Lyric Opera of Chicago to Present TEN: A SEASON OF CREATIVE WOMEN, Now through 5/22

CHICAGO - Lyric Opera of Chicago is proud to present a new exhibition
TEN: A Season of Creative Women at Lyric, curated by Scott Marr and
Michael Schoenig, at the Civic Opera House. The exhibit runs through May 22, 2016, over the course of Lyric's 61st season.

Located in the Opera Club Wine Cellar on the lower level of the Civic Opera House, this new exhibit honors the acclaimed careers of ten women directors and designers through featured photographs, renderings, costumes, videos, and much more.

Women are at the forefront of theatrical life onstage and behind the scenes. In any given season, the creativity of women has been central to many of the most memorable productions to be seen internationally. Lyric has chosen to celebrate the contribution of women as directors and designers by focusing on these ten extraordinary artists whose work plays a hugely important role throughout the company's 2015-16 season with TEN: A Season of Creative Women at Lyric:

• Barbara Gaines, Director: The Marriage of Figaro
• Susan Mickey, Costume Designer: The Marriage of Figaro
• Vicki Mortimer, Production Designer: Wozzeck
• Paule Constable, Lighting Designer: Wozzeck and The Merry Widow
• Susan Stroman, Director/Choreographer: The Merry Widow
• Constance Hoffman, Costume Designer: Bel Canto
• Jane Greenwood, Costume Designer: Nabucco
• Catherine Zuber, Costume Designer: Romeo and Juliet
• Jennifer Tipton, Lighting Designer: Romeo and Juliet
• Sue Blane, Costume Designer: The King and I

TEN: A Season of Creative Women at Lyric is open to ticket holders free of charge before curtain and during intermissions of all Lyric performances. The exhibition is curated byLyric's production design director Scott Marr and technical finance manager Michael Schoening, both of whom are also visual artists. They note that previous exhibitions at Lyric have focused largely on set and costume designs, mostly by men. TEN encompasses the work of directors and lighting designers along with set and costume designers, and celebrates their accomplishments at Lyric and in a wide range of other theatrical settings.

The Marriage of Figaro (Sept. 26-Oct. 24) marks the Lyric debut of costume designer Susan Mickey and the return of director Barbara Gaines for Lyric's first new production of the opera in 28 years. Gaines made her operatic debut at Lyric with a new production of Verdi's Macbeth (2010-11).

Wozzeck (Nov. 1-Nov. 21) receives a new production at Lyric designed by
Vicki Mortimer, whose work has been seen here previously in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (2012-2013). A longtime collaborator of director David McVicar,
Paule Constable's lighting designs have been seen previously at Lyric in McVicar's productions of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (2012-13), Manon (2008-09), and Giulio Cesare (2007-08).

The Merry Widow (Nov. 14-Dec. 13) will be directed and choreographed by Broadway legend Susan Stroman (Lyric debut), with lighting designs by
Paule Constable.

Bel Canto (Dec.7-Jan. 17) marks costume designer Constance Hoffman's Lyric debut in a highly anticipated world premiere.

Nabucco, returning to Lyric (Jan 23-Feb. 12), will showcase the costume designs of Jane Greenwood, first seen here in 1997. Greenwood's Lyric credits also include Ariadne auf Naxos (2011-12; 1998-99) Rigoletto (2005-2006), and The Great Gatsby (2000-2001).

Romeo and Juliet (Feb. 22-Mar. 19)will feature costume designs by
Catherine Zuber, whose work has previously been seen here in new productions of Carousel (2014-15) and The Barber of Seville (Lyric debut, 2013-14).
Jennifer Tipton returns as lighting designer; her seven previous Lyric productions include Il trovatore (2014-15), La clemenza di Tito (2013-14), and Hansel and Gretel and Elektra (both 2012-13).

The King and I (April 29-May 22), a production first seen in 2014 at Paris's Théâtre du Châtelet, will mark the anticipated debut of costume designer
Sue Blane at Lyric this season.

About Lyric

Founded in 1954, Lyric Opera of Chicago's mission is to express and promote the life-changing, transformational, revelatory power of great opera. Lyric exists to provide a broad, deep, and relevant cultural service to Chicago and the nation, and to advance the development of the art form.

Lyric is dedicated to producing and performing consistently thrilling, entertaining, and thought-provoking opera with a balanced repertoire of core classics, lesser-known masterpieces, and new works; to creating an innovative and wide-ranging program of community engagement and educational activities; and to developing exceptional emerging operatic talent.

Under the leadership of general director Anthony Freud, music director Sir Andrew Davis, and creative consultant Renée Fleming, Lyric strives to become The Great North American Opera Company for the 21st century: a globally significant arts organization embodying the core values of excellence, relevance, and fiscal responsibility.

To post a comment, you must register and login.