My Year of Wagner

There are few careers where you feel inclined to do what you do when you’re away from work. I know pilots will sometimes fly “for fun” in their off time, and athletes probably still have fun playing games with their friends and family. But what about those of us in the trenches at performing arts … Read more

Fun Facts about The Haberdasher Prince

Lyric Opera of Kansas City is thrilled for the world premiere performances of our new family opera The Haberdasher Prince on April 6! Written by composer Rosabella Gregory and librettist Dina Gregory, The Haberdasher Prince is a fairytale and tells the story of a prince with a passion for fashion, a talented village girl, and … Read more

Discovering Opera, Poetry, and Humanity

In 2021, we started a series called Community Conversations to explore the “here and now” implications of our mainstage productions and discover our shared humanity, on and off the stage. Every Community Conversation is different and always held in community spaces in collaboration with partner organizations and individuals. In the last year and a half … Read more

Shakespeare, Opera, and Tybalt’s death

A member of my family—my dear Uncle John—is an actor, and he’s done quite a bit of Shakespeare acting in his career. I’ve seen him in King Lear, Twelfth Night, Hamlet, As You Like It, Romeo and Juliet, and The Tempest. I’d say I’ve seen an above-average amount of live Shakespeare, which is why I’m … Read more

Opera Dives Deep: Notes of Virtue

Kansas City-based pianist, musicologist, educator, and writer Grace Odell joined Opera Dives Deep on Monday, October 23, 2023, to prepare audiences for The Sound of Music. Her presentation, Notes of Virtue, explored the fascinating world of the Trapp Family Singers and the musical they inspired. Attendees engaged in facilitated discussion and were invited to consider … Read more

From Oscar to Stephen and back

One of the things I love about the music business is the connections over generations of music making. For example, when I was in college at the Peabody Conservatory, my piano teacher Patricia Graham studied with Leon Fleisher, who studied with Schnabel, who studied with Leschetizky, who studied with Czerny, who studied with Beethoven. That … Read more

Why Subscriptions Matter

We here at Lyric Opera always ask our single-ticket buyer audience to consider becoming subscribers. We entice you with subscriber benefits like free ticket exchanges, reserved seating year-over-year, and discounted rates over the single ticket price. But, have you ever stopped and wondered why we ask you to become a subscriber or how your subscription supports … Read more

Viva il vino! Opera in Community

The above words are sung by Turiddu in Cavalleria rusticana. In this scene, Turiddu invites everyone for a drink at his mother’s tavern after Easter church service. Listen to Italian tenor Mario Del Monaco as Turiddu leading the toast! These same words—in a slightly more accessible English translation—also served as the opening toast at our … Read more

June newsletter, 2023

It’s summertime in Kansas City. Longer days, lots of sunshine, and languid pool days await! 🏖️ So what happens at the opera during the summer? Behind the scenes, our box office is buzzing with activity as we diligently work to accommodate our valued subscribers’ seating preferences. 🐝 In addition, our talented production department is meticulously … Read more

Sondheim On Sondheim: Guided Listening

Sondheim on Sondheim is a musical revue consisting of music and lyrics written by Stephen Sondheim. In all, the show features 24 songs from 18 shows showcasing Sondheim’s career over a period of more than 60 years. Sondheim on Sondheim had a limited run on Broadway in 2010 and was nominated for five Tony Awards. The show … Read more