Lyric Opera 2025-2026 Issue 11 - safronia

63 | Lyric Opera of Chicago from Gottlieb lecture series. Merit will also participate in Lyric Unlimited’s Opera in the Neighborhoods program this season. The program, which provides complimentary performances to school groups, close to where they live and attend class, will include a free public performance of Katie: The Strongest of the Strong at Merit on Sunday, May 3. The season also includes multiple opportunities for Merit students to learn from, rehearse with, and perform alongside Lyric’s Music Director Enrique Mazzola. Over the past four years, the Maestro has led the way on a renewed relationship with Merit, adding new layers to the longstanding collaboration by serving as a mentor, guide, and source of inspiration for conservatory students. Mazzola made his first visit to the school in the 2022/23 Season as part of Merit’s Artist Residencies program, which has drawn luminaries such as Marta Aznavoorian, Marquis Hill, Nathalie Joachim, Yo-Yo Ma, Anthony McGill, and others. The program provides students unique opportunities including coaching sessions in technique, seminars, and master classes. Throughout his ongoing residency with Merit, Mazzola has worked with the school’s orchestral ensembles and soloists, offering students a chance to work under one of the world’s leading conductors. The Maestro’s first visit of the season is always a source of excitement for students, Merit staff, and Lyric staff alike. The focus of the first meeting is less on pedagogy and more on getting acquainted, looking out over the year ahead, and enjoying one of the most potent and attention- getting methods available to educators: pizza provided by Lyric Unlimited. Mazzola returned to Merit throughout January and February for rehearsals of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7. Mazzola focused not just on the performance aspect, but also highlighted the importance of the meaning behind the work, helping the students to understand Beethoven’s message of heartbreak and hope as they worked through the piece. The residency also includes other less formal interactions, with Mazzola conversing with students about careers in music and other relevant subjects. The 2025/26 Season residency culminated in another unforgettable moment for students, as Maestro Mazzola led the Merit Philharmonic in an open rehearsal of the second movement (Allegretto) from the symphony. “Our partnership with Merit is incredibly rewarding, and our colleagues there are exceptional collaborators,” says Potter. “We come to the planning table with a shared belief that music has the power to transform our lives — to inspire, to heal, to exchange our stories and lived experiences, and to imagine what is possible. All of this manifests in the curiosity of their students and the range of talent that awakens when the students sing and play!” The cello section concentrates during rehearsal — and has some fun along the way. Jaclyn Simpson