Lyric Opera 2025-2026 Issue 11 - safronia

3 | Lyric Opera of Chicago 4 WELCOME TO YOUR LYRIC 6 A warm welcome from the Board Chair and General Director 7 Board of Directors 8 Announcing Lyric’s 2026/27 Season, an alluring mix of Mozart and Verdi masterpieces, groundbreaking contemporary works, and thrilling concert events. 12 TODAY’S PERFORMANCE 15 Title page and cast 16 Timeline & Synopsis 17 Director’s Note 18 Creator’s Note 20 Artist profiles 24 Opera Notes: safronia engages with the sweeping story of the Great Migration through the lens of one family’s powerful story. 28 Orchestra and Chorus In this issue safronia: Workshops for the new work were high-energy occasions. | pp. 12-29 30 THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT 32 Bravissimi 34 Production sponsors 35 Supporting our future — endowments at Lyric 36 Ardis Krainik Society 40 Corporate partnerships 42 Aria Society 46 Annual individual and foundation support 52 Commemorative gifts 54 Lyric staff 59 Artistic roster 56 RYAN OPERA CENTER 58 Distinguished alumni perform all over the globe. 60 LYRIC UNLIMITED 62 An ongoing partnership with the Merit School of Music brings Lyric’s professionals — even Maestro Mazzola — together with excited students. 64 People of Lyric: Hackers beware: Lyric’s Senior Director of IT Operations knows how to keep the computers running (and the music playing). Andrew Cioffi / Lyric Opera of Chicago On the cover: avery r. young. Photo: John Shaw/Lyric Opera of Chicago