Lyric Opera of Kansas City opens its 2018-2019 season with the award-winning work that transports Romeo & Juliet to the streets of New York City, a NEW PRODUCTION of West Side Story

General Director and CEO Deborah Sandler today announced that Lyric Opera will co-sponsor a FREE special event with the Kansas City Public Library on Thursday, Sept. 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the Truman Forum at the Plaza Branch of the Kansas City Public Library (4801 Main St., KCMO 64112) featuring Jamie Bernstein, eldest daughter of revered composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein. A writer, broadcaster, concert narrator, and filmmaker, Ms. Bernstein offers a rare look at her father on the centennial of his birth in her deeply intimate and evocative new book, FAMOUS FATHER GIRL: A Memoir of Growing Up Bernstein. The program will include some Leonard Bernstein songs, performed by members of Lyric Opera's Resident Artist and Young Artist programs, that underline the passion and the compassion of this great American composer. Afterward, Ms. Bernstein will sign copies of her book, which will be available for purchase at the event through Rainy Day Books. Ms. Bernstein's high res headshot is available upon request. West Side Story artist headshots, bio and set renderings can be found here.

'Love Never Dies' is absolutely worth seeing.  It is lush.  The voices are beyond exceptional.  Sets, costumes, and effects are haunting. The direction by Australians Simon Phillips and choreography by Graeme Murphy AO completely envelop the space allowed.  The traveling pit orchestra conducted by Dale Rieling is as good as it gets.  There are several, new, show stopping songs and lots of achingly beautiful echoes of the original Phantom score.

Lyric Opera of Kansas City today announced a partnership with Teens in Transition to create a new community project culminating in the creation of a street mural reflecting the themes of the 61st season-opening production of West Side Story. The artwork created here will be included in a growing, "in-progress" traveling exhibition of West Side Story-themed murals from Houston Grand Opera and The Glimmerglass Festival; the exhibition will continue to grow as it travels with this production of West Side Story to future engagements at Atlanta Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Retells the death of 15 climbers in 1996 as they attempt to summit Mt. Everest.

General Director and CEO Deborah Sandler today announced Arias and Barcarolles The Bernstein Songbook will continue the 2017-2018 Explorations Series, Sat., Oct. 14 at 7:30 at the Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral (415 W. 13th St., Kansas City, MO 64105).