American Opera Company News

On Saturday, March 14th during Dominican University's Trustee Benefit Concert and Gala, Lyric Opera's general director Anthony Freud was given the Bravo Award for his significant and memorable contributions to the arts.

The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago celebrates its 40th season with its annual Rising Stars in Concert program tonight, March 21, at 7:30pm at the Civic Opera House. The talented singers and pianist of the 2014-15 ensemble will perform with members of the Lyric Opera Orchestra in works of Bellini, Berg, Berlioz, Bizet, Debussy, Donizetti, Floyd, Gounod, Handel, Korngold, Mozart, Puccini, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Rossini. Rising Stars in Concert is offered in celebration of an exceptionally successful year of study and performance for these up-and-coming artists.

The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago celebrates its 40th season with its annual Rising Stars in Concert program Saturday, March 21, at 7:30pm at the Civic Opera House. The talented singers and pianist of the 2014-15 ensemble will perform with members of the Lyric Opera Orchestra in works of Bellini, Berg, Berlioz, Bizet, Debussy, Donizetti, Floyd, Gounod, Handel, Korngold, Mozart, Puccini, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Rossini. Rising Stars in Concert is offered in celebration of an exceptionally successful year of study and performance for these up-and-coming artists.

Valencia-born conductor Ramon Tebar was named Principal Guest Conductor of Spain's Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia in a triple-post announcement about the leadership and direction of the renowned international house. Tebar joins celebrated Italian conductors Roberto Abbado and Fabio Biondi , who have been named co-Music Directors, of the new leadership. The posts begin this coming 2015- 16 season.

CHICAGO - American mezzo-soprano J'nai Bridges is one of 20 international finalists for the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2015 competition. Bridges, a third-year member of The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago, is currently portraying Vlasta in Lyric's mainstage premiere of Mieczys?aw Weinberg's The Passenger.

Lyric Unlimited presents the world premiere of The Property, a klezmer opera by composer Wlad Marhulets and librettist Stephanie Fleischmann. It opens tonight, February 25, with five performances through Thursday, March 5. World premiere presentations of The Property are presented in partnership with the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood Feb. 25, 26, 27, with additional performances at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in suburban Skokie Mar. 4-5.

Anthony Freud, general director of Lyric Opera of Chicago, today announced Memory and Reckoning, a confluence of activities related to the Chicago premiere of Mieczysaw Weinberg's The Passenger, on stage at Lyric tonight, February 24 through March 15. This poignant and gripping 20th-century masterpiece portrays the story of the Holocaust from the perspectives of both victim and perpetrator, and was only recently rediscovered after more than 40 years of suppression.

Lyric Opera general director Anthony Freud announced today that Richard P. Kiphart will become the interim president and CEO of Lyric, until the company's annual meeting and end of its fiscal year this June.

Roberta Lane and Elizabeth Landon will join Lyric Opera of Chicago as the chief financial officer and director of human resources, respectively, the company announced today. Lane's role as chief financial officer is a new position and will play a crucial role in developing and analyzing strategic initiatives for the company.

?Anthony Freud, general director of Lyric Opera of Chicago, today issued the following statement regarding the death of the company's president and CEO, Kenneth G. Pigott.

Lyric Unlimited presents the world premiere of The Property, a klezmer opera by composer Wlad Marhulets and librettist Stephanie Fleischmann. It opens Wednesday, February 25, with five performances through Thursday, March 5. World premiere presentations of The Property are presented in partnership with the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood Feb. 25, 26, 27, with additional performances at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in suburban Skokie Mar. 4-5.

Houston, January 29, 2015-Houston Grand Opera's (HGO) 2015-16 season showcases the vibrant and diverse artistic mix that marks HGO as a leading 21st-century American opera company: Wagner's Siegfried, the third installment of La Fura dels Baus's imaginative Ring cycle featuring a new generation of Wagnerians; the world premiere of Carlisle Floyd's Prince of Players; Dvo?ak's fairy tale rarity Rusalka; a holiday revival of family favorite The Little Prince from the award-winning composer Rachel Portman and librettist Nicholas Wright; a new production of The Marriage of Figaro and a new-to-Houston Eugene Onegin; a beloved core production, Tosca; and the Houston debut of Broadway sensation Rob Ashford's take on the classic musical Carousel. Through its community collaboration program HGOco, the company will present two additional world premieres: O Columbia, a chamber opera by composer Gregory Spears and librettist Royce Vavrek that examines the past, present, and future of the American spirit of exploration; and another chamber opera, by composer David Hanlon and librettist Stephanie Fleischmann, about the impact of hurricanes on the Texas Gulf coast.

Julia Faulkner has been named the director of vocal studies for The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, Lyric Opera of Chicago's renowned professional artist-development program, announced Lyric's general director Anthony Freud.

General Director Ryan Taylor has revealed the Arizona Opera's 2015-16 Season which opens in October 2015.

Lyric Unlimited's all-new family presentation, The Magic Victrola takes place tomorrow, Saturday, January 17 at 3pm at the Civic Opera House in downtown Chicago. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek below!

DALLAS — The Dallas Opera is proud to announce the five phenomenal mainstage productions of the 2015-2016 Season, “Seeking the Human Element,” to be presented in the magnificent Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center located in the Dallas Arts District.

The Dallas Opera is proud to announce the five phenomenal mainstage productions of the 2015-2016 Season, “Seeking the Human Element,” to be presented in the magnificent Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center located in the Dallas Arts District.

Brian Jagde, one of the outstanding tenors of his generation with a burgeoning international career, will make his Lyric Opera of Chicago debut performing the role of the painter/revolutionary Mario Cavaradossi in Puccini's fiery melodrama ?Tosca Jan. 24-Feb. 5, Lyric's general director Anthony Freud announced today. Jagde replaces the previously announced Ukrainian tenor Misha Didyk, who withdrew from the production for personal reasons.

Lyric Unlimited, an initiative of Lyric Opera of Chicago, is proud to present the all-new family presentation, The Magic Victrola, on Saturday, January 17 at 3pm at the Civic Opera House in downtown Chicago. This is Lyric Unlimited's third annual performance especially designed for youngsters ages 5-10 and their families.