Revelation, Celebration, Rediscovery - Single Tickets on Sale

CHICAGO (6/25/2018) – Single tickets go on sale Wednesday, June 27 at 10am for Lyric Opera of Chicago’s 64th season. Opening on Saturday, October 6 and continuing through Sunday, June 2, 2019, Lyric’s 2018/19 Season promises thrilling productions with magnificent music, outstanding stars, evocative settings, splendid costumes, and more. Call 312-827-5600 or visit www.lyricopera.org to purchase tickets for individual performances starting at 10am on June 27.

The four highly anticipated Lyric premieres this season are Cendrillon (Cinderella), Ariodante, An American Dream, and West Side Story. Beloved Italian classics La bohème, La traviata, and Il trovatore, plus the riveting masterpiece Elektra, return to Lyric’s stage. And the mighty Ring cycle continues with a brand-new production of Siegfried.

English translations on a screen above the stage for every opera make it easy for everyone to follow the stories of joyful and tragic romance, dragon slaying, complicated family drama, fierce revenge, noble sacrifice, transformation, and more.

Here’s what’s in store for Lyric’s new season:
Operas

La bohème (Puccini): A group of young adults navigate the ups and downs of life and love while struggling to make ends meet in 19th-century Paris. See it if you like: Unabashedly romantic love stories, youthful hope, gorgeous melodies that tug the heartstrings, the musical Rent (which was inspired by La bohème).

Idomeneo (Mozart): Returning to Crete after the Trojan Wars, King Idomeneo is caught between his promise to the gods and his duties as a father. See it if you like: Greek mythology, grand pageantry, themes of honor and nobility, Mozart’s music, majestic choruses.

Siegfried (Wagner): The fearless hero Siegfried, orphaned descendant of the gods, slays a dragon to win the ring of power and awakens Brünnhilde, his first true love, from an enchanted sleep. See it if you like: The Lord of the Rings, love at first sight, larger-than-life spectacle, steampunk constructions and costuming, mini-series.

Il trovatore (Verdi): A mother’s fateful mistake has deadly consequences in this famed Verdi work where hearts are broken, identities revealed, and loyalties questioned. See it if you like: Game of Thrones, hot-blooded music and drama, choral singing that blows you away.

Cendrillon (Massenet): A whimsical retelling of the Cinderella story, in which a mistreated girl overcomes the odds to find her Prince Charming – with a little help from her fairy godmother. See it if you like: Classic fairy tales, music that flows and bubbles like French Champagne, happy endings, playful productions.

Elektra (R. Strauss): Elektra’s mother murders her father, leaving her hell-bent on retribution in this rivetingly intense opera, based on the ancient Greek tragedy. See it if you like: Revenge movies with edge-of-your-seat music, complex royal-family dramas like Hamlet, a thrilling roller-coaster ride.

La traviata (Verdi): Within the social circles of sophisticated Paris, the courtesan Violetta lives purely for pleasure but longs for something deeper. At last she meets the love of her life, but their bliss is short lived. See it if you like: Moulin Rouge and/or Pretty Woman, vibrant party scenes, extravagant costumes, heart-wrenching stories with music to match.

Ariodante (Handel): The King of Scotland’s daughter loves Ariodante – but there’s a problem. A villainous rival is also in love with her, and will stop at nothing to get his way. See it if you like: Baroque music, Messiah, the plot of The Princess Bride, a very wicked villain, the triumph of true love.
An American Dream (Perla): This opera explores the lives of a Japanese-American woman and a German-Jewish woman living in the United States during World War II – and the common ground they share (performances at the Harris Theater).

Lyric’s music director Sir Andrew Davis will conduct Idomeneo, Siegfried, and Cendrillon in Lyric’s 2018/19 Season.

Lyric’s annual Broadway in Chicago musical and special-event performances

West Side Story (Bernstein/Sondheim): Tony and Maria are two teenagers from opposing gangs who fall in love in this jazzy, dance-driven spin on Romeo and Juliet that takes place on the back streets of New York.

