Pene Pati is having a breakout season, making important debuts at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Metropolitan Opera. The tenor has been hailed for his “extraordinary gift for producing a golden thread of sound” and his “round and sunshine-filled voice.” He has won numerous awards around the world including the Opus Klassik Newcomer of the Year Award, Best {…}
The Lyric Opera of Chicago has received a historic gift from longtime supporter and Vice Chair of its Board of Directors Penelope Steiner. The gift of $25 million represents one of the largest, one-time, individual contributions in the company’s history and marks a defining moment for Lyric as it embarks on a new chapter under the leadership of General Director, {…}
The Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced its 2025-26 season. The company will open with the Lyric Opening Concert & Gala. Performance Date: Oct. 10, 2025 The first production of the season will be Cherubini’s “Medea“ starring Sondra Radvanovsky in Sir. David McVicar’s production. She will be joined by Matthew Polenzani, Elena Villalón, Zoie Reams, and Alfred Walker. Enrique Mazzola {…}
The year is at an end. But a new year brings new opera experiences and here at OperaWire, we are pumped for the potential of numerous performances. Here are the 10 productions we are most excited for in the first half of the 2025, in alphabetical order (and each company is limited to a single production on the list). Die {…}
(Photo by Todd Rosenberg Photography) Lyric Opera of Chicago’s first season without erstwhile General Director Anthony Freud began as his last concluded: with Verdi. Lyric opened 2024-25 and John Mangum’s tenure far more successfully than last season’s dispiriting staging of “Aida,” with Verdi’s indestructible mid-career masterpiece “Rigoletto.” On opening nights, Lyric usually mounts either a new production or one new-to-Chicago, {…}
(Photo credit: Clärchen & Matthias Baus/Dutch National Opera) Jeanine Tesori and Tazewell Thompson’s “Blue” makes its Lyric Opera of Chicago premiere from Nov. 16 to Dec. 1. The company has announced special events to take place in conjunction with the opera. Lyric Unlimited, Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Learning and Civic Engagement department, invites the public into spaces of reflection, healing, {…}
(Credit: Kia Caldwell Photography) Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced that Karen Slack, the company’s “Lyric Unlimited Artist-in-Residence, will present a three-part recital series. First up, on Nov. 12, the soprano will present “Of Thee I Sing! Songs of Love and Justice.” This showcase with pianist Kamilla Arku and visual designer Angela Owens highlights Langston Hughes’ “The Kids Who Die,” {…}
The Lyric Opera of Chicago Opera and Chicago Opera Theater are teaming up for a free panel event on Sept. 21, 2024. The focus of the panel will be Beethoven’s “Fidelio” and Paër’s “Leonora,” two operas based on the same story. WFMT program host LaRob K. Rafael will host a panel featuring Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Enrique Mazzola and Matthew {…}
The Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced a new General Director, President & CEO. Sylvia Neil, Chair, and the Board of Directors of Lyric Opera of Chicago have announced that John Mangum will be the company’s fifth General Director, President & CEO. He will start in the Fall of 2024 at a date to be announced. Mangum succeeds Anthony Freud, {…}
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 {…}
(Kia Caldwell Photography) Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced that Karen Slack will be the Lyric Unlimited’s newest Artist-in-Residence. In her new role, the soprano will perform during the annual “Sunday in the Park with Lyric” concert on August 25, 2024 and will also host the program “KiKi Konvos” as part of the Opera Insights series. She will also be {…}