Harris Theater Announces 2018-19 'Beyond The Aria' Series; Patricia Racette and More

The Harris Theater for Music and Dance announces the return of Beyond the Aria for five performances in the 2018-19 season. Produced by the Harris Theater in association with Lyric Opera of Chicago, this unparalleled series brings opera luminaries to the Pritzker Pavilion stage in intimate, cabaret-style performances with repertoire hand-picked by the artists and spectacular evening views of Millennium Park.

The 2018-19 lineup boasts four Richard Tucker Award winners - Patricia Racette ('98), Michael Fabiano ('14), Jamie Barton ('15), and Tamara Wilson ('16) - along with other featured artists of Lyric Opera's blockbuster productions of Idomeneo, La Bohème and Ariodante. The marquee singers share the stage with ensemble members of The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, representing the next generation of leading talent, in unscripted evenings of arias, ensembles, and surprises curated and accompanied by Craig Terry.

"We are thrilled to present the fifth season of Beyond the Aria, and to continue our partnership with Lyric Opera," said Patricia Barretto, Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols President and CEO of the Harris Theater. "This series, set against the backdrop of beautiful Millennium Park, is like nothing else in Chicago. To see stars of the opera world up close and personal, performing the music that has inspired and shaped them as artists, is really something special."

2018-19 BEYOND THE ARIA PERFORMANCES:

October 16, 2018 | 7:30PM Erin Wall, soprano

David Portillo, tenor

Alan Higgs, bass-baritone

November 28, 2018 | 7:30PM Tamara Wilson, soprano

Jamie Barton, mezzo-soprano

Josh Lovell, tenor

January 14, 2019 | 7:30PM Danielle De Niese, soprano
Michael Fabiano, tenor

Lauren Decker, contralto

March 12, 2019 | 7:30PM Heidi Stober, soprano

Kyle Ketelsen, bass-baritone

Whitney Morrison, soprano

May 29, 2019 | 7:30PM Patricia Racette, soprano

Ann Toomey, soprano

Mario Rojas, tenor

***Programs, prices, and dates are subject to change***

Beyond the Aria is made possible by the generous support of Kenneth R. Norgan (Series Presenting Sponsor), Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation (Series Foundation Sponsor), Phil Lumpkin (Ensemble Member Sponsor), Bank of America Merrill Lynch (Opening Night Sponsor), and Helen Hall Melchior (January 14 Sponsor). Additionally, the Theater gratefully acknowledges the support of Jewell Events Catering (Presenting Catering Sponsor).

Choral riser subscriptions and single tickets are available now online and through the Harris Theater Box Office. To purchase table seating on the Pritzker Pavilion stage, please call 312-334-2482 or email support@harristheaterchicago.org.

To purchase tickets or to request additional information, contact the Harris Theater Box Office at 312.334.7777 or visit in person at 205 E. Randolph. Hours are noon to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday and performance days.

The Harris Theater is Chicago's primary residence for music and dance, connecting diverse audiences with outstanding artists from across the city, the nation, and the world. The Theater's activities fall under three central strategies: support for local music and dance companies, presentation of national and International Artists, and community engagement and educational programs. Now in its fifteenth anniversary season, the Theater has earned national recognition as a distinctive model for collaboration, performance, and artistic advancement.

Today, the Harris Theater's original group of 12 resident companies has grown to include 30 diverse music and dance companies, and its Harris Theater Presents series has featured world-renowned artists and ensembles including Mikhail Baryshnikov, Batsheva Dance, Joshua Bell, Renée Fleming, Sir John Eliot Gardiner and the Monteverdi Choir, Hamburg Ballet, Angélique Kidjo, Paris Opéra Ballet, and Stephen Sondheim. The Harris Theater's community engagement initiatives build bridges between artists and community members, providing master classes, artist talks, and free tickets for more than 35 partner organizations throughout Chicago.

To learn more about the Harris Theater, Chicago's state-of-the-art 1,499-seat performance venue, visit harristheaterchicago.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.