Frequently asked questions

All sales are final and Lyric Opera does not offer refunds on tickets. 

Patrons may exchange tickets for another performance of the same production. Subscribers can make free exchanges up to five days before a performance. Fees apply to date exchanges made 2-4 days prior to a performance. Upgrade fees apply. Value Series subscribers may only exchange into the first three dates, excluding Sundays, of any opera production otherwise upgrade fees will apply. Day-of exchanges and post-performance exchanges are not permitted.

All exchange fees are waived for current donors at the Patron level or higher.

Single tickets may be exchanged for another performance of the same production up to one day in advance of your performance date. Fees apply. Ticket price increase may apply. Day-of exchanges and post performance exchanges are not permitted.

Read more about out ticket exchange, trade, and donation policies here.

Lyric offers a variety of programs and tickets at discounted rates for children, students, educators, young professionals, and groups of 10 or more. Click here to learn more about packages, discounts, and ticket options.

Be sure to sign up for the Lyric Opera email list and follow us on social media to receive special offers and promo codes for exclusive discounts. 

Lyric Opera is pleased to make rush tickets available at 50% off, three hours before curtain for performances where inventory allows. Rush tickets can only be purchased online or in person at the box office. Visit our rush tickets page for ordering information.

Don’t panic. If you can't find the tickets that were mailed to you or are having trouble reprinting your print-at-home tickets, we can resend them to you at no charge. Call Audience Services at 312.827.5600 or visit the Lyric Opera Box Office before curtain time for assistance.

Having trouble locating the print-at-home tickets in your email inbox? You may want to try searching for the following:

From: [email protected]
Subject Line: Your Lyric Opera E-tickets
Subject Line (Group Tickets): Your Lyric Opera Group E-tickets

You may print the PDF tickets that were emailed to you at home or display the barcode on your smartphone. Our ushers are happy to scan your tickets either way. For smartphone users, we recommend increasing your screen brightness for a smoother scanning process.

Please allow 7–10 business days for tickets to arrive by mail. Orders made within 7 days of a performance will be emailed or held at the box office. If you need an order to be resent, please contact the Audience Services department at 312.827.5600. 

Patrons can opt into a payment plan for subscription orders only. Cross-season subscriptions must be paid in full. All payment plans must be paid in full 2 weeks prior to the first performance. Our most popular payment plans are 50% now and 50% on June 1st. Or  25% down, and 25% for the following 3 months. Personalized payment plans are available by phone. Payment plans are not available for NextNow or LYP Medley series. Payment plans are not eligible for single ticket orders.

During the opera season, the Lyric Opera Box Office (at the corner of Wacker and Madison) is open from noon to 6:00pm Monday through Friday (noon through the first intermission for evening performances), and noon through the first intermission on Saturdays and Sundays if there is a performance.

Summer box office hours (through the end of September) are noon to 5pm, Tuesday through Friday.

To request to be removed from the Lyric Opera mailing list, please call our Audience Services department at 312.827.5600 or email us using the form on our Contact Us page.

Lyric Opera of Chicago is committed to a safe and comfortable experience for all audience and company members. Health and safety protocols are evaluated on an ongoing basis in cooperation with public health experts and may change in response to evolving conditions. We ask that you please respect your fellow patrons' individual choices around wearing masks.  

Lyric Opera has no formal dress code and a night at the opera can be as casual or as dressy as you'd like. On most nights at Lyric, you’ll see everything from denim to sequins!

Many patrons opt for business casual on weeknights and dress up a little more for evening performances on the weekends. Of course, any time you attend the opera, part of the glamor and fun can be having an opportunity to wear your best special occasion dress or nicest suit.

Our season's first opera performance in the fall tends to skew more formal, as does our annual Opening Gala, so those are each a great excuse to dress to walk the red carpet!

Read more on what to wear to the opera

Performance running times vary, but are typically listed on the page for each show. For a complete list of estimated length and intermission information, visit our performance running times page.

Opera is frequently performed in the language in which it was originally written. English translations are projected above the stage for every mainstage opera performance. Watching an opera with supertitles is similar to a watching a foreign film with subtitles; they are there to help you follow the story.

Lyric also offers a variety of ways to enhance your experience and understanding of every production:

• Visit our Watch, listen, & discover section to watch behind-the-scenes videos, read in-depth articles, or peruse the opera program (complete with full synopsis) before you go. 

• Join us in the theater one hour before curtain time for a free 30-minute pre-opera talk to learn about the composer, the themes within the music and drama, and mingle with your fellow operagoers! 

The Lyric Opera House doors open 90 minutes before the start of every performance. We encourage you to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to curtain time. Join us in the theater an hour before curtain time to attend a free pre-opera talk.

If you have reservations for one of our on-site restaurants, please arrive within 15 minutes of your scheduled reservation to be guaranteed a table. 

Please be sure to leave ample time to account for weather, traffic conditions, and parking when traveling to the Lyric Opera House.

For a complete listing of the curtain and running times to help you plan your travel and arrival time visit our performance running times page.

