Janai Brugger, Amanda Majeski, Kayleigh Decker, Matthew Polenzani Headline New Additions to Lyric Opera of Chicago’s 2020-21 Season

By Francisco Salazar

The Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced additional programs to it reimagined 2020-21 season.

In a statement, Anthony Freud said “This year has been extremely challenging, both for Lyric and for arts institutions around the world, but we are continuing to embrace the opportunity to create art designed for virtual platforms. We are excited about our upcoming programs this season and to continue to push boundaries to make Lyric and the operatic artform even more appealing and accessible in seasons to come.”

The company will begin Lyric Opera Streaming On Demand which will showcase complete live opera performances from past Lyric seasons on lyricopera.org and through a variety of music streaming platforms. The releases will include “Luisa Miller” featuring Krassimira Stoyanova, Joseph Calleja, Quinn Kelsey, Soloman Howard, and Christian Van Horn, “The Queen of Spades” featuring Brandon Jovanovich, Sondra Radvanovsky, Lucas Meachem and Samuel Youn, “Die Walküre” featuring Christine Goerke, Eric Owens, Brandon Jovanovich, and Elisabet Strid, “Lucia di Lammermoor,” “Les Troyens,” “Rusalka,” “Don Giovanni,” “I Puritani,”  “Rigoletto,” “La bohème,” “Il Trovatore,” and Elektra. Six additional titles will be released in June. The streams will begin the week of March 15.

The company will present Rising Stars in Concert which will showcase Ensemble members of The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center. The concert will be performed virtually and will feature a selection of operatic gems, highlighting ensemble members. Pianist Chris Reynolds will accompany and a chamber ensemble of Lyric Opera Orchestra members will be led by conductor Christopher Allen. The concert will premiere on April 29 on YouTube and Facebook.

The company will celebrate the end of Sir Andrew Davis’ tenure with the company. The special presentation will feature Davis conducting excerpts from Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” and Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress. These pieces were to have been the last operas he would have conducted as music director this spring and will be performed by members of the Lyric Opera Orchestra, the Lyric Opera Chorus, and special guest artists Janai Brugger, Amanda Majeski, Kayleigh Decker, Matthew Polenzani, and Kyle Ketelsen. The concert will premiere on May 16 on YouTube and Facebook.

The company also announced a New Classics: Songs from the New Golden Age of Musical Theater. The program will see the company present a virtual cabaret with a star-studded cast of Broadway and Lyric favorites. The program will premiere on June 10 on YouTube and Facebook.

The company previously announced the Twilight: Gods, “Attila Highlights,” The Sonata Sessions, and the Great Verdi Chorus Showdown.

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