Lyric Lately

Join Lyric Music Director Designate Enrique Mazzola as he leads an enhanced string ensemble comprising of members of the Lyric Opera Orchestra in performances of all six of Rossini's beautiful sonatas! Before The Sonata Sessions digital series is released in the coming weeks, take a look at some behind-the-scenes photos of the filming of these sonatas, following strict safety protocols on the stage of the Lyric Opera House.

Over the past few years, you might have seen the name Yuval Sharon pop up in opera coverage in the Wall Street Journal, LA Times, Opera News, and other publications. You might have asked yourself, “Hmmm, what exactly is Hopscotch, A Mobile Opera in 24 Cars? And who came up with the idea?” 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 is making a splash with Lyric this season, as well.

Welcome to the first week of March! Enjoy a pre-spring thaw this week with our streaming opportunities contemporary and classical. 

We’ll begin with new works by Nico Muhly and Greg Pierce at Catapult Opera, and by Tyshawn Sorey at LA Opera. Then, we’ll continue our week with a digital concert from our friends at the National Museum of Mexican Art from their ongoing Mini Conciertos series. 

On Thursday, we’ll enjoy an additional new work by Courtney Bryan from Opera Philadelphia, and then enjoy The Metropolitan Opera's stream of Peter Grimes. On Saturday and Sunday, we'll join San Francisco Opera for their streaming series with the first installment of the Ring cycle.

During the 2016/17 Season, we asked audience members to share why they love Lyric and opera in general. Many people spoke of memorable performances and the joy that comes from sharing the art form with loved ones. Some were stories of first dates, others were about their love for opera itself. This Valentine's Day, we're taking a look back at a few of our favorites.

It’s the last week of February—can you believe it? We’ll start the week with Verdi and Tchaikovsky from The Metropolitan Opera (in gorgeous productions previously seen at Lyric), enjoy a recital with Seattle Opera, and then spend our Friday evening viewing Save the Boys, a new commission from Tyshawn Sorey (Cycles of My Being) at Opera Philadelphia. 

Then, we’ll escape Chicago winter with San Francisco Opera’s upcoming stream of Verdi’s Falstaff, starring Lyric favorite Bryn Terfel.

Romance abounds in opera; however, happily-ever-afters can be a bit harder to find. Ahead of Valentine's Day, we're breaking down our list of the top-10 opera couples who actually got their happy ending.

In anticipation of the doumentary called Creating The Factotum, take a look at some behind-the-scenes photos of The Factotum workshop that complied with Lyric's strict safety protocols and procedures.

So, how are your New Year's resolutions going so far? The world of opera is full of opportunities for lofty resolutions and good intentions—a few admirably kept, most not so much. Here are some actual (and imagined) that come to mind.

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. Get to know the GRAMMY Award-winning artist in this spotlight.

Is he a wily barber? Is she a blood-thirsty princess? See if you can guess the names of these popular opera characters based solely on their statements. Scroll over the image to see if you are correct and challenge your friends to beat your score!

It has become a Lyric family tradition to gather each December for a holiday cookie exchange. Bakers ooh and ahh over the vast assortment of treats and go home with a tray full of everything from classic chocolate chip to intricately decorated sugar cookies, delicate macarons, and more. This year, our cookie exchange—like many celebrations—looked a bit different, as we moved it online. Here are a few of our favorite recipes that our intrepid bakers shared over Zoom. On your marks...get set...bake!

Recently, Lyric's Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center hosted a workshop for a new work and you'll soon be able to enjoy a documentary about the project in Creating The Factotum. The Factotum, created by Ryan Opera Center alumnus Will Liverman and DJ/recording artist K-Rico, reimagines Rossini’s The Barber of Seville by placing the popular operatic rom-com in a present-day Black barbershop in Chicago.  Let's take some time to get to know the artistic team behind this innovative project and explore how a new work is created. Who are Will and K-Rico?

We spoke with Lyric’s Music Director Designate, Enrique Mazzola, about his holiday traditions growing up, what it’s like to conduct during the holidays, and asked him to share his holiday music playlist. Enjoy Maestro Mazzola’s holiday playlist on Spotify while reading more about our soon-to-be music director.

