(Credit: Pictures courtesy of the Lyric Opera of Chicago)

The Lyric Opera of Chicago’s has announced its 2020-21 season celebrating its 66th season.

The season will include three Lyric premieres, two Lyric Original productions, nine operas, three concert events and one musical.

Main Stage

The first production of the season will be the famed double bill of Mascagni’s “Cavalleria Rusticana” and Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci.”
Elena Pankratova and Brian Jagde star in Mascagni’s work alongside Ambrogio Maestri and Jill Grove. Meanwhile, Evgenia Muraveva, Russell Thomas, Ambrogio Maestri, Ricardo José Rivera, and Mario Rojas star in Leoncavallo’s work. Carlo Rizzi conducts the classic Elijah Moshinsky production.

Performance Dates: Sept. 17-Oct. 10, 2020

George Benjamin’s “Lessons in Love and Violence” gets its North American Premiere. Written by librettist Martin Crimp, the production will star Georgia Jarman, Stéphane Degout, Gyula Orendt, William Burden, and Jonas Hacker. Sir Andrew Davis conducts the acclaimed production by Katie Mitchell.

Performance Dates: Sept. 27-Oct. 9, 2020

Sondra Radvanovsky and Joseph Calleja star in a new to Chicago production of Puccini’s “Tosca” with Fabian Veloz. Giampaolo Bisanti conducts Louisa Muller’s production. Alexandra LoBianco and Russell Thomas star in one performance.

Performance Dates: Nov. 7-29, 2020

Dmitry Belosselskiy, Tamara Wilson, Matthew Polenzani, and Nicola Alaimo star in Verdi’s “Attila” in a new production by Daniele Abbado. Enrique Mazzola conducts the production.

Performance Dates: Nov. 15-27, 2020

Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek’s “Proving Up” has its Midwest Premiere with Enrique Mazzola conducting James Darrah’s production. Cast to be announced.

Performance Dates: Jan. 16-23, 2021

Elijah Moshinsky’s Metropolitan Opera production of Saint-Saëns’ “Samson et Dalila” makes its Chicago debut with Clémentine Margaine, Brandon Jovanovich, Quinn Kelsey, Reginald Smith, Jr., and Önay Köse. Emmanuel Villaume conducts.

 Performance Dates: Jan. 23-Feb. 13, 2021

Rosa Feola, Matthew Polenzani, Andrzej Filończyk, and Nicola Alaimo star in Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore” with Eun Sun Kim conducting Daniel Slater’s production

Performance Dates: Jan. 30-Feb. 14, 2021

Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” returns to the stage starring Alex Esposito, Ying Fang, Federica Lombardi, Gordon Bintner, Kayleigh Decker, Katharine Goeldner, Brenton Ryan, and Peter Kálmán. Sir. Andrew Davis conducts.

Performance Dates: March 14-April 11, 2021

Stravinsky’s “The Rake’s Progress” returns to the Lyric Opera for the first time in more than a quarter-century starring Andrew Staples, Janai Brugger, Luca Pisaroni, and Alice Coote. Sir. Andrew Davis conducts the production by John Cox.

Performance Dates: March 21-April 6, 2021

“Singin’ in the Rain” by Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Nacio Herb Brown, and Arthur Freed gets its Lyric Opera premiere with Gareth Valentine conducting a new production by Robert Carsen.The cast for Singin’ in the Rain will be announced at a later date.

Performance Dates: June 4-27, 2021

2020|21 Season Special Performances and Events

Sunday in the Park with Lyric’s Rising Stars will showcase artists from The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center performing  a variety of favorites, accompanied by members of the Lyric Opera Orchestra.

Performance Date: July 26, 2020

The Opening Night 2020 will showcase Renée Fleming in a concert gala.

Performance Date: Sept. 12, 2020

“Jason and the Argonauts” by Gregory Spears and Kathryn Walat will showcase an opera for kids performed in English.

Performance Date: Fall 2020 (dates, times, and venue to be announced at a later date)

Christine Goerke and Malcolm Martineau will join forces for a recital.

Performance Date: March 7, 2021

A Knight to Celebrate will celebrate Sir Andrew Davis’s magnificent two-decade tenure as music director with one of his favorite works, never previously performed at Lyric: Beethoven’s enthralling, life-enhancing Symphony No. 9, the “Choral,” music’s most exalted hymn to the human spirit. Davis will conduct a superb vocal quartet in performance with the Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chorus. The concert will begin with the world premiere of a new a cappella choral work by Sir Andrew’s son, composer Ed Frazier Davis.

Performance Date: April 10, 2021

There will be a Wine Auction that will auction some of the world’s greatest wines, luxury travel, and one-of-a-kind experiences, all on the stage of the historic Ardis Krainik Theatre.

Performance Date: May 8, 2021