From 2014: Jessye Norman Visits WFMT

WFMT is deeply saddened to learn that soprano Jessye Norman has died at age 74. As a tribute to her inspiring life and career, we are re-sharing this story from when Ms. Norman herself visited WFMT.

Playlist: Aeronautic and Maritime Music for the Skies and Seas

Brace your ears: the Chicago Air and Water Show is upon us! But there’s more to hear than the roars of the Blue Angels and Red Arrows — take in the excitement while listening to music inspired by aviation and nautical navigation!

Met Opera ticket sales improve slightly off 2015-16 low

Gelb said the season that ended Saturday saw 69 percent of box office revenue capacity realized, up from 67 percent in each of the previous two seasons and a low of 66 percent in 2015-16.

Lyric Opera of Chicago Announces 2019-2020 Season, With Wagner’s ‘Ring’ Cycle, ‘Don Giovanni’, ‘Madama Butterfly’

Lyric’s 2019-2020 season will include seven mainstage operas (three of which are company premieres), three full performances of Lyric’s new Ring cycle, and the Broadway at Lyric premiere of 42nd Street.

Celebrate 125 Years of the Art Institute of Chicago with WFMT! An Art-Inspired Morning of Music on Dec. 8

WFMT is proud to celebrate the Art Institute of Chicago’s 125th anniversary – here’s to 125 more years of great art!

Carl Grapentine’s 10 Favorite Musical Performances During His 32 Years in Chicago

Looking back on his many years experiencing great music in Chicago, Carl shares some of his very favorite performances.

Video | Loge, the Opera-Loving German Shepherd, Sings Along to Wagner

Tom, of Wilmette, IL, has had German Shepherds for almost forty years, and most of them have been named after characters from Wagner’s “Ring Cycle.” Hear his opera-loving dog Loge sing along to Siegfried’s horn call.

Lyric Opera of Chicago Announces 2018/19 Season

Today, Lyric Opera of Chicago announced its 2018/19 including special performances by sopranos Anna Netrebko and Renée Fleming.

Playlist: Opera’s Most Ghastly Ghouls, Ghosts, and Goblins

The opera house can be a scary place – and we’re not talking about all those crazy singers and their shenanigans backstage! Many operas contain ghastly ghouls, ghosts, goblins, witches, dragons, and all kinds of crazy creatures. Here are some of the most frightening pieces from the history of opera.

9 Classic Short Stories Every Classical Music Lover Should Add to Their Summer Reading List

If you’re looking for quick summer reads to add to your list, give these music-themed short stories a try, with everything from Anton (Chekhov) to Zora (Neale Hurston). The best part: they’re all available for free online!

10 Operas About Poisonous and Medicinal Plants

Get your cauldron brewing with works by Donizetti, Puccini, Haydn, Delibes, and more!

This Is What Your Favorite Composers Would Look Like if They Actually Cracked a Smile…

Though the music of your favorite composers might make you smile, chances are, the composers themselves aren’t smiling in their portraits. Until now…

Second City and Lyric Look for the Lighter Side of Wagner with “LONGER! LOUDER! WAGNER!”

The  latest collaboration between Lyric Opera of Chicago and Second City is LONGER! LOUDER! WAGNER!, which runs through Sunday, October 30 at the Civic Opera House. Actor Tim Ryder, who appeared in The Second City Guide to the Opera  (also in collaboration with Lyric), said: “This show tells two stories in parallel: the story of Richard Wagner as he creates the Ring …

Playlist: Rufus Wainwright’s 3 Favorite Opera Composers

Opera has always been important to composer Rufus Wainwright, though many know him as the man behind the piano crooning confessional songs.

How One Chord Changed the World: “Tristan” at 150

If you’re a music lover, you may have heard of the so-called “Tristan chord” from Wagner’s opera Tristan und Isolde. Audiences were stunned to hear this infamous harmony when the opera premiered on June 10, 1865 in Munich, Germany. As Tristan turns 150, let’s take a look at what makes the Tristan chord so unique. The “Vorspiel,” or Prelude, to Tristan begins with with a “dissonant” chord. The terms “consonance” …

Lyric Opera of Chicago Announces 2016-17 Season

Lyric Opera of Chicago announced its 2016-17 season, scheduled to include eight opera productions on its main stage, one opera production at the Harris Theater, and one musical.

Playlist: 10 Pieces That Changed the World

Pieces of music that turned the art form into something it hadn’t seen.

Beyond ‘Tristan’

One of the more innovative efforts of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in recent years has been the concert series Beyond the Score. It’s an opportunity to peel the curtain back on a composition, on a composer’s mindset, and on their interaction with orchestral instruments. Each show combines musical excerpts, narration, and visuals to examine a single piece of music. After intermission, …