We are so excited for the premiere of Pasión Latina, hosted by and starring the world-renowned soprano Ana María Martínez, a Lyric favorite for many years, and featuring several prominent alumni and current members of The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center.

As host of Pasión Latina, Ana María Martínez sat down with David to discuss his musical background and why he chose the music he will be performing. Read a short excerpt from their conversation together.

Giving Tuesday is a social movement dedicated to celebrating how everyday acts of generosity by ordinary people make extraordinary things happen. When you make a gift to Lyric Opera of Chicago in support of #GivingTuesday we'll put your donation to work presenting virtual concerts, generating a wide range of online content for opera lovers, showcasing the talents of The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center Ensemble, and sharing educational resources for adults and children to enjoy and learn at home. Additionally, we are exploring bold—and safe—avenues for creating opera during this time.

Fa-la-la-la-la! Deck your screens with these fun and festive Zoom backgrounds. Whether you long to be on the snowy streets of Paris with the characters from La bohème, listening for the stroke of midnight with Cinderella, or simply want to add a wintery touch to your next Zoom meeting, we hope you enjoy these virtual backgrounds.

Lyric has announced exciting highlights from the 2021/22 Season, one of which will be the Chicago premiere of Terence Blanchard's powerful Fire Shut Up in My Bones. Learn more about this bold and affecting opera, a co-production between Lyric and the Metropolitan Opera, before tickets go on sale.

Lyric's music director, Sir Andrew Davis, has a long history with Mozart, and especially with Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) on the Lyric Opera House stage. As Lyric continues its final year of Davis's tenure as music director, let's take a look back at the Figaro productions that have provided us exceptional pleasure, both onstage and in the pit, under the baton of our beloved Sir Andrew Davis.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by all of the streaming options available these days? If you're not sure where to begin, take this brief quiz to find the perfect first virtual experience.

EmpowerYouth!, Lyric's partnership with the Chicago Urban League that was launched in 2017, is back for its fourth year. Learn more about the talented multidisciplinary artists who will serve as mentors to this season's ensemble in this blog post.

Puerto-Rican-born soprano Ana María Martínez has been a Lyric favorite since her debut in the 2008/09 Season. Learn more about the Grammy Award-winning soprano's career and take a look back at some of her Lyric highlights in this blog post.

To those who may not be familiar with the concept, master classes exist across many artistic mediums, and consist of an expert in a particular field sharing knowledge and guidance with a participating student. Learn how Lyric utilizes this format to cultivate the next generations of opera singers and music performers.

Gioachino Rossini is one of opera's most beloved composers—writing 39 operas in his first 37 years, including The Barber of Seville, La donna del Lago, and William Tell. However, after the premiere of William Tell, Rossini abruptly retired from composing to pursue his second passion—food. Learn more about his reputation as a celebrated gourmand and try out some Rossini-inspired recipes for yourself!

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 25 years.

While the Lyric Opera House doesn't have live productions on stage due to the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis, that doesn't mean that Lyric Opera of Chicago is dormant! Learn more about what's happening at Lyric, whether it's online or in our building, as we prepare to welcome you back to the opera house when circumstances allow.

Did you know that some Broadway musicals are based on operas? Just as opera takes inspiration from novels or plays, musicals can be influenced by the operas that came before them! Here are some famous examples of musicals that are based on operas, as well as some typically classical works that have been seen on the Great White Way.

That's right—opera is all over TikTok, if you look for it. Whether it's from fellow acclaimed opera houses, directly from our favorite artists, or from up-and-coming young opera hopefuls, there is yet another "virtual concert" happening daily on the TikTok app as artists share the joy of music with the world.

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. Learn more about our updated main floor sightlines; wider, better-lit aisles; additional wheelchair seating; and lush, state-of-the-art seats in this blog post.

Lyric recently announced some highlights of the 2021/22 Season, one of which will be the Lyric Opera of Chicago premiere of Daniel Catán’s Florencia en el Amazonas. Learn more about this magical opera before tickets go on sale next year!