Anna Netrebko in Recital: Hear international star soprano Anna Netrebko in a rare recital of her favorite repertoire, accompanied by esteemed pianist Malcolm Martineau.

Renée Fleming 25th Anniversary Concert & Gala: Join Lyric to honor and celebrate Renée Fleming’s extraordinary commitment to Chicago and her unparalleled contributions to our art form. Guest artists will join Fleming and the Lyric Opera Orchestra for an unforgettable musical celebration.

Stars of Lyric Opera at Millennium Park: Each September Lyric presents a free concert under the stars. Pack a picnic and bring your friends to enjoy a performance featuring Lyric star voices with the Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chorus. It’s a great way to celebrate the season ahead.

Family Day at Lyric: A fun-filled day of exploring the Lyric Opera House behind the scenes. A great opportunity for all-ages interactive discovery and making memories together.

How (and why) to get Lyric tickets starting Wednesday, June 27 at 10am

You can visit lyricopera.org or call 312-827-5600 to arrange your Lyric experience for the 2018/19 Season.
For in-person attention you can visit the ticket office on the 8th floor of the Civic Opera Building, 20 N. Wacker Dr., during business hours, 9am-5pm Monday through Friday.
You can also go to the box office, located inside the Lyric Opera House main entrance at the corner of Wacker Dr. and Madison St. Summer box-office hours (June 27 through September 22) are noon-5pm Monday through Friday.

In addition to tickets to individual shows, season packages are still available (into the fall) offering the best savings. Fixed-Date packages offer curated dates/titles and savings of up to 50% off individual show prices. You can also create your own package of performances (Choose Your Own/CYO) customized to your schedule, budget, and interests (savings up to 25% off individual shows). You can mix and match, or select thematically, and add in tickets to special events. Visit lyricopera.org/pricing for series dates, pricing details, and full season calendar.

Possible themes include

Romantic treasures (La bohème, Cendrillon, La traviata, West Side Story)
Complicated families (Idomeneo, Siegfried, Il trovatore, Cendrillon, Elektra)
Love at first sight (La bohème, Siegfried, Cendrillon, West Side Story)
Company premieres (Cendrillon, Ariodante, An American Dream, West Side Story)

Purchase tickets starting Wednesday, June 27 at 10am for the best seat selection and the best choice of performance dates.

LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO 2018/19 SEASON – CASTS, CREATIVE TEAMS, SPONSORS

New Coproduction
La bohème by Giacomo Puccini
11 performances, Oct. 6 - 20, 2018; Jan. 10 - 25, 2019
Sung in Italian with projected English translations

Why have audiences have been falling in love with La bohème for more than a century? Because, in the most captivating music Puccini ever composed, he shows us exactly what love is about. Mimì and Rodolfo are young lovers we all understand, and when they suffer, our hearts break for them. Their romance ultimately leads to tragedy, but along the way are treasured moments of pure ecstasy. We get to know this endearing pair and their Bohemian friends, and we totally connect with their feelings. La bohème remains forever youthful, eternally fresh.

New-to-Chicago Production

Idomeneo by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

6 performances, Oct. 13 - Nov. 2, 2018

Sung in Italian with projected English translations

One of Mozart’s noblest characters, King Idomeneo of Crete, is also the most loving of operatic fathers. Shipwrecked, he gets safely to shore only after promising the sea-god Neptune to sacrifice the first person he sees – but it’s his son, Idamante! As Idomeneo agonizes over the catastrophe facing him, Idamante woos one princess, the lovely Ilia, and is madly pursued by another, the jealous Elettra. Through all their sorrows and joys, the constant is Mozart’s heavenly music – ravishing in its beauty, stirring in its eloquence, and reaching deeply into the soul of every character. Premiered in 1781, this is Mozart’s great choral opera.

