work, October 8 with the Lyric Opera Orchestra.

Theater has the power to transport audiences to faraway places and bygone eras. In Dean Burry's The Scorpions' Sting, families are taken on an action-packed adventure to ancient Egypt. Inspired by the legend of Isis and the Seven Scorpions, this 45-minute English-language opera was created specifically for young music fans aged 7-12.

Many operas owe their greatness in large part to the presence of an entire community onstage. That’s certainly true of Leoš Janáček’s unforgettable Jenůfa, one of the 20th century’s great masterpieces. Yes, the protagonists are Jenůfa and Kostelnička, but their tragedy unfolds within a village populated by extraordinary individual characters. Janacek uses them all to create a world — a drama that truly lives in every moment.

Ludwig van Beethoven's Fidelio — a riveting, political drama — returns to the Lyric stage for the first time in 20 years, running September 26 to October 10, 2024. Learn more about the composer's sole opera in this informative blog.

Every year on Father’s Day, people across the country gather to celebrate the father-figures in their lives, so why not acknowledge some of our favorite operatic dads? Granted, most of these men will not be winning any "Father of the Year" awards — we invite you to take a look at our list of the best and worst fathers in opera, and see how many of your favorite characters made the cut!

Porgy and Bess, by composer George Gershwin and librettists Ira Gershwin and Dubois Heward, is one of the most popular American operas of all time. Not only that, its opening aria, "Summertime” is one of the most beloved songs in American music. Join us as we delve into the rich history of artists covering this American classic. 

What happens when opera goes pop? There's a grand tradition of opera stars teaming up with pop stars to create memorable collaborations. Here are some exciting examples of what happens when musical genres collide!

Did you know that July 17 is "World Emoji Day?" Test your operatic knowledge by deciphering these emoji opera titles and flip to reveal the correct answer! Hint: When in doubt, sound it out.

Yes, the music is sublime, the spectacle is incredible, and the characters find their ways into our hearts. But even the most avid opera lovers can admit that some of our favorite operas have plot holes you could drive a bus through. Here are ten examples of operas with stories so wild, you'd think they were an April Fool's joke.

There have been a lot of new phrases and words added to our regular vernacular in 2020—social distancing, PPE, COVID-19—but one of the newest crazes on everyone’s lips is TikTok. This social app has been sweeping the nation, making international headlines, and cultivating creativity in young people during a time when creative energy is needed more than ever.

Feeling like cabin-fever season is never going to end? We've all been cooped for what seems like forever, so let's vacation vicariously through photos of some of escape-destination operas. We feel better already!

The story of a ghostly ship wandering the oceans captures the imagination across a wide range of genres. Before we bring Wagner's towering interpretation of the mythical captain and his doomed love to Lyric's stage, see where else this spooky story appears in pop culture.

Whether you’re an opera lover or a Broadway fanatic, you’ve probably heard by now that Jonathan Larson’s 1996 musical Rent was loosely based on Puccini’s 1896 opera La Bohème. But if that’s news to you, don’t worry! Let us walk you through the similarities… (some spoilers ahead!)

In recent seasons, Lyric audiences have traveled down the Amazon River alongside Florencia Grimaldi in Florencia en el Amazonas (2021/22), walked along the streets of 19th century Paris with Mimì and Rodolfo in La Bohème (2018/19), witnessed the splendor of the gingerbread house in Hansel and Gretel (2022/23), and seen 17th century Rome come to life in Tosca (2021/22). What unites all of these different stories? Food! Maria DeFabo Akin, Lyric’s Production Design Director provides a behind-the-scenes look at how delicious meals and extravagant feasts are prepared for Lyric’s stage.

Art has a beautiful way of extending past the bounds of its original form into other mediums, and opera and musical theater are no different. Read on to see how you may recognize productions in our 2022/23 Season beyond the stage.

As the first Ambassador of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Maestro Enrique Mazzola sees a close connection between music and wine production. This fall, he returns to the podium to conduct a star-studded production of Donizetti's The Elixir of Love. In anticipation of the musical feast, he has shared some of his favorite wine pairings for the beloved bel canto opera.

In a groundbreaking archeological discovery, researchers in Norway recently unearthed a collection of journal entries and captains’ logs dating back to 1843 that is said to provide concrete evidence supporting the legend of the Flying Dutchman. Read on for a fascinating adventure into the strange and uncharted waters of history!

They're dangerous, devastating, and they get some of the best arias. From killer Queens to high priestesses, we've compiled a list of some of opera's worst operatic mothers just in time for Mother's Day.