Lyric Opera 2025-2026 Issue 11 - safronia

9 | Lyric Opera of Chicago A Season to Celebrate! Lyric Opera of Chicago’s 2026/27 Season soars with a mix of classics, concerts, and the return of the summer musical. When John Mangum took the helm of Lyric Opera of Chicago as General Director, President & CEO, he spoke of a company poised to push opera forward — to honor tradition while expanding what an American opera company can be and do. Lyric’s 2026/27 Season is the most vivid proof yet of that vision. Seven operas spanning centuries and continents. Five works conducted by Music Director Enrique Mazzola. Two Academy Award–winning films performed live. And, after four years away, the triumphant return of the Lyric summer musical. It’s a robust schedule with range, daring, and — above all — some of the greatest singing on the planet. “This season is a celebration of excellence, discovery, and bold storytelling,” says Mangum. “It’s also about showcasing the extraordinary expressive power of the Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chorus. We have assembled one of the most robust and diverse seasons in recent memory — seven operas ranging from Mozart and Verdi classics to the Pulitzer Prize–winning Omar and the beloved American folk opera Susannah . And we are thrilled to bring the Lyric summer musical back to our stage with a spectacular new production of Guys & Dolls . There is something here for everyone, and this season shows how Lyric is evolving opera by pushing the boundaries of the art form through new works, bold reinterpretations, and new audience experiences.” Music Director Enrique Mazzola — “Chicago’s maestro-around-town” — will conduct five works next season, an eclectic and wide-ranging list that spans Mozart, Donizetti, Haydn, Massenet, and Verdi. “This is a season of remarkable musical journeys,” says Mazzola. “Opening the season with Don Giovanni is incredibly meaningful to me — it is one of those operas that has the entire world of opera inside it: comedy, drama, philosophy, and singular musical architecture. And in Verdi’s La traviata , everything is truth. These are works that speak directly to the heart. I am also thrilled that we will be bringing Haydn’s magnificent The Creation to Lyric audiences, and I cannot wait to share Massenet’s rarely heard gem Hérodiade with Chicago — a score I know deeply, having recorded it in Berlin, and one that deserves to be heard at the highest musical level.” The season also marks a milestone for the company with the appointment of internationally acclaimed soprano Sondra Radvanovsky as Lyric’s Artistic Advisor for the next five seasons. In addition to a mainstage appearance each season — including a concert of duets with tenor SeokJong Baek in 2026/27 — Radvanovsky will work closely with The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center through masterclasses, mentorship, and career guidance for the world’s finest emerging artists. “Lyric is my artistic home, and I am honored to deepen that bond in this extraordinary new role,” says Radvanovsky. “Supporting the next generation of singers through the Ryan Opera Center is one of the most meaningful things I can imagine doing. I look forward to sharing everything I have learned on the world’s great stages with these remarkable young artists — and to performing for the Chicago audiences I love so much. We have some magnificent surprises in store!” The fall brings Mozart’s Don Giovanni (October By Michael Solomon is a celebration of excellence, discovery, and bold stor telling,” says M ngum. “It’s als about showcasing the extraordinary exp essiv power of the Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chorus. W have ass mbled ne of the most robu t and div rse seasons in r c t m mo y — seven operas anging from Mozart nd Verdi classics to th Pulitzer Prize–wi ning Omar and the b loved Americ n folk opera Susannah . And we are thrilled to bring the Lyric s mmer musical back to our stage wi h a spectacular new pr duction of Guys & Doll . There is something here for everyone, and thi season shows how Lyr c is evolving opera by pushing the boundaries of t e art form through n w wo ks, bold reinterpretat o s, and n w audience experien es.” Music Direct r Enrique Mazzola — “Chicago’s m estro-around-tow ” — will conduct five works next season, an ecl c c and wide-ranging list that spans Moz rt, Donizetti, Haydn, Massenet, and Verdi. “This is a seaso of r m rkable musical journeys,” says Mazzola. “Opening the season with Don Gi vanni is incredibly m aningful to me — it is o e of those operas that has the entire worl of opera inside it: com dy, drama, philosophy, nd singular musical arc itecture. And in Verdi’s La travia a , everyt ing is truth. These are works that speak directly to the he rt. I am also th illed that we will be bringing H ydn’s magnificent The Crea ion to Lyric audienc s, and I c nnot wait to share Ma sen t’s rarely h ard gem Hérodiade with Chicago — a score I know deeply, having r corded it in Berlin, and one that deserves to be heard at the highest musical level.” The season also marks a milestone for the company with the appointment of intern tionally acclaimed s prano Sondra R dvanovsky as Lyric’s Artistic Advisor for the next five seasons. In additio to a mainstage appearance ach season — including a concert f duets th tenor SeokJong Baek in 2026/27 — Radvanovsky will work closely wit The Patrick G. and Shi ley W. Ryan Op ra Center thr ug masterclass , mentorship, and career guidance for the w rld’s finest emerging artists. “Lyric is my artistic home, and I am honor d to deepe that bond in this ex raordinary new role,” ays Radvanovsky. “Supporting th next g neration f singers through the Ryan Opera Center is e of the m st meaningful things I can imagine doing. I look forward to sharing everything I h ve learned on the worl ’s great stages with these remarkable you g artists — and to performing for the Chi ago audiences I love so much. W h ve some magnificent surprises in store!” i l l