The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago will present its annual Rising Stars in Concert on Saturday, April 13, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. at the Lyric Opera House.
Each year, the Ryan Opera Center selects a group of exceptional emerging artists from a pool of hundreds of global applicants. These artists undergo a rigorous residency, receiving top-tier training in various aspects of opera performance. Artists include singers, pianists, a conductor, stage director and stage manager. For opera enthusiasts, experiencing a Ryan Opera Center performance offers a glimpse into the future of opera, showcasing the talent and artistry of tomorrow's stars.
The upcoming Rising Stars in Concert brings together the artists of the 2023/24 Ryan Opera Center Ensemble and the Lyric Opera Orchestra, conducted by Stefano Sarzani and directed by Patricia Racette.
The program will feature a mix of classic pieces by Puccini, Verdi, Händel, and more. This concert serves as a celebration of the Ensemble's achievements and a chance to see these up-and-coming artists shine.
Audience members will enjoy performances by the following Ryan Opera Center members:
- sopranos Kathryn Henry and Lindsey Reynolds
- mezzo-sopranos Lucy Baker and Sophia Maekawa
- tenors Ryan Capozzo, Alejandro Luévanos, and Travon D. Walker
- baritones Laureano Quant and Ian Rucker
- bass-baritone Christopher Humbert, Jr.
- basses Ron Dukes and Wm. Clay Thompson.
Ryan Opera Center conductor/pianist Donald Lee III will lead two selections, and Ryan Opera Center Stage Director Luther H. Lewis III will direct two selections. The Ensemble Stage Manager Tess Naval will be involved behind the scenes.
Members of the 2023/24 Ryan Opera Center Ensemble have played important roles at the Lyric this season, stepping in as understudies for lead roles and performing supporting roles in various operas including The Flying Dutchman, Jenůfa, and Cinderella.
Kathryn Henry, Lindsey Reynolds. Ryan Capozzo, Alejandro Luévanos, Laureano Quant, Ron Dukes, Wm. Clay Thompson, Donald Lee III, Luther H. Lewis III, and Tess Naval will conclude their tenures with the Ryan Opera Center following the concert to pursue full-time careers nationally and internationally. Upcoming engagements for these soon-to-be alumni include Opera Philadelphia, Wolf Trap Opera, and Schauspielhaus Zürich.
The Ensemble members who will return to the program for 2024/25 include Lucy Baker, Sophia Maekawa, Travon D. Walker, Ian Rucker, Christopher Humbert, Jr., and Michael Banwarth.
Rising Stars in Concert is generously made possible by Lead Sponsor the Donna Van Eekeren Foundation with additional support from the Dr. Scholl Foundation, the Chauncey and Marion D. McCormick Family Foundation, Frank Modruson & Lynne Shigley, Patricia A. Kenney & Gregory J. O’Leary, Dr. Nora Jaskowiak and Mr. Matthew Hinerfeld, Ms. Gay K. Stanek, Philip G. Lumpkin, Phyllis Neiman and Ron & Margaret Beata.
Rising Stars in Concert is being recorded for broadcast on 98.7 WFMT and streaming on wfmt.com on Sunday, May 12, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. The Rising Stars in Concert radio broadcast is generously made possible by the Donna Van Eekeren Foundation.
Tickets for Rising Stars in Concert are free and can be reserved at lyricopera.org/risingstars.
About Lyric
Lyric Opera of Chicago is committed to redefining what it means to experience great opera. The company is driven to deliver consistently excellent artistry through innovative, relevant, celebratory programming that engages and energizes new and traditional audiences.
Under the leadership of General Director, President & CEO Anthony Freud and Music Director Enrique Mazzola, Lyric is dedicated to reflecting, and drawing strength from, the diversity of Chicago. Lyric offers, through innovation, collaboration, and evolving learning opportunities, ever-more exciting, accessible, and thought-provoking audience and community experiences. We also stand committed to training the artists of the future, through The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center; and to becoming increasingly diverse across our audiences, staff, programming, and artists — magnifying the welcoming pull of our art form, our company, and our city.
Through the timeless power of voice, the splendor of a great orchestra and chorus, theater, dance, design, and truly magnificent stagecraft, Lyric is devoted to immersing audiences in worlds both familiar and unexpected, creating shared experiences that resonate long after the curtain comes down.
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About the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center
The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center is Lyric's acclaimed artist-development program that nurtures the talents of some of the most promising operatic artists of each generation. Ryan Opera Center alumni are among the dominant names in opera today. Donor generosity ensures continued unparalleled training, performance experience, and professional readiness of Ensemble members. This highly competitive program, established in 1974, is honored to enjoy the support of acclaimed soprano Renée Fleming as Advisor at Large, along with full-time staff Dan Novak (Director), Craig Terry (Music Director), and Julia Faulkner (Director of Vocal Studies).
For more information, visit lyricopera.org/ryanoperacenter.