Lyric Opera of Chicago Reopens for Live Performances

Lyric Opera of Chicago reopens for live performances with

new production of Verdi’s Macbeth, Sept. 17–Oct. 9 and new-to-Chicago production of Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love, Sept. 26–Oct. 8

Both operas conducted by Maestro Enrique Mazzola in his inaugural season as music director

Single tickets on sale in August

 Lyric Opera of Chicago looks forward to welcoming audiences once again to the Lyric Opera House for the start of the company’s 67th Season this fall, with two Italian works in repertory in September and October. Both operas are conducted by dynamic Maestro Enrique Mazzola and launch his inaugural season as Lyric’s new music director.

A brand-new production of Verdi’s Macbeth by Sir David McVicar takes the stage September 17–October 9, 2021, with a new-to-Chicago production of Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love by Daniel Slater from September 26–October 8, 2021.

Season subscriptions are on sale now. Single tickets for Macbeth and The Elixir of Love go on sale in August. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit lyricopera.org or call 312-827-5600.

This fall, Lyric audiences can look forward to enjoying greater accessibility and new seats throughout the Lyric Opera House. Thanks to a generous gift from an anonymous donor in support of Lyric’s Patron Accessibility Initiative, the theater also has widened aisles, improved sightlines, and better ease of access throughout.

Lyric will offer virtual streams of performances for ticketholders only, as an alternative to attending in-person, should some audience members not yet feel comfortable returning to the theater. 

As part of Lyric’s commitment to the health and safety of its guests, artists, and staff, the company continues to monitor local, state, and national public health guidelines. The most up-to-date information on Lyric’s enhanced cleaning and safety measures may be found at lyricopera.org/safety.

Lyric Opera of Chicago’s September-October 2021 productions

NEW PRODUCTION

Verdi
MACBETH
Sung in Italian with projected English texts

September 17, 23m, 30, October 3m, 6m, 9, 2021

Lyric’s riveting season-opener is the inaugural production of Music Director Enrique Mazzola’s tenure, and a brand-new production from Sir David McVicar. Adapting one of the greatest tragedies written by his hero, Shakespeare, Verdi created a stunning portrait of the most power-hungry couple who ever trod a stage. Macbeth’s bloody ascent to the throne of Scotland — led and supported by his wife’s own consuming ambition — results in disaster for them both. Verdi brings them to blazing life in a score that bristles with energy and endless excitement. Grand-scale arias, hair-raising duets, stupendous ensembles — they’re all here, in the first genuine masterpiece of Verdi’s career.

MACBETH- Luca Salsi*

LADY MACBETH-Sondra Radvanovsky   

MACDUFF- Joshua Guerrero*        

BANCO- Christian Van Horn° 

CONDUCTOR –Enrique Mazzola  

DIRECTOR- Sir David McVicar

SET DESIGNER-John Macfarlane

COSTUME DESIGNER- Moritz Junge

LIGHTING DESIGNER- David Finn

CHORUS MASTER –Michael Black

CHOREOGRAPHER- Andrew George

*Lyric Opera debut

°Ryan Opera Center alumnus

Macbeth is a co-production of Lyric Opera of Chicago and Canadian Opera Company.

NEW-TO-CHICAGO PRODUCTION

Donizetti

THE ELIXIR OF LOVE

Sung in Italian with projected English texts

September 26m, 29m, October 2, 5, 8, 2021

No operatic hero is more endearing than Nemorino, who pines for the flirtatious Adina. She’s the owner of the town’s hotel, he’s her delightfully naive waiter. His only hope to win her is the “elixir” sold by the quack, Dr. Dulcamara — little does he know that it’s just Bordeaux wine! From start to finish we root for Nemorino, as Adina toys with him until she finally lets him know how she really feels. Elixir is opera’s most heartwarming comedy, filled with Donizetti’s delectable music that brings nonstop smiles.

ADINA-Ailyn Pérez

NEMORINO- Charles Castronovo

BELCORE- Joshua Hopkins

DULCAMARA- Kyle Ketelsen

CONDUCTOR – Enrique Mazzola

DIRECTOR – Daniel Slater*

DESIGNER

Robert Innes Hopkins

LIGHTING DESIGNER – Simon Mills*      

CHORUS MASTER- Michael Black     

CHOREOGRAPHER- Tim Claydon

*Lyric Opera debut

The Elixir of Love is a co-production of Lyric Opera of Chicago and San Francisco Opera, originally created by Opera North, UK.

Lyric’s 67th Season is presented by Invesco QQQ. Invesco QQQ ETF is an exchange-traded fund that tracks the Nasdaq-100 Index™ and offers access to some of today’s most innovative companies, all in one fund. Together with Lyric Opera of Chicago, Invesco QQQ will celebrate innovation in the operatic art form and bring forward unique experiences and moments to Lyric audiences.

About Lyric

Lyric Opera of Chicago is committed to redefining what it means to experience great opera. The company is driven to deliver consistently excellent artistry through innovative, relevant, celebratory programming that engages and energizes new and traditional audiences.

Under the leadership of General Director, President & CEO Anthony Freud, Music Director Enrique Mazzola, and Special Projects Advisor Renée Fleming, Lyric is dedicated to reflecting, and drawing strength from, the diversity of Chicago. Lyric offers, through innovation, collaboration, and evolving learning opportunities, ever-more exciting, accessible, and thought-provoking audience and community experiences. We also stand committed to training the artists of the future, through The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center; and to becoming increasingly diverse across our audiences, staff, programming, and artists — magnifying the welcoming pull of our art form, our company, and our city.

Through the timeless power of voice, the splendor of a great orchestra and chorus, theater, dance, design, and truly magnificent stagecraft, Lyric is devoted to immersing audiences in worlds both familiar and unexpected, creating shared experiences that resonate long after the curtain comes down.

Join us @LyricOpera on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. #Lyric2122 #LongLivePassion.

For more information, visit lyricopera.org.

Lyric’s new co-production of Verdi’s Macbeth is generously made possible by Sylvia Neil & Daniel Fischel, the Robert & Penelope Steiner Family Foundation, and Julie & Roger Baskes.

Lyric’s presentation of Donizetti’sThe Elixir of Love is generously made possible by Sylvia Neil & Daniel Fischel,and the Robert & Penelope Steiner Family Foundation.

Lyric Opera of Chicago thanks its Official Airline, American Airlines. 

Lyric Opera of Chicago is supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.