Lyric Music & More: December 29

It’s a very special time of year when houses all along the block are lit up and merry decorations adorn every corner. With the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” Tchaikovsky was one of the first composers to use the celesta, or bell piano, to create the bright, shimmering sounds that bring to mind twinkling lights and gently falling snow. In a new video that’s part of the Ryan Opera Center at Work series, Ensemble member pianist Chris Reynolds shares his glittering rendition of this holiday classic.

Then, mark your calendars for an amazing New Year’s Eve concert starring soprano Renée Fleming and other artists, see the 2020 Rising Star honorees, solve a Holiday opera crossword puzzle, watch Lawrence Brownlee sing “Come By Here, Good Lord,” and check out our streaming picks for next week.

A star-studded evening of music

Celebrate the New Year safely from home with United in Song: Celebrating the Resilience of America, a free virtual concert from PBS featuring Lyric favorite Renée Fleming as well as Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Josh Groban, Yo-Yo Ma, and many more. The concert premieres December 31 at 7:00 PM CT.

Ring in the New Year

Young Chicagoans with great talent

Lyric was proud to nominate Chicago high school students Saint Gates (honor in Music), Londyn LaGon-Green (honor in Dance), Janet Rios (honor in Music), and Daina Wilson (honor in Theatre) for this year's Rising Star Honor Roll. Bravi tutti and congratulations to all of the nominees!

See the honorees

Test your opera and musical theater knowledge

Numerous operas and musicals have holiday settings. Test your musical knowledge with a fun crossword puzzle from Lyric.

Start puzzling

A highlight from Lawrence Brownlee & Friends: The Next Chapter

An artist of incredible breadth, Lawrence Brownlee brings the same passion and skill to traditional music as he does to Rossini. Watch Brownlee sing the spiritual "Come By Here, Good Lord,” arranged by Damien Sneed, in this clip from Lawrence Brownlee & Friends: The Next Chapter, then check out the full concert.

Full concert available now

Over 6,000 people have watched Pasión Latina so far, and it’s received high praise. In his review of the concert, Howard Reich of Chicago Tribune described the finale as “nearly explosive.” See more of what he had to say and watch the entire concert for yourself, streaming free on YouTube and Facebook.

Get the scoop

New year, new streams

Get the New Year started with streaming opportunities that span the opera and dance worlds! Watch streams from The Royal Opera House, Opera Australia, and Houston Grand Opera.

Watch more opera