It is Lyric's policy that all performances proceed regardless of weather conditions. Lyric is located close to both Ogilvie and Union Stations, making public transportation to Lyric performances easy and convenient. We encourage patrons to stay aware of current weather conditions and allow for extra travel time, as necessary.

If you are unable to attend a performance, please consider calling Audience Services at 312.827.5600 to donate your ticket. Exchanges are available, though they may incur fees. Read our policies on ticket exchanges and donations.

There are many self-park locations near the Lyric Opera House and patrons enjoy discounted rates* at The Poetry Garage located at 201 W. Madison Street. Parking can be booked ahead of time using ParkWhiz. Also, Washington Madison Wells Self Park by Legacy Parking at 172 West Madison Street.

If you are dropping off passengers with accessibility needs, please approach the Opera House along the curb lane on southbound Wacker Drive near the theater’s main entrance. 

Valet service is also available to Lyric Opera patrons beginning at 5:00pm on performance evenings, regardless of curtain time. For Sunday matinees, valet parking is available beginning at noon (time may vary for matinees with an earlier start time). We regret that valet parking is not available for patrons attending weekday dress rehearsals or weekday matinee performances. Valet service is $35 per car and we accept both credit and cash payments. 

Visit our Directions & parking page

*Offer only valid weeknights 3pm–2am. Up to 12 hours on weekends. Weekday matinee parking can be purchased for $35 for up to 12 hours. Vouchers must be purchased online in advance to recieve discount. 

The Lyric Opera House is conveniently located near both Union Station and the Ogilvie Transportation Center. Union Station’s Madison Street exit deposits guests one block from the opera house. When coming from OTC, exit the building on Madison Street, head east and cross the river. When you come to the corner of N. Wacker Drive, you will have arrived at your destination. 

For additional information, including train schedules, visit the Regional Transportation Authority's website or contact METRA Train Information/Passenger Services at 312.322.6777.

Visit our directions to Lyric Opera of Chicago page for more public transportation options including nearby CTA bus routes and “L” subway stations.

Lyric strives to make the opera experience accessible for all patrons by providing services for those who may need assistance. Services include accessible seating for those in wheelchairs, SoundShirt vibration technology,  FM assistive listening devices, Telecoil loop assisted listening devices, audio described performances, touch tours, and additional services to enhance your experience.

Visit our accessibility page for services offered

Please call Audience Services by phone at 312.827.5600 or email at [email protected] if you have questions or would like to purchase tickets over the phone. All of our representatives can assist you in finding a seat location and services to fit your needs.

For the safety and security of our patrons, artists, and employees, all persons entering the theater will be subject to a safety and security search and prohibited items may be confiscated.

Prohibited items include:

• weapons of any kind
• laser pointers, or any item that may be considered to be disruptive to the performers or other audience members
• outside food or beverages, with the exception of unopened bottles of water

Large bags/backpacks/briefcases/luggage are also prohibited in the auditorium; patrons will be asked to check their large bags at one of our coat check locations for a fee.

Coat check is available on floors 1 and 3.

Lyric Opera requires that large bags, backpacks, and any item that will not fit on your lap be checked during the performance. There is a $2 charge for all checked items including coats, bags and luggage. At this time our coat check uses cash only.

Lyric reserves the right to search bags for security reasons and is not liable for any damaged or lost items while at the coat check.

Yes, children are welcome at the opera, and Lyric even offers child ticket prices for every performance. Every child is unique, and so we encourage you to consider length of performance and subject matter when choosing shows for your young opera lovers. All child attendees must have a ticket; lap-sitting is not permitted. Please call Audience Services by phone at 312.827.5600 or email at [email protected] if you would like to purchase a child priced ticket. 

Opera has a tradition of starting promptly and the doors to the house are closed at curtain time. We realize that Chicago weather and traffic can cause delays, and so we urge you to plan your travel and parking carefully to leave plenty of time so that you don’t miss a note of the music! Latecomers will be seated at the house staff’s discretion. Video screens are available in the lobby and downstairs in the Opera Club so you won’t miss a moment of the performance.

Please be aware that patrons who must leave their seats during a performance will not be readmitted into the house until intermission or a suitable break. 

We kindly request that all food, and beverages without lids, do not enter the theater.  However, bottled water and beverages purchased in the lobby with secure lids are permitted. To cater to your dining needs, we provide a variety of onsite dining choices, along with refreshments available for purchase both before performances and during intermissions throughout the venue.

Photography and/or audio and video recording of any kind are prohibited during performances. You are welcome to take photographs and share your experience on social media from the lobby and other public, non-performance spaces in the house, as well as the house itself, but not during the performance, before and after the performance, and during intermission. 

To take photographs or recordings outside of performance times, please contact [email protected].

Have a question about the performance, need a recommendation on where to grab a bite to eat, or even directions to the restroom or coat check? Lyric's friendly concierge desk staffers are here to help before the performance or at first intermission right in the lobby. You are also welcome to ask any of the ushers questions as well. 

In the case of an emergency, please find any front of house staff member for assistance.

Please email [email protected] and provide a detailed description of your item. If it was turned into Lost and Found we will contact you. We make every attempt to hold items for the entire opera season.