Anthony Freud, Lyric Opera of Chicago’s general director, president & CEO, has announced the election of Sylvia Neil as chair of Lyric’s Board of Directors making her the first woman to serve as board chair in the company’s history. Neil was elected unanimously during Lyric’s Annual Meeting of members and the Board of Directors’ Annual Meeting in early September after {…}
It’s going to be an exciting week with a combination of live streams and other performances being made available digitally for opera lovers worldwide. And while we are at it – get ready for more in coming weeks as opera companies around the world start to embrace digital opera as part of their 2020-21 seasons. Before we kick off our {…}
(Image provided by Lyric Opera Orchestra) Members of the Lyric Opera Orchestra in Chicago have teamed up with Sharing Notes to bring music to patients of local hospitals. The orchestra revealed that after the closure brought on by the spread of COVID-19, members were feeling a “profound sense of loss of not only performances.” But inspired by experiences of New {…}
The Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Ryan Opera Center is set to present “Lawrence Brownlee and Friends: The Next Chapter.” The concert, slated for July 26 at 6 p.m. will feature the famed tenor as he presents a concert alongside such artists as Whitney Morrison, J’Nai Bridges, and Will Liverman. The concert will also feature three 2020-21 Ryan Opera Center Ensemble {…}
The Lyric Opera of Chicago has released a video of the chorus performing “Va, pensiero” from “Nabucco.” In a statement, the company said, “We’d like to thank the wonderful members of the Lyric Opera of Chicago Chorus for sharing their talents with us during these difficult times. Here, they perform “Va, pensiero” (also known as the “Chorus of the Hebrew {…}
The Lyric Opera of Chicago has delayed the opening of its 2020-21 season, canceling all performances originally scheduled to take place between September and December. With the spread of COVID-19 still a concern throughout the U.S., the company announced that the cancelation of its fall performances was a preventive measure to aid in the containment of the global pandemic. “The {…}
The Lyric Opera of Chicago will present several performances on local radio station 98.7 WFMT starting on June 6, 2020. All the broadcasts will kick off at 12 p.m. CDT on Saturdays. Below is a breakdown of the operas and the dates they will be broadcast. June 6: Mozart’s “Così fan tutte” June 13: Puccini’s “Turandot” June 20: Verdi’s {…}
Over the weekend, a number of opera companies, orchestras, concert halls , and guilds used their social media accounts to take a stand and support the #BlackLivesMatter movement amid ongoing nationwide protests after the the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers. On Sunday May 31, the Lyric Opera of Chicago stated, “We stand in support of {…}
Credit: Simon Pauly ***Editorial Note – This interview was conducted as part of series of interviews dedicated to previewing the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Ring Cycle. Unfortunately, that performance was canceled, but out of respect to the time put into this project by the artists and organizations, we will endeavor to publish the over coming days and weeks.(Given the context, interview {…}
(Credit: Gillian Riesen) ***Editorial Note – This interview was conducted as part of series of interviews dedicated to previewing the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Ring Cycle. Unfortunately, that performance was canceled, but out of respect to the time put into this project by the artists and organizations, we will endeavor to publish the over coming days and weeks.(Given the context, {…}
Musicians of the Lyric Opera of Chicago have voted to cut their pay in order for Ring Cycle extras to get paid. In a press release, the orchestra said, “As COVID-19 began sweeping across the United States, the Lyric Opera of Chicago management made the heartbreaking but necessary decision to cancel Wagner’s epic Ring Cycle, scheduled to be performed three {…}