New Lyric Production
Siegfried by Richard Wagner
4 performances, Nov. 3 - 16, 2018
Sung in German with projected English translations

Like all brash young men, Siegfried is fearless. Follow him on his valiant, spectacularly adventurous path through the opera. Watch in amazement as he vanquishes the dragon Fafner and gets the better of his own wickedly devious guardian, Mime. Will our hero heed the warnings of his wise grandfather, Wotan, disguised as the Wanderer? And what happens when he braves the magic fire, awakens the sleeping Brünnhilde, and is enraptured by love for the very first time? In this, the third opera of Wagner’s Ring cycle, the characters are unforgettable, the music utterly exhilarating.

*Lyric debut ˚Ryan Opera Center alumni

New Lyric Opera production of the Ring cycle generously made possible by Lead Sponsor an Anonymous Donor and cosponsors Mr. & Mrs. Dietrich M. Gross, the Gramma Fisher Foundation of Marshalltown, Iowa, Ada and Whitney Addington, and Bulley & Andrews.

New Lyric Opera production of Wagner’s Siegfried generously made possible by Stefan Edlis and Gael Neeson, the Harris Family Foundation, and Helen and Sam Zell, with additional support provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Il trovatore by Giuseppe Verdi
7 performances, Nov. 17 - Dec. 9, 2018
Sung in Italian with projected English translations

For this hot-blooded tale of love, jealousy, and retribution, Verdi created music that truly bursts with excitement! And what wonderful characters – bold and courageous Manrico, his beloved Leonora, the vengeful Count di Luna, and the wild, obsessed Azucena, whose terrible secret is central to the story. Each has thrilling music to sing as the drama unfolds in the smoldering atmosphere of darkly mysterious 15th-century Spain. The clanging "Anvil Chorus," Leonora’s soaringly romantic "Tacea la notte, Azucena’s mesmerizing "Stride la vampa," Manrico’s hair-raising call to arms – these are just a few of the fabulous highlights that make Il trovatore a feast of sumptuous singing.

Lyric Premiere and New-to-Chicago Production
Cendrillon by Jules Massenet
6 performances, Dec. 1, 2018 - Jan. 20, 2019
Sung in French with projected English translations

"Blissful" and "enchanting" aptly describe this version of everyone’s favorite fairytale. Massenet adapted Cinderella with an irresistible blend of wit, sensitivity, and elegance. The love duets are the very essence of romance, and there’s hilarity, too, thanks to the most outrageous of all stepmothers. And with glittering top notes sailing into the stratosphere, there’s the vocally high-flying fairy godmother. At the heart of Cendrillon is the delectable heroine – and when she sings "You are my Prince Charming," it’s pure magic.

Elektra by Richard Strauss
6 performances, Feb. 2 - 22, 2019
Sung in German with projected English translations

There’s no operatic tour de force to surpass Elektra, with a title role that demands a truly great singing actress. It’s a stunning vocal marathon, with a riveting intensity that just doesn’t quit. You owe it to yourself to experience the vocal grandeur and blazing drama of this passionate heroine. She’s the Mycenaean princess whose father, Agamemnon, was murdered by her mother, Klytämnestra, leaving Elektra hell-bent on revenge. As Strauss’s staggeringly powerful orchestra moves inexorably toward the opera’s devastating finale, the music gives you a composer at his zenith – magnificently theatrical and devastatingly moving.

La traviata by Giuseppe Verdi
10 performances, Feb. 16 - Mar. 22, 2019
Sung in Italian with projected English translations

Verdi’s music is incomparable, boasting one heartstoppingly beautiful melody after another, in this exquisitely romantic story. Within the social whirl of sophisticated Paris, the courtesan Violetta lives purely for pleasure but longs for true love. She finds the right man in Alfredo, but their happiness is cut short: at his father’s insistence, Violetta leaves Alfredo for the sake of his family. Her spirit broken, her health shattered, Violetta now lives only with the hope that Alfredo will return to her. La traviata gives us one of opera’s most glorious heroines, a woman of boundless humanity and emotional depth.

