Knoxville Opera is set to present “Opera’s Greatest Hits: A Tribute to Robert Lyall”on Sept. 22, 2024.

The event will be conducted by Francis Graffo and will feature such vocalists as Michael Chioldi, Hannah Ludwig, Murrella Parton, John Pickle, Scott Purcell, Renée Tatum, David Weigel, Cody Boling, Jacqueline Brecheen, Joel Brown, Lauren Boozer, Staley Clark, Tori Franklin, and John Overholt as they take on opera classics by Mozart, Verdi, and Puccini, among others. They are joined by the Knoxville Opera Chorus and Orchestra.

The concert will honor the memory of Lyall, who was the company’s general director and maestro for 17 years. The conductor passed away earlier this year at the age of 76. He began his career winning the American Symphony Orchestra League’s National Conducting Competition and studied with Dr. Richard Lert at the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival, and conductor Kyril Kondrashin in Amsterdam. He would eventually become the General and Artistic Director Emeritus of the New Orleans Opera and also led productions at the Seattle Opera, Cleveland Opera, The Chautauqua Festival, Opera Carolina, Hawaii Opera, and Opera Theatre of St. Louis.

The performance kicks off at 2:30 p.m. local time at the Clayton Center for the Arts.