As the curtain rises on the Lyric Opera of Chicago's 2025-2026 season, audiences are in for a spectacular journey through a diverse array of performances. From the timeless drama of 'Medea' to the vibrant 'Coco in Concert Live to Film,' and the haunting refrains of 'Carmina Burana,' each production promises to captivate and inspire. With an impressive lineup of international talents, including soprano Sondra Radvanovsky and the legendary Renée Fleming, this season is a testament to the enduring power and versatility of the operatic and musical arts.

A Season of Emotion and Elegance: Lyric Opera of Chicago's 2025-2026 Lineup

The Lyric Opera of Chicago is set to deliver a captivating season in 2025-2026, featuring an eclectic mix of operas, concerts, and musical events that promise to enthrall audiences. From the timeless tragedy of Medea to the cultural vibrancy of Coco in Concert Live to Film, and the evocative melodies of Carmina Burana, this season offers a rich array of performances. With celebrated artists like Sondra Radvanovsky, Renée Fleming, and Billy Corgan taking the stage, attendees can expect unforgettable experiences that celebrate both classic and contemporary works.

A Season of Epic Tales: Lyric Opera of Chicago's 2025-2026 Lineup

The Lyric Opera of Chicago's 2025-2026 season promises an exhilarating journey through timeless tales and masterpieces, blending haunting operas, captivating musicals, and vibrant concerts. With an impressive roster of talents including the likes of Sondra Radvanovsky, Renée Fleming, and Billy Corgan, this season is set to captivate audiences with its eclectic mix. From infidelity and revenge in 'Medea' to the colorful celebration of family in 'Coco Live in Concert,' this season is a tribute to the transformative power of art.

Lyric Opera of Chicago 2025-2026 Season: A Celebration of Timeless Artistry

The Lyric Opera of Chicago is set to dazzle audiences with an impressive lineup of performances that capture the breadth and depth of the operatic and musical world. This season, the stage is graced by immortal tales like 'Salome' and 'Madama Butterfly', alongside innovative productions such as 'El último sueño de Frida y Diego' and 'safronia'. With a mix of classical and contemporary works, the Lyric Opera House becomes a portal to a world where art, history, and culture intertwine.

Lyric Opera of Chicago: A Celebration of Timeless Artistry and Avant-Garde Productions

Dive into a vibrant array of cultural experiences with Lyric Opera of Chicago's captivating events. From the poignant story of 'Madama Butterfly' to the surrealistic journey of 'El último sueño de Frida y Diego', the whimsical charm of 'Mary Poppins in Concert', and the evocative premiere of 'safronia', these performances promise a rich tapestry of music, emotion, and narrative. Whether you're an opera aficionado or a newcomer, this season offers something for every art lover.

Opera, Art, and Magic: A Multifaceted Journey with Lyric Opera of Chicago

Daniela Mack

Alfredo Daza

Roberto Kalb

Stephanie Sanchez

Key'mon W. Murrah

Ana  María Martínez

Lorena Maza

Victor Zapatero

Eloise Kazan

Jorge Ballina

August Tye

Lyric Opera of Chicago

“What I see of society doesn’t appeal to me. I don’t think I fit in,” says Christopher Thomas Knight, born in 1965: no address, no car, no tax return. He lived alone in the woods for half his life. Until he was arrested. Reporter Michael Finkel tries to get to know this recluse: How did he survive in the forest? And why would someone prefer a life of solitude to one in a community? 

Live on Stage Report #33: 27 Years of Loneliness

City Theatre Mansard

The Lyric Opera of Chicago 2026/27 Season kicks off with a thrilling fable of deceit and retribution. Under the baton of Music Director Enrique Mazzola, sharp humor, high drama, and an exquisite score intertwine in the story of a charismatic seducer whose unrepentant lustfulness brings about a most spectacular demise.

Singing with a voice that can “shake the heavens” (Opera Today), bass-baritone and Lyric veteran Christian Van Horn stars as one of opera’s most infamous anti-heroes, crowning a stellar cast. 

Don Giovanni

Lyric Opera House

MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient Rhiannon Giddens and celebrated co-composer Michael Abels bring their profoundly moving story of the human spirit to Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Inspired by the memoir of 19th-century Islamic scholar Omar ibn Said, this breathtaking work spins a musical narrative of Omar’s capture in West Africa, journey across the Atlantic Ocean, and enslavement in South Carolina, where he confronts his circumstances and challenges his faith through a series of indelible writings.

Omar

Immerse yourself in the rococo grandeur of 19th-century Rome in this fizzy comedy of errors, returning to the Lyric Opera of Chicago stage for the first time in more than a decade with a vivid, period production directed by Mariame Clément.

