Kate Baldwin, Susan Graham and Nathan Gunn to Headline '100 YEARS OF BERNSTEIN' at Lyric Opera of Chicago

Lyric Opera of Chicago announced today that single tickets are on sale now for Celebrating 100 Years of Bernstein, a musical event honoring the legendary composer, conductor, and pianist Leonard Bernstein. Celebrating 100 Years of Bernstein is part of Lyric's 2017/18 season, but in anticipation of high demand for this special evening, single tickets are being made available early.

The concert will be presented at the Lyric Opera House on Saturday, March 10, 2018 at 7:30pm, and will feature renowned international opera stars Susan Graham and Nathan Gunn, two time Tony-nominated Broadway singer and actress Kate Baldwin, and the Lyric Opera Orchestra under the baton of acclaimed conductor David Chase.

The thrilling night of music, which celebrates the 100th birthday of the larger-than-life musical genius, will begin with Bernstein's captivating, one-act rarely-performed opera Trouble in Tahiti. The lead roles of Dinah and Sam will be performed by Susan Graham and Nathan Gunn (both role debuts), who will be joined by a trio of ensemble singers from Lyric's Ryan Opera Center. Graham, a Grammy-award winning mezzo-soprano, has been heard in eight roles at Lyric, most recently as Dido in the highly-anticipated Lyric-premiere of Berlioz's Les Troyens (2016). Gunn, a world-renowned baritone and champion of American opera and musical theater, has starred in memorable Lyric Productions including Billy Budd (Lyric premiere, 2001), Sweeney Todd (2002), Showboat (2012), The Barber of Seville (2014), and The Merry Widow (2015).

The second half of the concert, featuring Kate Baldwin and the Lyric Opera Orchestra, will include beloved gems from Bernstein's extensive vocal catalog. Baldwin was last seen on the Lyric Opera stage in 2016 during her triumphant run as Mrs. Anna Leonowens in Rodgers and Hammerstein's beloved musical The King and I. She premiered to rave reviews, described as having "gorgeous vocal prowess" (Chicago Tribune) and "a lovely, pitch-perfect voice" (Chicago Sun-Times).

"If ever a musician can be considered a National Treasure, it's Leonard Bernstein," notes Anthony Freud, Lyric's general director. "His achievements as a composer, conductor, pianist, and educator were stupendous. He triumphed on Broadway, in opera houses, and in every major concert hall in the world. All of us at Lyric are thrilled to be paying tribute to Bernstein with this exciting evening featuring much of his most celebrated music."

"Like so many musicians who work in musical theater, I've had a lifelong admiration for the work of Leonard Bernstein," said conductor David Chase. "His music is incredibly distinctive with its vibrancy and energy, its sensitivity, and its thrilling variety of color. The concert celebration will give Lyric's audience a truly memorable taste of Bernstein's unique genius."

There will be a 30-minute pre-concert talk, featuring the evening's conductor David Chase, beginning at 6:30pm. Single tickets for Celebrating 100 Years of Bernstein are available now at lyricopera.org/Bernstein or by calling 312-827-5600.

Lyric Opera of Chicago's mission is to express and promote the life-changing, transformational, revelatory power of great opera. Lyric exists to provide a broad, deep, and relevant cultural service to Chicago and the nation, and to advance the development of the art form.

Founded in 1954, Lyric is dedicated to producing and performing consistently thrilling, entertaining, and thought-provoking opera with a balanced repertoire of core classics, lesser-known masterpieces, and new works; to creating an innovative and wide-ranging program of community engagement and educational activities; and to developing exceptional emerging operatic talent.

Under the leadership of General Director, President & CEO Anthony Freud, Music Director Sir Andrew Davis, and Creative Consultant Renée Fleming, Lyric strives to become The Great North American Opera Company for the 21st century: a globally significant arts organization embodying the core values of excellence, relevance, and fiscal responsibility.

To learn more about Lyric's current season, go to lyricopera.org. You can also join the conversation with @LyricOpera on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.