Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Ryan Opera Center Reveals Singers for the 2026/27 Ensemble

Considered one of the world’s preeminent artist-development programs for emerging artists, The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago has revealed the singers selected for its 2026/27 Ensemble at the Final Auditions held on September 14 in the Ardis Krainik Theatre.

The new members of the Ensemble include sopranos Kylie Kreucher and Josie Larsen, baritone Adam Partridge, and bass-baritones Matthew Dexter and Lin Fan. They will join five returning Ensemble members: mezzo-sopranos Alexis Peart and Camille Robles, tenor Daniel Luis Espinal, baritone Sihao Hu, and bass-baritone Benjamin R. Sokol.

Starting last winter, some 600 singers applied for consideration with video recordings. After a thorough review, selected singers were invited to live preliminary auditions throughout the spring and summer, resulting in invitations to a small group of finalists to come to Chicago last weekend, hosted by the Ryan Opera Center. The Final Auditions were attended by nearly 2,000 guests, who also participated in voting for the Audience Favorite Award. The award and $500 cash prize went to soprano Kylie Kreucher.

Katie Klein of Chicago’s Second City, who has previously led improv workshops for the Ryan Opera Center, served as emcee for the Final Auditions. The audience was also treated to a performance by contralto Lauren Decker, a Ryan Opera Center alumna who has appeared with Lyric in The Magic Flute, Rigoletto, Die Walküre, I puritani, and other productions, as well as in concert with major orchestras and festivals across the country. She will also return to Lyric this fall to appear as Mamma Lucia in Cavalleria rusticana.

Judges for the day included Lyric’s General Director, President & CEO John Mangum; Music Director Enrique Mazzola; Chief Artistic Officer Matthew Ozawa; Vice President of Artistic Planning Andreas Melinat; Chorus Director and Head of Music Michael Black; and Ryan Opera Center Director Dan Novak, Music Director Craig Terry, and Director of Vocal Studies Julia Faulkner.

The Ensemble singers will begin their tenure in May 2026 and will receive advanced instruction in numerous aspects of operatic performance, including voice lessons and language classes, movement and acting training, and master classes with some of opera’s most renowned artists. They will also participate in Lyric’s mainstage season, performing and understudying a variety of roles, in addition to appearing at Ryan Opera Center concerts and recitals throughout the Chicago community.

Concluding their Ryan Opera Center tenures at the end of the 2025/26 Season are sopranos Adia Evans and Emily Richter, tenor Travon D. Walker, baritones Sankara Harouna and Finn Sagal, and bass-baritone Christopher Humbert, Jr.

The 2026/27 Ryan Opera Center positions of Ensemble Pianist, Conductor, Stage Director, and Stage Manager will be announced at a later date.

2026/27 Ryan Opera Center Ensemble Singers Selected at the Final Auditions

Sopranos
Kylie Kreucher (Novi, Michigan)
Josie Larsen (Sammamish, Washington)

Mezzo-sopranos
Alexis Peart (Titusville, New Jersey)
Camille Robles (San Juan, Puerto Rico)

Tenors
Daniel Espinal (Sarasota, Florida)

Baritones
Sihao Hu (Shenzhen, China)
Adam Partridge (Jacksonville, Florida)

Bass-baritones
Matthew Dexter (McKinney, Texas)
Lin Fan (Chengdu, China)
Benjamin R. Sokol (Westbury, New York)