Lyric Opera 2024-2025 Issue 10 - Rising Stars in Concert

Lyric Opera of Chicago | 6 Greetings from the leadership of the Ryan Opera Center Welcome to this very special Rising Stars in Concert , which marks The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center’s 50th Anniversary! We are thrilled to have you with us to celebrate the current Ensemble as well as the program’s five-decade legacy. Since its founding in 1974, the Ryan Opera Center’s mission has been to nurture the talents of the next generation of extraordinary artists. Hundreds of Ensemble members have benefited from the high-level training and performance opportunities provided to them — and have then gone on to perform at opera houses and concert halls on nearly every continent. In recent years, the Ensemble has expanded to include a pianist and, starting in 2021, a conductor, stage director, and stage manager. By encompassing the full spectrum of operatic artists, the Ryan Opera Center continues to fulfill its leadership role in ensuring opera’s future. We would like to acknowledge and thank the dozens of esteemed faculty, guest master artists, and outstanding administrators who have shared their expertise and guided the Ryan Opera Center’s growth and development. Those efforts have been fueled through the incredible generosity and support of countless Board members and donors, to whom we are grateful beyond words! We would also like to thank the thousands of audience members who have attended Ryan Opera Center performances over the years and applauded these gifted emerging artists. That encouragement also plays a vital role in helping them have the confidence to succeed. The Ryan Opera Center has a remarkable history and legacy. For half a century it has significantly impacted and enriched our beloved art form. How proud we can all be to consider that — and how excited we can be to dream of what’s to come in the next 50 years! JULIA FAULKNER Director of Vocal Studies DAN NOVAK Director, The Ryan Opera Center Board Endowed Chair CRAIG TERRY Music Director, The Jannotta Family Endowed Chair