Lyric Opera 2025-2026 Issue 9 - Così fan tutte

Lyric Opera of Chicago | 10 of the 20th century,” he says. “The films that we’re putting on at Lyric are true descendants.” Rounding out the 2025/26 Season are two presentations that showcase powerful sopranos. Renée Fleming returns to Lyric for a solo recital (surprisingly, her first in the house) derived from her 2021 Grammy winning recording with the Metropolitan Opera’s music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin at the piano. Entitled “Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene,” the program includes music in a folk style, as well as songs commissioned by Fleming from living composers such as Nico Muhly — and also features gorgeous, virtuosic selections by Handel and Canteloube. The eclectic repertoire list includes Romantic favorites, too, and features immersive video curated by the National Geographic Society that invites reflection on the beauty of our planet. Mangum has often stated his commitment to “the tried and true cornerstones of the repertoire,” and there is perhaps no better example than Puccini’s Madama Butterfly , running March 14 to April 12, 2026 (though it’s interesting to note, too, that Mangum cites the work’s appropriation of Eastern source material as an example of the pliable, hybrid nature of opera, hiding in plain sight). This breathtaking production, conceived and directed by Matthew Ozawa, Lyric’s Chief Artistic Officer, is a much-acclaimed hit, fusing the colorful splendor audiences have grown to expect from the work with an innovative frame. Time past and time present onstage, love and loss, a hypnotic score — sounds like grand opera at its finest. Photo by Peter Smith Photo by John Shaw Coming attractions, top to bottom: Renée Fleming in recital; avery r. young’s safronia ; Mary Poppins in Concert Live to Film ; Madama Butterfly Photo by Philip Groshong / Cincinnati Opera