First Sundays at 7:00 pm
2024/25 Ryan Opera Center Ensemble (Photo: Kyle Flubacker)
Members of Lyric Opera of Chicago's professional artist-development program perform in recital each month.
The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center prepares emerging artists for careers in opera by providing unique, comprehensive training and performing experience. Established in 1974 and recognized as one of the premier programs of its kind in the world, the Ryan Opera Center celebrates its 50th Anniversary in 2024/25.
Starting in October, this unique monthly Recital Series showcases Ryan Opera Center Ensemble members performing a wide variety of repertoire. Each program includes one or more selections by composers of color. Special thanks to Julie and Roger Baskes for their ongoing sponsorship of the series. To find out more about the Ryan Opera Center visit: lyricopera.org/ryanoperacenter
Tenor Travon D. Walker, Baritone Sankara Harouna, and Pianist Michael Banwarth
May 4, 2025, 7:00 pm
Arias from the Classical and bel canto periods are mixed with American songbook favorites and gospel music in a recital featuring tenor Travon D. Walker and baritone Sankara Harouna.
Duo Recital: Mathilda Edge and David Weigel
February 2, 2020
On this program we will hear two musical sides of soprano Mathilda Edge and bass baritone David Weigel. In the first half of the program we hear classical works by Richard Strauss and Arnold Schoenberg. In the second we hear music from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel and popular tunes from Sidney Homer and Idabelle Firestone. Ryan Opera Center ...
Ryan Opera Center Rising Stars in Concert
January 26, 2020
The annual showcase starring artists from Lyric’s Ryan Opera Center, joined by the Lyric Opera Orchestra and conducted by Ari Pelto.
Duo Recital: Lauren Decker and Christopher Kenney
January 5, 2020
Contralto Lauren Decker and baritone Christopher Kenney are featured in this recital with Ryan Opera Center Music Director, Craig Terry on the piano. Ms. Decker will be singing Britten’s song cycle A Charm of Lullabies and an aria from Ricky Ian Gordon’s Grapes of Wrath. Mr. Kenny will also be singing a song cycle, Mahler’s Songs of a Wayfarer as ...
Duo Recital: Mario Rojas and Ricardo José Rivera
December 1, 2019
Tenor Mario Rojas and baritone Ricardo José Rivera will sing songs by French composers Charles Gounod and Gabriel Fauré. Mr. Rojas will also sing some lesser known songs by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Mr. Rivera will be performing music of contemporary Puerto Rican composer Roberto Sierra. They will be joined on the piano by Ryan Opera Center pianist Madeline Slettedahl.
Duo Recital: Kathleen Felty and Anthony Reed
November 3, 2019
This edition of the Ryan Opera Center Recital Series features two new members of the ensemble, mezzo-soprano Kathleen Felty and bass Anthony Reed. They will be singing 19th centrty works by J.S. Bach, Brahms, and Rossini as well as 20th century works by Reynaldo Hahn, Paul Bowles, and Cole Porter.
Soprano Emily Pogorelc
October 6, 2019
Soprano, Emily Pogorelc is featured in this recital with guest pianist Christopher Reynolds. She will be variety of works from the 19th and 20th century including Schubert, Boulanger, Grieg, Sibelius and Rachmaninoff.
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.