Lyric Family Favorites: February 26

Louis Silvers’ and B. G. De Sylva’s “April Showers” has been sung by countless legendary voices over the years, from Judy Garland to Frank Sinatra and even Mel Blanc as Bugs Bunny. Though rainy April afternoons may still seem far away on this February day, the patient optimism and yearning for sunnier times to come rings true. We hope this heartfelt rendition by first-year Ryan Opera Center Ensemble member and baritone Leroy Davis inspires you to daydream about warm months ahead.

Plus, catch up with Ryan Opera Center alumna soprano Emily Pogorelc, take an opera “staycation,” and see our opera streaming picks for next week.

Ryan Opera Center alumna and soprano Emily Pogorelc made her Lyric debut in 2018 as Cinderella’s comical stepsister Noémie in Cendrillon. Now she’s making waves in Europe, performing with the prestigious Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich. See how she’s rising to the challenge.

Catch up with Emily

If you’re in Chicago this winter, the snowy, frozen landscape has gotten pretty tiring by now. If you need a little pick-me-up, we invite you to vacation vicariously through photos of some of our operas set in warmer climates. Try Seville with Don Giovanni or Naples with Così fan tutte!

Warm up

This week, hear new works by Nico Muhly and Greg Pierce at Catapult Opera, Tyshawn Sorey at LA Opera, and Courtney Bryan at Opera Philadelphia, plus more from The Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, and the National Museum of Mexican Art.

Stream away