Backstage tours

Returning soon

Upcoming Dates

Returning soon

Backstage Tours at Lyric Opera

Lyric Opera of Chicago invites you to experience the Lyric Opera House beyond the footlights with our opera house tours!

From the moment you enter the beautiful and impressive foyer, you’ll be in for a special, one-hour experience with an engaging Lyric docent who will give you behind-the-scenes insights into the vibrant world of grand opera.

See the inside of the historic Ardis Krainik Theatre, enjoy an up-close-and-personal view of the orchestra pit where the acclaimed Lyric Orchestra plays, and learn about the vast array of skilled professionals who bring operatic stagecraft to life.

Lyric Opera House tours will be returning soon.

  • Running Time: Approximately 1 hour
  • Location: Lyric Opera House (Entrance at the corner of Madison St. and Wacker Dr.)

More backstage tour options

Student tours

Student tours

Bring your student group to Lyric to learn more about the arts in a setting where questions and dialogue are encouraged.

As students journey through the various production areas, they learn about the myriad elements that combine to create a grand opera performance and the vast array of professional skills involved. They see places and things that most Lyric patrons only dream of seeing, and they leave the tour with lasting insider knowledge about the world of opera.

Tour accessibility

Lyric Opera backstage tours are accessible to visitors using a wheelchair or walker and to other guests who need to avoid stairs. Additional accommodations are available upon request for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing. Guide and service animals are allowed along the tour.

For additional questions regarding tour accessibility, please contact backstagetours@lyricopera.org.

Photos: Kyle Flubacker