(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 {…}
Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced the election of five new board members. “We are delighted to welcome Santino Bibbo, Bruce Braun, Denise B. Gardner, Dorri McWhorter, and John C. Robak to our Board of Directors,” said Sylvia Neil, Board Chair of Lyric Opera of Chicago, in an official press release issued by the company. “Their diverse expertise and dedication {…}
Though the most iconic grand opera in the art form’s canon, Verdi’s “Aïda” shouldn’t challenge a house of Lyric’s caliber too strenuously. The work requires four good-to-great singers, but we expect a top-five American opera house to arrange them. Though “Aïda” lends itself to maximalist stagings, smaller companies pare it down successfully by foregoing equestrian participants, or downshifting parades to {…}
Jennie Huang Bennett has been appointed to the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Board of Directors. Bennett is the current Associate Vice President for Finance at the University of Chicago and has also worked as the Chief Financial Officer for Chicago Public Schools. She also has experienced as a senior investment banker in municipal securities and served as acting Chief Internal {…}
The Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced that Enrique Mazzola will extend his contract as Music Director through 2030-31. The Lyric Opera board signed off on the extension. Mazzola succeeded Andrew Davis with a five-year contract in 2021-22. Next season, the conductor will lead productions of “Fidelio,” “Rigoletto,” “The Puccini Heroines,” “The Listeners,” and “A Wonderous Concert.” Mazzola has conducted at {…}