Archives: Events

Langston Hughes: A Lyrical Life This event has passed. Langston Hughes: A Lyrical Life celebrates the life and legacy of one of America’s most influential literary voices. Born in 1901 in Joplin, Missouri, Hughes was an early innovator of jazz poetry and a leading figure of the Harlem Renaissance. This semi-staged musical program and literary … Read more

Opera Dives Deep: From Story to Song Kirk Family YMCA 222 W 11th Street Kansas City, MO 64105 A titan of Broadway and Hollywood, composer George Gershwin collaborated with his brother Ira and DuBose Heyward, author of the novel Porgy, to create the landmark opera, Porgy and Bess. Join us as we explore the journey … Read more

Opera Dives Deep: Between Fantasy and Reality Dr. Kunio Hara, speaker In fashioning Madame Butterfly, librettists Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa consulted several literary stories written by Westerners with connections to Japan. Composer Giacomo Puccini gathered examples of Japanese music, which he used liberally in the opera’s score. While the opera draws heavily on Western tropes … Read more

Opera Dives Deep: Tragically Timeless One of the most popular and widely-performed operas, Madame Butterfly, is a tragic story of unrequited love, betrayal and sacrifice. A time capsule of early twentieth-century cultural perspectives, this piece continues to reach modern audiences with its poignant score and heart wrenching plot. Join us to rediscover the vivid arias, … Read more

Community Conversation: Everything Changes This event has passed. What makes a Cinderella story? Join folk and fairy tale expert Naphtali Faris at the Michael and Ginger Frost Production Arts Building to explore how Cinderella stories have evolved over time, deepening your connection to Lyric Opera’s upcoming production of Rossini’s Cinderella. This event will explore the … Read more

Opera Dives Deep: Meet the Designers of Cinderella Meet the designers behind our brand-new, Wes Anderson-inspired production of Cinderella in a conversation moderated by Lyric Opera’s Tracy Davis-Singh, Director of Production. Learn about the process of bringing a new production to life—from inspiration to collaboration to production. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions … Read more

Community Conversation: Eyes Full of Magic This event is sold out. Join Lyric Opera of Kansas City and The Museum of Kansas City for an immersive gathering exploring Japanese American relations, past, present, and future. Deepen your connection to the upcoming production of Madame Butterfly by meeting Miss Shizuoka—a cherished friendship doll gifted from Japan … Read more

Opera Dives Deep: Something Old, Something New After countless rejections, librettist Jacopo Ferretti finally found a winner when he pitched an adaptation of La Cenerentola (Cinderella) to rising composer Gioachino Rossini. What followed was a whirlwind—forty-six days of feverish collaboration, borrowed arias, and bold departures from the familiar fairy tale script. Gone were the glass … Read more

Opera Day at the K Join us on September 21 for Opera Day at the K, where we’ll cheer on the Kansas City Royals as they take on the Toronto Blue Jays. Come cheer on the 2025–2026 Resident Artists as they sing the National Anthem, and stay to cheer on our Kansas City Royals! The … Read more