As part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, The Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced the 2024-25 Ryan Opera Center Ensemble.

The nine new members of the ensemble include sopranos Adia Evans, Gemma Nha, and Emily Richter; tenor Daniel Espinal; baritone Sankara Harouna; bass-baritone Finn Sagal; conductor Chi-Yuan Lin; stage director Marinette Gomez; and stage manager Gemma DeCetra.

“It’s truly remarkable to look back on the Ryan Opera Center’s legacy of nurturing top operatic talent for five decades along with a longstanding commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and access. Hundreds of artists have participated in our Ensemble and have had a global impact on our art form’s history and evolution—and that impact continues both now and into the future,” said Dan Novak, Director of the Ryan Opera Center in an official press release. “Our alumni and current Ensemble members grace the world’s leading opera stages, plus they play vital roles in Chicago’s cultural community through concerts and events across the city. The recent addition of an Ensemble Pianist, Stage Director, Stage Manager, and Conductor demonstrates the Ryan Opera Center’s leadership in encompassing the full range of operatic artistry and solidifies its standing as one of the most important artist-development programs in the world.”

Additionally, the organization revealed a number of celebratory events including a concert alongside the Civic Opera of Chicago on June 3, 2024. That showcase will include excerpts from “La Bohème,” “The Marriage of Figaro,” and “La Grand-Duchesse de Gérolstein.” Roberto Kalb conducts.

There will also be a “Sunday in the Park with Lyric” on August 25, 2024 with the Lyric Opera Orchestra performing under Enrique Mazzola.

Finally, the anniversary will be capped with an April 25, 2025 showcase, “Rising Stars in Concert,” featuring the Ensemble performers with the Lyric Opera Orchestra under Mazzola.