Lyric Opera of Chicago to Hold Auditions for 2026/27 Ensemble Singers and Pianists

Applications are now open for singers and pianists for Lyric Opera of Chicago's 2026/27 Ensemble.

Building on the excitement of the Ryan Opera Center’s 50th Anniversary Season in 2024/25, the program continues to provide transformative training and performance opportunities for gifted artists.

Artists from around the world are invited to submit an initial online application, which includes video recordings. Applications are free and must be submitted via YAP Tracker; free registration for a YAP Tracker account is available at yaptracker.com. Deadlines for submission range from March 3 through June 6, 2025, depending on audition dates and locations. For complete information, visit: lyricopera.org/ryanoperacenter/auditions.

The Ryan Opera Center is an equal-opportunity employer/program and encourages qualified artists from historically underrepresented groups, including but not limited to those who identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color, to apply for its Ensemble.

Select applicants will be invited to live Preliminary Auditions in New York or Chicago. Final Auditions for singers will be held on September 24, 2025, and include a hosted weekend in Chicago with coachings, interviews, and auditions on Lyric’s mainstage.

The approximate program dates for the 2026/27 Ryan Opera Center Ensemble are May 4, 2026, through April 25, 2027, with an option for renewal, as the positions are expected to have a two-year residency.

Recognized as one of the premier training programs for emerging operatic professionals, the Ryan Opera Center offers a uniquely comprehensive approach to artist development, focusing on advanced, post-collegiate-level artists. Ensemble members are immersed in rigorous training that includes voice lessons, language coaching, acting classes, and master classes with world-renowned artists. The program’s access to Lyric’s mainstage productions allows participants to understudy and perform alongside the world’s leading opera singers, conductors, and directors, orchestra and chorus.

For questions about Ryan Opera Center auditions, please contact Susanna McNatt, Ryan Opera Center Manager, at smcnatt@lyricopera.org or 312-827-3510. To learn more about the Ryan Opera Center, go to: lyricopera.org/ryanoperacenter.

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