Chicago Opera Theater (COT) is set to present the second Discovery Concert of the 2025-26 season titled, “In America’s Embrace: Celebrating Immigrant Composers.”

The program, set for Jan. 18, 2026 at 3 p.m. local time, will include opera, musical theater and songs by composers who fled their native countries and came to America—some as children, others later in life—finding safety, possibility, and a place to create.

The composers featured on the program include Kurt Weill, Irving Berlin, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Igor Stravinsky, Aleksandra Vrebalov, André Previn and others who not only adopted America as their homeland, but also shaped America’s musical landscape.

Laurie Rogers makes her debut with COT as Music Director and Pianist for the concert, which will feature soprano Tracy Cantin, tenor Jordan Loyd, baritone Schyler Vargas, and bass baritone Alex Soare.

In a statement, Chicago Opera Theater General Director Lawrence Edelson said,  “At COT, discovery is at the heart of what we do. Our Discovery Concerts create space for Chicagoans to explore music beyond the familiar repertoire and to engage with work that reflects our shared humanity. And at a time when immigrant communities are increasingly under attack, this concert also reminds us that we are, fundamentally, a nation of immigrants—whose artistry, courage, and cultural traditions have shaped the very foundation of who we are.”

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