Neal Long is the Director of Learning at Lyric Opera of Kansas City where he carries out the organization’s mission of education and community engagement with programs designed to promote artistic literacy in Kansas City and provide audiences the social-emotional tools needed to connect deeply with what they see on stage. An accomplished musician, Neal has performed leading operatic tenor roles throughout the United States and regularly serves as music director and director. A new music champion and enthusiast, Neal has premiered works by several composers and is responsible for overseeing the commission and production of three works for intergenerational audiences at Lyric Opera of Kansas City—Rachel J. Peters’ Sketchbook for Ollie, Rosabella Gregory and Dina Gregory’s The Haberdasher Prince, and Lori Laitman and Dana Gioia’s Maya and the Magic Ring. A passionate educator, Neal has taught at institutions including The University of Kansas and Missouri Western State University.
