First Sundays at 7:00 pm
Members of Lyric Opera of Chicago’s professional artist-development program perform.
The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center prepares emerging artists for careers in opera by providing unique, comprehensive training and experience. Established in 1974 as the professional artist-development program for Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Ryan Opera Center has been recognized as one of the premier programs of its kind in the world for nearly five decades.
The radio series features Ensemble members in recital throughout the year, showcasing a wide variety of repertoire. Each program in the 2022/23 season also includes one or more selections by composers of color. To find out more about the Ryan Opera Center visit: lyricopera.org/ryanoperacenter
Soprano Kathryn Henry and Pianist Chris Reynolds
April 2, 2023, 7:00 pm
Our recital features first year Ryan Opera Center soprano Kathryn Henry along with third year pianist Chris Reynolds. Together they will perform music from Donizetti’s Anna Bolena and music of American songwriter Gene Sheer. Then, Chris Reynolds will perform one of the most beloved piano works in the repertoire, Modest Mussorgsky’s colorful Pictures at an Exhibition.
Duo Recital: Ann Toomey and Christopher Kenney (Rebroadcast)
September 1, 2019
Soprano, Ann Toomey and baritone, Christopher Kenney are featured in a program featuring a wide variety of composers and sounds. From the jazz moods of Robert MacGimsey’s “Jonah an the Whale”, and the poetic and beautiful songs of Schubert’s Schwanengesang, to Broadway classics from George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, and Harry Warren. Ms. Toomey and Mr. Kenney will be joined on ...
Duo Recital: Whitney Morrison and Ricardo José Rivera (Rebroadcast)
August 4, 2019
Soprano Whitney Morrison will sing Samuel Barber's lush and textured Knoxville: Summer of 1915 and baritone Ricardo José Rivera will perform three songs from Gustav Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn, a collection of beautiful German folk poems. Music from Ricky Ian Gordan Genius Child and Maurice Ravel's Don Quixote à Dulcinée will also be featured on the program.
Duo Recital: Emily Pogorelc and Eric Ferring (Rebroadcast)
July 7, 2019
First year Ryan Opera Center members soprano, Emily Pogorelc and tenor Eric Ferring are featured in this recital with music by Schumann, Strauss, Ben Moore and Lee Hoiby. Mr. Ferring will be singing Schimann’s romantic song-cycle Liderkreis and Ms. Pogorelc will be performing Strauss’s dramatic art songs Brentano Lieder. And they will be performing the duet “Stranger in Paradise” from Kismet. They ...
Chamber Ensemble
June 2, 2019
Ryan Opera Center artists Madeline Slettedahl, Kayleigh Decker, and Emily Pogorelc are joined by musicians from the Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chicago Symphony Orchestra for a special chamber ensemble program. Instrumental and vocal works by Rachmaniov, Ravel, Previn, and Mendelssohn are featured in a recital programmed by Ryan Opera Center pianist, Madeline Slettedahl.
Duo Recital: Kayleigh Decker and Joshua Lovell
May 5, 2019
Classic songs of Bizet, Poulenc, Sibelius, and Liszt are featured in a program with perfromanced by mezzo-soprano Kayleigh Decker, tenor Joshua Lovell, and pianist Madeline Slettedhal.
Duo Recital: Eric Ferring and Alan Higgs
April 7, 2019
Ryan Opera Center artists tenor, Eric Ferring, bass-baritone Alan Higgs, and pianist, Madeline Slettedahl are joined by Craig Terry, the Ryan Opera Center's music director on piano for a powerful set of music.
Duo Recital: Ann Toomey and Christopher Kenney
March 3, 2019
Soprano, Ann Toomey and baritone, Christopher Kenney are featured in a program featuring a wide variety of composers and sounds.
“The Old Maid and the Thief”
February 3, 2019
The Ryan Opera Center presents Gian Carlo Menotti's radio opera, The Old Maid and the Thief. A one-act opera in where, the middle-aged spinster Miss Todd, who spends most of her days simply knitting and gossiping with fellow spinster Miss Pinkerton, has her world turned upside-down when a beggar knocks at her door one rainy afternoon.
Duo Recital: Whitney Morrison and Ricardo José Rivera
January 6, 2019
Soprano Whitney Morrison will sing Samuel Barber's lush and textured Knoxville: Summer of 1915 and baritone Ricardo José Rivera will perform three songs from Gustav Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn, a collection of beautiful German folk poems.
Duo Recital: Mario Rojas and Christopher Kenny
December 2, 2018
Tenor, Mario Rojas and baritone Christopher Kenny are showcased in this recital that reflects on the patriotism and adversity of World War I.
Duo Recital: Lauren Decker and David Weigel
November 4, 2018
Music of Schubert, Mahler, and Ibert are performed by contralto Lauren Decker, bass-baritone David Weigel, and pianist Madeline Slettedahl on this Ryan Opera Center Recital. They also perform a the duet “A Little Priest”, Steven Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd. Host Colin Ure, sits down with Lauren and David to speak about what put them on their path to become a opera ...
Duo Recital: Emily Pogorelc and Eric Ferring
October 7, 2018
First year members soprano, Emily Pogorelc and tenor Eric Ferring are featured in this recital with music by Schumann, Strauss, Ben Moore and Lee Hoiby.
Ensemble Recital (Rebroadcast)
September 2, 2018
The entire Ryan Opera Center ensemble is featured in a program pairing beautiful contemporary opera arias with beloved classics. From Daniel Catán's "Florencia en el Amazonas" to Donizetti's "Elixir of Love" and Ricky Ian Gordon's "The Grapes of Wrath" to Strauss's "Der Rosenkavalier" this program will showcase the talents of these young artists.
Duo Recital: Ann Toomey and Mario Rojas (Rebroadcast)
August 5, 2018
Soprano, Ann Toomey and tenor, Mario Rojas are the featured singers in a program featuring music from Mexico, Germany, and America.
Duo Recital: Whitney Morrison and Takaoki Onishi (Rebroadcast)
July 1, 2018
Soprano, Whitney Morrison and baritone, Takaoki Onishi are the featured singers in a program featuring beautiful songs from the 20th century.
Operatic Scenes
June 3, 2018
Featured on this Ryan Opera Center Recital are scenes from some of the most famous operas. Included are works by Verdi, Mozart, Poulenc, and Puccini.
Ensemble Recital
May 6, 2018
The entire Ryan Opera Center ensemble is featured in a program pairing beautiful contemporary opera arias with beloved classics.
Duo Recital: Ann Toomey and Mario Rojas
April 1, 2018
Soprano, Ann Toomey and tenor, Mario Rojas are the featured singers in a program featuring music from Mexico, Germany, and America.
Duo Recital: Whitney Morrison and Takaoki Onishi
March 4, 2018
Soprano, Whitney Morrison and baritone, Takaoki Onishi are the featured singers in a program featuring beautiful songs from the 20th century.
Waltzes
February 4, 2018
The Ryan Opera Center presents a collection of old and new waltzes in an ensemble program.