Stories

Enrique Mazzola on Returning to the Stage, Taking the Reins at Lyric

Mazzola speaks with WFMT general manager George Preston about returning to live performance, Giuseppe Verdi’s Macbeth, Gaetano Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love, and what he loves most about being a Chicagoan.

WFMTAugust 12, 2015

Singer Omara Portuondo on the Buena Vista Social Club’s Farewell Tour

Stephen RaskauskasAugust 10, 2015

Star Soprano Karita Mattila’s Secrets to a Long, Successful Career

Composer Jimmy López proudly displays the completed piano-vocal score of his first opera, “Bel Canto,” on the stage of the Ardis Krainik Theatre in the Civic Opera House, home of Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Hannah EdgarJuly 27, 2015

From YouTube to Lyric: Composer Jimmy López on His Operatic Debut

Why Composer and Chicago Children’s Choir Alum Ted Hearne Embraces Politics in His Art

Keegan MorrisApril 1, 2019

The Chicago-born artist attributes his interest in politics and social justice to his many years singing in the Chicago Children’s Choir.

How To Land 300-Year-Old Jokes: Tackling Telemann’s Pimpinone

Graham MeyerMarch 29, 2019

"With this kind of comedy, there is no fourth wall. We're very aware of the audience; we're not pretending they're not there."

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“Gopher Tuna” — What ‘Carmina Burana’ Really Sounds Like

Stephen RaskauskasJuly 10, 2015

Carl Orff’s famous Carmina Burana, a scenic cantata based on medieval poems, is one of the most recognizable pieces of classical music. We’ve all heard it countless times. But, do you know what the text says? The poetry muses on life, death, fortune, and of course, drinking, gluttony, gambling, and sex. Since the text is in Latin, you may not ...

15 Queer Composers You Should Know

Hannah EdgarJune 25, 2015

Can you imagine a world without the music of Handel, Tchaikovsky, or Britten? These great composers of the past are just a few of many important musical figures who did not identify as heterosexual.

Signifyin’ in Song: How the Sounds of Slavery Changed Music Forever

Stephen RaskauskasJune 24, 2015

Music and dance provided an outlet for enslaved people to express their sorrow, though often their cries of pain sounded quite the opposite to slave owners.

Through the Night with Peter van de Graaff