Stars of THE OFFICE, EMPIRE Sign on for the Lyric's CHICAGO VOICES Concert

Lyric Opera announced today that Kate Flannery (NBC's The Office), Terrence Howard and Jussie Smollett (both from FOX's Empire), and The Voices of Trinity Mass Choir are joining the Chicago Voices Concert line-up.

Flannery, Howard, and Smollett will serve as special guest presenters, while The Voices of Trinity Mass Choir will perform in the celebratory event that pays tribute to the city's diverse vocal heritage. The one-night only concert takes place February 4, at 7:30pm at Lyric's Civic Opera House.

Featuring outstanding artists from a variety of musical genres, the Concert will showcase unique and eclectic performances, including artist collaborations that blend musical styles such as blues, jazz, folk, hip-hop, gospel, and classical. Performers include Renée Fleming (who also acts as artistic director of the event), legendary folk singer/songwriter John Prine, "New Queen of Blues" artist Shemekia Copeland, gospel and R&B artist Michelle Williams, Broadway star Jessie Mueller, critically acclaimed tenor Matthew Polenzani, and alternative/indie husband-and-wife duo The Handsome Family.

The concert pays tribute to a wide variety of Chicago vocalists of the past, such as
Mary Garden, Mahalia Jackson, and Howlin' Wolf, through narrated documentary-style video segments that will be seen on six screens throughout the venue, and musical performances of some of their most well-known songs. Concert tickets can be purchased here or by calling 312-827-5600.

The concert is one element of Lyric's groundbreaking Chicago Voices initiative. It will be presented in conjunction with a series of Expert Panels & Master Classes which take place February 2-4. The discussions and demonstrations focus on wide-ranging topics such as vocal health and pedagogy, the business of music, self-marketing and promotion in the digital age, and the power of protest songs. For tickets and a full line-up of presenters and class offerings, visit www.ChicagoVoices.org/EPMC.

Chicago Voices is a multi-year initiative celebrating Chicago's vibrant, diverse vocal music culture. This innovative project aims to create an inclusive platform for celebrating the human voice, while illuminating the legacy of Chicago vocal traditions and amplifying the narratives of everyday Chicagoans. Presented by Lyric Opera, Chicago Voices is spearheaded by its creative consultant Renée Fleming and is a joint project with Lyric Unlimited.

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.

Founded in 1954, 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, President & CEO 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 learn more about Lyric's current season, go to lyricopera.org. You can also join the conversation with @LyricOpera on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Lyric Unlimited, a division of Lyric Opera of Chicago, offers a multifaceted program of education, community engagement and artistic initiatives. The purpose of Lyric Unlimited is to provide a relevant cultural service to communities throughout the Chicago area, including communities for whom opera and opera companies have been largely irrelevant; to explore a wide range of ways in which Lyric can collaborate with cultural and community organizations throughout the area; and to advance the development of opera, exploring ways in which opera as an art form can resonate more powerfully, and in a range of different ways, with people of multiple backgrounds, ethnicities, and interests. In the 2015/16 season, 94,386 individuals participated in Lyric Unlimited programs. For more information about Lyric Unlimited program offerings, visit lyricopera.org/lyricunlimited.

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