Lyric Premiere and New Coproduction
Ariodante by George Frideric Handel
6 performances, Mar. 2 - 17, 2019
Sung in Italian with projected English translations

Villainous Polinesso lusts after Ginevra, but she loves noble Ariodante, who loves her in return. Dastardly, manipulative Polinesso will stop at nothing to get his way. Will Ariodante win out over his rival? The dramatic sparks fly, and so do the vocal fireworks in a score calling for the maximum in dazzling virtuosity. Thanks to Handel’s incomparable genius, Ariodante also offers deeply soulful arias to melt any listener’s heart. Here is one of the greatest glories of Baroque opera in its long- awaited Lyric premiere.

Lyric Premiere and New Production, Lyric Unlimited
An American Dream by Jack Perla and Jessica Murphy Moo
2 performances, March 15 and 17, 2019
Presented at the Harris Theater (205 E. Randolph St., Chicago)
Performed in English with projected English texts

Treasured possessions become symbols of home in this contemporary opera inspired by true stories from American history. Taking place during the Second World War, this opera explores the lives of two women: a Japanese-American forced to leave her home, and a German-Jewish immigrant preoccupied by those she left behind. In its Seattle Opera world premiere, An American Dream was called "a heart-wrenching opera…eloquent and moving" by The Seattle Times. Join us for the Lyric Unlimited premiere of a contemporary American chamber opera.

Broadway at Lyric

Lyric Premiere and New Coproduction
West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim
32 performances, May 3 - June 2, 2019

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is brilliantly transposed to the back streets of mid-20th-century New York in this all-American musical masterpiece packed with explosive, exuberant dance sequences. As two rival gangs battle each other, Tony and Maria persist in longing for "a place for us." Leonard Bernstein’s music and Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics illuminate every scene, from the romance of "Maria" and "Tonight" to the sarcastic exultation of "America" and wisecracking wit of "Gee, Officer Krupke."

The cast and revival choreographer for West Side Story will be announced at a later date.

Based on a conception of Jerome Robbins. Book by Arthur Laurents. Music by Leonard Bernstein. Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

A coproduction of Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, and Glimmerglass Festival.
Lyric Opera premiere of West Side Story generously made possible by Lead Sponsor The Negaunee Foundation and cosponsors an Anonymous Donor, Randy L. and Melvin R. Berlin, Robert S. and Susan E. Morrison, Mr. and Mrs. William C. Vance, and Northern Trust.

2018/19 SEASON SPECIAL PERFORMANCES AND EVENTS
Anna Netrebko in Recital
Sunday, December 2, 2018, 3pm Lyric Opera House
Malcolm Martineau, Pianist

Lyric will present world-renowned Russian soprano Anna Netrebko, one of the most exciting artists of our time, in a rare recital with renowned pianist Malcolm Martineau at the Lyric Opera House. Netrebko has been featured in Time magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people, and Musical America has called her "a genuine superstar for the 21st century." Her only previous appearance here was in 2012/13. In 2018, Lyric is the only place in Chicago to experience the sumptuous voice of this international star soprano.

Anna Netrebko in Recital is sponsored by NIB Foundation.

Renée Fleming 25th Anniversary Concert & Gala*
Saturday, March 23, 2019, 7pm
Concert at the Lyric Opera House

In 1993, Lyric Opera of Chicago audiences first experienced the incomparable artistry of soprano Renée Fleming in the title role of Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah, and have loved her ever since for her spectacular portrayals in Faust, The Marriage of Figaro, Alcina, Otello, Thaïs, La traviata, A Streetcar Named Desire, Capriccio, and The Merry Widow. She has also given brilliant concerts with the Lyric Opera Orchestra (both alone and in collaboration with Jonas Kaufmann and with the late Dmitri Hvorostovsky), a recital with Susan Graham, and has also been featured in the company’s 50th and 60th anniversary gala concerts.

Since 2010, Fleming has served as Lyric’s first Creative Consultant. She has fostered emerging artists through important work as Advisor of The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, and encouraged a future generation of opera lovers through Lyric Unlimited programs. She has been the driving force behind projects such as Lyric’s world-premiere opera Bel Canto, collaborations with The Second City, and the Chicago Voices initiative, which bridged genres and generations in a groundbreaking, multi-faceted series of programs during the past two years.