Step into the rehearsal room with Lyric's longtime music director Sir Andrew Davis as he leads a series of one-on-one master classes with members of the 2020/21 Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center Ensemble. Look behind the scenes at how these master classes were flimed—using strict health and safety protocols to keep our artists and technicians safe!

Just in time for Halloween, take a look back at some of the spookiest operas that have graced our stage. From witches and ghosts to murderous barbers, this list is sure to get you in the spirit (👻) of the season. Scroll to the end for a Spotify playlist of some of our favorite haunting melodies from these eerie operas!

Even though we won't be coming together this season for opera in the same way, Lyric audiences have much to look forward to on the artistic front. In addition to the widely accessible virtual programs Lyric is offering this season, we're excited to offer a preview of a few of the titles planned for the upcoming 2021/22 Season with notes from Lyric Opera of Chicago's General Director, President & CEO, Anthony Freud.

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.

In great demand at opera houses and concert halls around the world, you never know where Maestro Enrique Mazzola will be jetting off to next. In 2021, the internationally renowned conductor will make Chicago his home base as he becomes Lyric's new music director. Thanks to a little photoshop magic, he has stepped out of the orchestra pit and into some of his favorite operas. Can you spot him?

Leaves are falling, the days are growing shorter, and there is a chill in the air that invites you to curl up with a good book or hide under the covers while watching a scary movie. Whether you have a virtual Halloween party planned with the ghouls or a socially-distanced date night with your boo, we hope you'll treat yourself to one of these Zoom backgrounds from some of our spookiest productions.

At the core of Lyric’s mission and vision is a commitment to redefining what it means to experience great opera today. Though our stage may be dark through December 31, 2020 due to public health considerations, Lyric is thrilled to present an exciting slate of virtual performance experiences giving you a multitude of ways to continue to make music, opera, and Lyric a part of your life.

A pioneer in the legal fight for women's rights and a historic member of the Supreme Court for 27 years, Ruth Bader Ginsburg left behind an incredible legacy. In honor of her recent passing, we look back at Justice Ginsburg's love for opera and the ways she touched the lives of many, in the arts and beyond.

Mezzo-soprano and Ryan Opera Center alumna J'Nai Bridges talks about her experience filming the For the Love of Lyric virtual concert and why COVID-19 inspires her for the future of her art form.

As Lyric’s artists and administrators began to work from home in March, Lyric’s Ryan Opera Center Ensemble jumped into gear and launched the “Ryan Opera Center From Home” series. From their homes, Ensemble members captured moving arias and fun classics and the videos were shared on social media and in emails to Lyric’s patrons, lifting spirits and reminding Lyric audiences that the music is far from gone. Now that safety protocols allow for limited in-person collaboration, Lyric is making the shift from “Ryan Opera Center From Home” to “Ryan Opera Center At Work.”

Carson Cook loved music and singing from a very young age—he was even a season ticket holder at Lyric as a freshman in high school. Carson’s experiences as a member of Lyric’s Youth Opera Council and as an audience member at Lyric helped solidify his desire for a career in vocal performance, and even inspired him to write an opera libretto at the age of 22.

Whether you're planning a Zoom happy hour with friends, or just looking for a tasty drink to accompany a night of beautiful music, here are some themed cocktails that are sure to have you feeling the Lyric love!

For the Love of Lyric is the perfect concert to introduce a young person in your life to music and theater! To help you, we have created a special, printable family streaming guide for you to use as you watch For the Love of Lyric. With the family streaming guide, your kids can learn more about the performers and their music selections, dive into activities that will test their music knowledge, and play interactive games sure to inspire imagination as they watch For the Love of Lyric. 

One of the most unique opportunities provided to the Ensemble is the Ryan Opera Center’s monthly broadcast recital series with WFMT 98.7, in which Ensemble members record selections for each program, which is then aired and streamed globally. The 2020/21 series is just about to start, enabling audiences around the world to hear from Lyric artists this season.