New location, new time, new look!
Please join us as we return to the historic Lyric Theatre in downtown Kansas City, now home to Kirk Family YMCA. This year, Opera Dives Deep will be held from 6:00–7:00 pm.
This series provides audiences with fresh insights from regional scholars and industry professionals to enrich appreciation and understanding of the operas in our season. Both established operagoers and curious newcomers alike are sure to make discoveries.
Opera Dives Deep is held at Kirk Family YMCA, Respect & Responsibility Room, 222 W 11th St., Kansas City, MO 64105.
Upcoming Events
Tragically Timeless
Dr. Neal Long, speaker
- Monday, November 3, 2025, 6:00–7:00 pm
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, emotional depths and riveting drama of this classic Puccini opera.
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.
Between Fantasy and Reality
Dr. Kunio Hara, speaker
- Monday, November 10, 2025, 6:00–7:00 pm
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 about Japan and East Asia, it also contains elements of truth—a combination that has captivated audiences worldwide for over 120 years. Join us as we examine this tension between fiction and history, fantasy and reality, within Puccini's “tragedia giapponese” (“Japanese tragedy”).
Dr. Kunio Hara is Associate Professor of Music History at the University of South Carolina. His research interests include operas of Giacomo Puccini, musical representations of nostalgia, and music in animated films of Studio Ghibli. He is also the author of Joe Hisaishi’s Soundtrack for “My Neighbor Totoro.” He has also published articles on Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, La fanciulla del West, Il tabarro, and Turandot as well as an article on Tōru Takemitsu’s Nostalghia for solo violin and string orchestra. He has given public talks on Madama Butterfly around the U.S. for the Metropolitan Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, The Atlanta Opera, and Portland Opera.
From Story to Song
Dr. Paul Laird, speaker
- Monday, February 23, 2026, 6:00–7:00 pm
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 of its creation, its vibrant score, the opera's performance history and reception, and its enduring legacy in American opera.
Paul Laird is Professor Emeritus of Musicology at the University of Kansas. He is a noted scholar on American musical theater, especially the life and works of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Schwartz, and co-edited three editions of The Cambridge Companion to the Musical with William A. Everett. Laird’s current project is a book on mezzo-soprano Joyce Castle for the University Press of Kansas. Laird frequently speaks before performances for the Midwest Trust Series at JCCC and the KC Friends of Chamber Music and has done numerous Pre-Opera Talks for Lyric Opera of Kansas City.
Meet the Artists of Porgy and Bess
Dr. Roger Williams, speaker
Michael Ellis Ingram, speaker
- Monday, March 2, 2026, 6:00–7:00 pm
Meet the talented artists of Porgy and Bess! Learn more about their careers, their unique experiences bringing this iconic opera to life, and the stories behind their performances. A Q&A session will follow, giving attendees the chance to engage directly with the cast and creative team.
Roger C. Williams, Jr. Ed.D. holds a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, a Master of Music Education from the University of Kansas, a Master of Arts in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and a Doctor of Educational Leadership and Policy from Saint Louis University. He has served as president of the Board of Directors for the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA), and a member of the Incentive Grants Board of Director for the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Missouri Citizens for the Arts.
Michael Ellis Ingram is Chief Conductor of the Staatsoperette Dresden, a theater that presents opera, operetta, ballet, musical theater, and orchestral concerts. He has served as Kapellmeister of two of Germany’s oldest orchestras: the Loh-Orchester Sondershausen (est. 1600) and the Mecklenburgische Staatskapelle Schwerin (est. 1563). Michael has collaborated with composers Peter Ruzicka, Dominik Argento, and Rhiannon Giddens, and he has brought contemporary classical music to new audiences at a variety of nontraditional venues: a cathedral, a vaudeville theater, a foundry, a yacht club, a salt mine, and a zoo. As a music educator, Michael has taught at the conservatories of Leipzig, Dresden, and Hamburg, as well as at The Salzburg Institute of Religion, Culture and the Arts.
As a composer and orchestrator, Michael celebrated simultaneous world premieres on two continents with Seattle Opera’s production of Jubilee and Theater Bremen’s production of his musical The 35th of May in October 2024. He also wrote the book, music, and lyrics and debuted as Stage Director of the musical Erwin and Elmire, which opened in June 2024 at the Mecklenburgisches Staatstheater Schwerin.