Donizetti’s lively score animates the story of the aging bachelor Don Pasquale, whose disowned nephew enlists his wry fiancée and the Don’s long-suffering doctor to orchestrate a complex series of dupes and double-crosses in a bid to reclaim his uncle’s inheritance — all in the name of true love.

Don Pasquale

Valiant heroes on quests for divine glory. Ghostly figures doomed to wander the earth seeking revenge. Bloody battles between men and immortals, and golden sunrises over majestic mountaintops.

These are just a few of the fantastical images conjured by the powerful and vividly expressive music of Richard Wagner, whose jaw-dropping operas supplied some of the most memorable themes in history and redefined the art of musical storytelling for all time.

Wagner: Myth & Music

Don’t miss the chance to see the sumptuous period epic Amadeus on the big screen with Mozart’s celebrated works performed live by the Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chorus. Winner of eight Academy Awards including Best Picture, the film tells the riveting story of composer Antonio Salieri and the envy that consumes him upon discovering the divine musical gifts he has so longed for all of his life have been bestowed on a bawdy, impish young composer, Mozart. Salieri’s envy fuels his plot to destroy the man, while finding himself unable to resist the genius of his music.

Amadeus LIVE

Featuring an English libretto that weaves together the most poetic passages from Genesis and Psalms with excerpts from Milton’s Paradise Lost, Haydn’s astonishing oratorio renders the creation of all things in brilliant musical detail — from beasts of the earth and the infinite cosmos to humankind itself.

This richly hued and imaginative portrayal of one of life’s greatest mysteries promises to resonate with those who listen with an open heart and a curious mind.

Haydn's The Creation

A rarely heard gem of French grand opera receives its long-awaited first performance at Lyric Opera of Chicago. Jules Massenet’s take on the Biblical story of Salomé, inspired by Gustave Flaubert’s literary retelling, brings a surprisingly introspective flair to this dark drama of jealousy and obsession.

Hérodiade: An Opera in Concert

Picture it: The fateful premiere of a very serious opera. A colorful cast of very unserious comedians. An unlikely set of circumstances that lands them both on stage… at the same time. What could possibly go wrong?

At Lyric Opera of Chicago, John Cox’s acclaimed production of this brilliantly self-referential opera-within-an-opera offers a peek behind the curtain at the kaleidoscope of personalities that turn mere stagecraft into high (or low!) art.

Ariadne auf Naxos is playful in conceit, but the music is no joke — Richard Strauss’s score is packed with high-octane vocalism and unexpected dramatic twists that promise to dazzle and delight at every turn.

Ariadne auf Naxos

Civic Opera House

Violetta Valéry has enjoyed a life of beauty and decadence, complete with everything she could ever want — that is, until she meets Alfredo, whose idealistic romanticism wins her over. But as Violetta contemplates what remains of her life, she must make the ultimate choice: accept love’s tender embrace, or remain free forever.

This beloved Lyric Opera of Chicago production sets Verdi’s sumptuous music against the florid glamour of 19th-century France, bringing these captivating characters and their tragic tale to life.

Prepare to be moved by this masterwork of melody and melancholy conducted by Enrique Mazzola, whether you’ve heard it a hundred times or never before.

La traviata

Gabriella Reyes stars in Carlisle Floyd’s apocryphal Appalachian fable, presented at Lyric Opera of Chicago for the first time since 2002.

In small-town Tennessee, young Susannah’s beauty and gentleness earn her admiration from some — and envy from others. But in this devout community where modesty is tantamount to holiness, rumors of Susannah’s impropriety threaten more than just her humble reputation.

With a taut, visceral libretto sung in English and a score that infuses lush orchestration with flavors of Broadway and American folk music, this modern masterpiece is as raw and gripping today as when it premiered more than five decades ago.

Susannah

Hailed as “the perfect musical comedy,” this brassy musical inspired by the short stories of Damon Runyon follows its cast of ne’er-do-wells from the seedy, shadowy side of New York City to the sweltering streets of Havana and back as they look to win big — on their gambling wagers and in love alike — and find a different kind of redemption along the way.

Experience the splendor of Frank Loesser’s classic Broadway score, featuring beloved numbers "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat," "I've Never Been in Love Before," "Luck Be a Lady," and the famed title song, performed by an all-star cast and the lush sound of the Lyric Opera Orchestra.

Guys & Dolls

On the Day of the Dead, Mexican artist Frida Kahlo crosses over from the underworld for 24 short hours with Diego Rivera, who remains in the living world, alone and grieving her loss.

Lyric Opera of Chicago presents El último sueño de Frida y Diego, which had its critically acclaimed world premiere in 2022 and brings the legendary marriage — and revolutionary art — of Frida and Diego to the stage with vivid colors, surrealist touches, and lush, evocative music sung in Spanish and inspired by Mexican folk music traditions.

El último sueño de Frida y Diego

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