Lyric will celebrate and honor the 25th anniversary of Renée Fleming’s Lyric debut, her extraordinary commitment to Chicago, and her unparalleled contributions to our art form on March 23, 2019, with the Renée Fleming 25th Anniversary Concert & Gala*. Fleming herself will perform, of course, along with several guest artists and the Lyric Opera Orchestra (conductor and artists to be announced at a later date.)

*This one-night-only event will feature an exclusive Gala at The Ritz-Carlton following the performance. To learn more about premiere concert seating and Gala attendance please call 312-827-5682.

Stars of Lyric Opera at Millennium Park
Friday, September 7, 2018, 7:30pm
Concert at Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park

Each September thousands of Chicagoans and visitors to the city flock to Millennium Park for Lyric’s annual free concert, featuring Lyric star artists performing highlights of the coming season and other operatic gems with the Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chorus. Pack a picnic and enjoy this wonderful preseason experience with friends and family.

Family Day at Lyric
Saturday, April 6, 2019, 11am – 3pm
Lyric Opera House

Enjoy exploring and learning behind the scenes of the Lyric Opera House! This fun-filled day is a great way to ignite young family members’ curiosity about opera, with visits to orchestra pit and props areas, trying on costumes, watching stage-combat demonstrations, operatic face-painting, hat-making, and more. A wonderful memory maker for all ages; especially programmed for 5-10 year olds.

About Lyric Opera of Chicago
Lyric Opera of Chicago’s mission is to express and promote the life-changing, transformational, revelatory power of great opera. Lyric exists to provide a broad, deep, and relevant cultural service to Chicago and the nation, and to advance the development of the art form.

Founded in 1954, Lyric is dedicated to producing and performing consistently thrilling, entertaining, and thought-provoking opera with a balanced repertoire of core classics, lesser-known masterpieces, and new works; to creating an innovative and wide-ranging program of community engagement and educational activities; and to developing exceptional emerging operatic talent.

Under the leadership of general director Anthony Freud, music director Sir Andrew Davis, and creative consultant Renée Fleming, Lyric strives to become The Great North American Opera Company for the 21st century: a globally significant arts organization embodying the core values of excellence, relevance, and fiscal responsibility.

To learn more about Lyric’s new season, go to lyricopera.org. You can also join the conversation with @LyricOpera on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. #Lyric18/19 #LongLivePassion

About Lyric Unlimited
Lyric Unlimited is a long-term, evolving initiative that encompasses company activities that are not part of Lyric’s mainstage opera season. Its mission is to provide a relevant cultural service to communities throughout the Chicago area and to advance the development of opera by exploring how opera as an art form can resonate more powerfully with people of multiple backgrounds, ethnicities, and interests. It also leads the development of innovative partnerships with a wide range of cultural, community, and educational organizations to create a breadth of programming through which Chicagoans of all ages can connect with Lyric. In the 2016/17 season, more than 100,000 individuals participated in Lyric Unlimited programs. For more information about Lyric Unlimited program offerings, visit lyricopera.org/lyricunlimited.

About the Ryan Opera Center
The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center is the professional artist development program for Lyric Opera of Chicago. Since its inception in 1974*, the Ryan Opera Center has been recognized as one of the premier programs of its kind in the world. That standing is maintained by providing the finest up-and-coming singers and pianists with unparalleled training and experience. The program is administered by Dan Novak, director; Craig Terry, music director; Julia Faulkner, director of vocal studies; and Renée Fleming, advisor.

Each year the Ryan Opera Center selects 12-15 gifted young artists to join its program from more than 400 applicants. Beginning in the spring, they arrive to join the full-year residency program, under the guidance of Novak, Terry, Faulkner, and Fleming, as well as Anthony Freud, Sir Andrew Davis and numerous other opera professionals. Ensemble members are immediately immersed into the world of opera and vocal performance. Coaching sessions and master classes are augmented by performance and understudy experience in Lyric Opera’s regular season productions as well as other Ryan Opera Center concerts and recitals.