Michael’s interests extend far beyond the realm of music. He has published poetry and prose, lectured on literature, race, film, and theology, and moderated for NPR member station KBIA. In his free time, he can be found folding origami in a windowsill or standing in quiet contemplation of a bronze sculpture.
Other recent highlights include Omar (Boston Lyric Opera, 2023), Blue (New Orleans Opera, 2023), Aida (Barclays Arena Hamburg, 2024), La bohème, Show Boat (Staatsoperette Dresden, 2024), She Who Dared (world premiere, Chicago Opera Theater, 2025), and Sunday in the Park with George (The Glimmerglass Festival, 2025).
Previous talks
Something Old, Something New
Dr. Andrew Granade, speaker
- Monday, September 15, 2025, 6:00–7:00pm
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 slipper and fairy godmother and, in their place, clever disguises and a sorcerous philosopher. The result? Cinderella—a comic opera that gleefully blends the traditional and the unexpected into something unmistakably Rossinian. Join us as we explore how this last-minute idea became one of opera’s most enchanting reinventions.
Andrew Granade is Professor of Musicology at The University of Missouri–Kansas City Conservatory. He is the author of Harry Partch: Hobo Composer, “Cracking the Code: What Notation Can Tell Us About Our Musical Values” in the first volume of Open Access Musicology, and several articles on music and science fiction television and music history pedagogy. He is currently editing two collections (one on Harry Partch and the other on Arkansas music for Illinois Press), and is beginning a monograph about the wind band in American history. He also co-hosts the podcast “Hearing the Pulitzers” with David Thurmaier.
Meet the Designers of Cinderella
Tracy Davis-Singh, speaker
Steven C. Kemp, speaker
Amanda Seymour, speaker
- Monday, September 22, 2025, 6:00–7:00pm
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 and connect directly with the creative team.
Tracy Davis-Singh has served as Director of Production at Lyric Opera of Kansas City since 2007, following her tenure as a Stage Manager with the company beginning in 2003. With a career in opera production spanning more than 25 years, she has held stage management roles at renowned companies including Houston Grand Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Seattle Opera, Pensacola Opera, and Mobile Opera.
Tracy takes particular pride in having worked on the world premieres of Cold Sassy Tree and John Brown, as well as contributing to the original audio recording of The Shining. Her favorite opera is Rossini’s La Cenerentola, a work she returns to often for its charm, wit, and musical brilliance.
Known for her deep commitment to artistic excellence and her collaborative leadership style, Tracy continues to champion the power of live performance, and the behind-the-scenes work that brings grand opera to life.
Steven C. Kemp is a set designer for opera, theatre and events. Originally from Houston, Texas, he received his MFA from UC San Diego and currently resides in Kansas City, Missouri. He has designed for more than forty opera companies and over fifty productions in NYC as well as for a multitude of regional theatres, cruise ships and international tours.
For Lyric Opera of Kansas City, he has recently designed Cavalleria Rusticana | Pagliacci, Amahl and the Night Visitors, The Abduction from the Seraglio, Sketchbook for Ollie, The Haberdasher Prince, and Maya and the Magic Ring. He also works frequently with The Atlanta Opera, New Orleans Opera, Sarasota Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Utah Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, Indiana University, and many more. For Opera San Jose his thirty designs include the West Coast Premieres of Anna Karenina, Silent Night, and the American premiere of Alma Deutscher’s Cinderella.
In NYC his work Off-Broadway has been seen at Second Stage Theater, The Duke on 42nd Street, Fellowship for the Performing Arts, York Theatre Company, Mint Theater Company, 47th Street Theatre, New Worlds Theatre Project, The Shop, The Cherry Lane Theatre, The Playwright’s Realm and Keen Company where his 11 productions include the Off-Broadway revivals of Tick, Tick…Boom!, Ordinary Days, John and Jen, Marry Me a Little and the new, award-winning world premiere of Adam Gwon’s All the World’s a Stage. Other NYC credits include work at 59e59, HERE Arts, Clubbed Thumb, Studio 42, and fifteen productions for New School For Drama.
His international credits include designs for the West End in London and the current tours of Sesame Street Live!, Peppa Pig Sing Along, Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour, as well as Baby Shark Live!, PJ Masks Live!, and Nickelodeon Takeover at the Feria de Leon 2025. He has designed regionally at Pasadena Playhouse, La Jolla Playhouse, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Antaeus Theatre Company, Bucks County Playhouse, Royal George Theatre, Stages Houston, Hudson Stage Company, Gulfshore Playhouse, Catholic University of America, and multiple productions for Norwegian Cruise Line.
