Beethoven’s Fidelio opens at Lyric on September 26

View Fidelio images here

CHICAGO (9/25/2024) — For the first time in nearly 20 years, Beethoven’s Fidelio returns to Lyric Opera of Chicago, September 26 to October 10, 2024.

Lyric’s Chief Artistic Administration Officer Matthew Ozawa directs the innovative production, with the Lyric Opera Orchestra conducted by Music Director Enrique Mazzola. Fidelio features a powerful role for the Lyric Opera Chorus — 72 members strong in this production — led by Chorus Director Michael Black.

Elza van den Heever and Russell Thomas take center stage as Leonore and Florestan, the determined lovers who hope the bonds of their love can help free them from oppression. The opera also stars Dimitry Ivashchenko as Rocco in his Lyric debut, Brian Mulligan as Pizarro, Alfred Walker as Don Fernando, and Sydney Mancasola in her Lyric debut as Marzelline.

With haunting melodies and an inspiring story of timeless relevance, Fidelio is sure to empower and excite Chicago audiences.

View Fidelio images here

A high-resolution video trailer is available on Lyric's YouTube channel and in Lyric's online press room.

Read the Fidelio digital program book before the performance.

Performance dates for Fidelio are September 26; matinees on September 29 and October 2; October 5, and October 10. All performances take place at the Lyric Opera House, 20 North Wacker Drive, Chicago.

Audio description, a guided touch tour of the set, and SoundShirts are available at the Sunday, September 29 matinee performance. For more information, visit lyricopera.org/accessibility.

Fidelio is performed in German, with projected English titles.

The running time is 2 hours and 25 minutes, including one intermission.

For tickets and information, call 312.827.5600 or go to lyricopera.org/fidelio.

^{Lyric’s presentation of Beethoven’s Fidelio is generously made possible by Patricia A. Kenney & Gregory J. O’Leary.}

^{Maestro Enrique Mazzola is generously sponsored by Alice & John Butler, H. Gael Neeson, Sylvia Neil & Daniel Fischel, and the Robert and Penelope Steiner Family Foundation as members of the Enrique Circle.}

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About Lyric

Lyric Opera of Chicago is where the world sings — and where Chicago comes alive.

Under the leadership of General Director, President & CEO John Mangum and Music Director Enrique Mazzola, Lyric stands at the intersection of artistic excellence and civic purpose, harnessing the full power of opera — voice, orchestra, stagecraft, and story — to illuminate the questions, emotions, and experiences that define us as human beings. Nearly 75 seasons of world-class performances have made Lyric one of the greatest opera companies in the world. What drives us now is what has always driven us: the belief that this art form, at its best, can move people in ways nothing else can.

Lyric is also Chicago’s partner — in its neighborhoods, its schools, and its communities — through education, engagement, and a relentless commitment to making opera accessible, relevant, and irresistible to everyone. At the heart of that commitment is The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, which trains the artists who will carry this art form into its future. Every night when the curtain rises, Lyric reminds this city — and the world — why live performance still matters.

Lyric Opera of Chicago doesn’t just present opera, it redefines what opera can be. It’s where Chicago comes to be moved, inspired, and connected.

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