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 {…}
The Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced its 2024-25 season. Here is a look at the productions. Verdi’s “Rigoletto” is set to star Igor Golovatenko, Soloman Howard, Javier Camarena, and Mané Galoyan. Enrique Mazzola conducts the production by Director Mary Birnbaum. Performance Dates: Sept. 14-Oct. 6 2024 Elza van den Heever, Russell Thomas, Mika Kares, and Brian Mulligan star in {…}
(Photo: Michael Brosilow) Fresh from a Metropolitan Opera premiere last spring (and its subsequent Grammy Award victory), Terence Blanchard’s first opera in jazz, “Champion,” enjoyed its Lyric Opera of Chicago premiere in James Robinson’s vivid and effective staging, a co-production on January 27th, 2024. A dazzling cast led by Justin Austin as Emile Griffith made a powerful case for repeated {…}
The Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced the unanimous election of Louise Bernard to the Board of Directors. She begins her term immediately. “We are delighted to welcome Louise to our Board of Directors,” says Sylvia Neil, Board Chair, per an official press release issued by the company. “Her prodigious cultural expertise and deep commitment to education and civic engagement {…}
(Photo: Michael Brosilow) The Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced a cast change for its production of “Jenůfa.” The company said, “Due to a family emergency that required her immediate return to Norway, soprano Lise Davidsen has had to withdraw from Sunday’s performance of ‘Jenůfa.’ Stepping into the title role will be Ryan Opera Center soprano Kathryn Henry. ” Meanwhile, {…}
The Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced the election of new board of directors members. The company welcomed Sarah Garvey and Philip G. Lumpkin to the Board. Garvey is the former vice president of corporate relations at the Boeing Company and has worked extensively in mergers and acquisitions and taxation. Meanwhile, Lumpkin previously worked as corporate vice president for provider {…}
(Photo credit: Adrien Coquet) Dr. Caitlin Vincent (University of Melbourne) and Dr. Amanda Coles (Deakin University) have published their findings on the gender inequality and the impacts of non-standard work in the US opera industry. The team tracked women’s representation as conductors, directors, and designers at the 11 largest opera companies in the United States – the Metropolitan Opera, Santa Fe {…}
The Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced that Anthony Freud will retire as General Director at the end of the 2023-24 season, ending a 13-year tenure. In a statement Freud said, “Having been a general director for 30 years leading opera companies on both sides of the Atlantic, with the last 13 wonderful years at Lyric, I have made the {…}