Steven also worked extensively as an Associate Designer for Robert Brill and David Gallo on Broadway, national tours, The Metropolitan Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Disney Theatricals, Dreamworks, and a multitude of other regional theatres and companies. Additional work has included Associate Design credits for Jesse Poleshuck, Walt Spangler, Christopher Acebo, and Assistant Design for Christopher Oram, Alexander Dodge and exhibit and broadcast design with Clickspring Design, Gallagher & Associates and Jack Morton Worldwide. His design for Candide at Des Moines Metro Opera won Honorable Mention at the 2021 Golden Trezzini Awards for Architecture and Design. Falstaff was selected as a finalist in the World Stage Design 2017 exhibit in Taipei, Taiwan. His work was selected for exhibition in the USA student exhibit in the 2007 Prague Quadrennial and he was the 2008 USITT Rose Brand Scenic Design award winner and was the 2013 Live Design Broadway Master Class speaker for associate set design. For more, follow Steven @stevenckempdesign and www.stevenckemp.com
Amanda Seymour is a New York based costume designer for theatre, opera, television, film, and dance. She has been lucky enough to continue in this career providing clothes appropriate for the character to tell their story, and comfortable for the artist to have confidence in their performance.
Credits Include: Elizabeth Cree, The Glimmerglass Festival; The Barber of Seville, Columbus Opera; Riders to the Sea, Empty the House, Curtis Institute of Music; Candide, Tanglewood Music Festival, Ravinia; Roméo et Juliette, Idomeneo, Le Pauvre Matelot/ Les Mamelles de Tirésias, Wolf Trap Opera; La finta giardiniera, Don Pasquale, The Juilliard School; La bohème, Ariadne auf Naxos, The Barber of Seville, Opera Theatre of St. Louis; Paul’s Case, New York City Prototype Festival; Rusalka, Opera San Antonio; Diner: the Musical, Delaware Theatre Company; Oliver!, Paper Mill Playhouse. Film/TV Assistant Costume Design: Deliver Me From Nowhere, A Complete Unknown, Mean Girls, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (season 3–5, Emmy® nominations); Godfather of Harlem (season 1); Respect. Associate credits: Disney’s Frozen on Broadway; Hedwig and the Angry Inch First National Tour; Madonna’s Rebel Heart World Tour. www.amandaseymourdesign.com
Dr. Aaron Ziegel, speaker
Dr. Aaron Ziegel will join us for two different presentations about Turandot. Please note: the events will take place in person at the Kauffman Foundation Center, with the speaker joining remotely via video call.
Dr. Aaron Ziegel is an Associate Professor of Music History and Culture at Towson University, where he has been a member of the faculty since 2013. He teaches courses on music in the United States of America, Western art music history, opera studies, symphonic and choral literature, and writing about music. Dr. Ziegel engages widely in public musicology and is a familiar pre-concert lecturer in Baltimore, Maryland, and the surrounding region. He is the Scholar-in-Residence with Opera Baltimore, presenting multi-part lecture series that accompany every opera the company produces each season, all of which are published on the company’s “Opera Insights” webpage. In addition to his work with Opera Baltimore, he frequently lectures for Pro Musica Rara, Handel Choir of Baltimore, and OperaDelaware. His published scholarship has traced the emergence of a nationalist style of opera writing during the early years of the twentieth century. In collaboration with Towson University student singers, he curated a program of long-forgotten scenes and arias from Romantic-era American operas. He received a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance, summa cum laude, and a Master of Music in Music History at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, before earning a PhD in Musicology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Turandot's Unfinished Ending
Monday, April 21, 2025, 7:00–8:00 pm
Learn the true story of Puccini's unfinished opera, Turandot—how Puccini died of cancer in 1924 before completing the work, how his colleague Alfano sought to complete the missing final scene, and how the conductor Toscanini honored the maestro's memory at the opera's premiere in 1926. The history behind the score proves to be just as intensely dramatic as the opera that unfolds onstage.
Puccini, Modernism, and the End of an Era
Monday, April 28, 2025, 7:00–8:00 pm
Join us for a deep dive into the sound world of Turandot, including Puccini's compositional idiom, his engagement with the styles of his modernist contemporaries, and his search for sonic inspiration in the then unknown and largely inaccessible world of Chinese music. Equipped with an understanding of Puccini's musical inner workings, you can be a more insightful listener when you attend the opera.
