Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra Presents 'Opera Without Words'

The Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra announces a virtual concert to honor Lyric Opera of Chicago's canceled live opening night. Opera Without Words: A Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra (Virtual) Celebration will premiere today, Tuesday, September 15 at 7:00pm CDT via Facebook and YouTube.

Since the company's first performance in 1954, the musicians of the Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra have performed for every opening night. Despite the fall opera season being canceled this year due to COVID-19, the orchestra musicians will honor the start of the opera season by sharing this celebratory performance with their audience. As a silver lining to the pandemic's deep challenges, this free virtual event will be available for opera lovers across the globe.

Opera Without Words: A Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra (Virtual) Celebration will feature pre-recorded performances of opera favorites ranging from "Méditation" from Thaïs performed by concertmaster Robert Hanford to a spectacular blockbuster finale featuring the full forces of the Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra-a virtual performance that has to be seen to be believed! For safety precautions, each piece was recorded either remotely or following recommended guidelines. Celebrity guest hosts Steve Robinson (former Executive Vice President and General Manager of WFMT), Carl Grapentine (former host of WFMT's Morning Program), Eugenia Cheng (Scientist In Residence at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago), and Jack Zimmerman (author and storyteller) will guide viewers through the program.

The musicians of the Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra hope you will join them tonight, Tuesday, September 15 at 7:00pm CDT for Opera Without Words: A Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra (Virtual) Celebration. More information about how to stream can be found on their website at www.chicagolyricoperaorchestra.com/events