The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center Presents RISING STARS IN CONCERT

The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago will present its annual Rising Stars in Concert program on Sunday, April 7, at 2 pm at the Lyric Opera House. The artists of the 2018/19 Ryan Opera Center Ensemble, along with members of the Lyric Opera Orchestra, will perform wide-ranging operatic highlights by a variety of composers including Barber, Cilea, Donizetti, Massenet, Mozart, Poulenc, Rachmaninoff, Rossini, and Verdi. Rising Stars in Concert is a celebration of another exceptionally successful year of training and performance experience for these soon-to-be world-renowned artists.

Lyric donors of $50 and above are eligible to reserve two complimentary tickets for Rising Stars in Concert. Tickets are available at lyricopera.org/risingstars.

"The entire Lyric family is so proud of our Ryan Opera Center artists," says Anthony Freud, Lyric's General Director, President & CEO. "The Ensemble this year has achieved so much in their training, and on the Lyric Stage. I'm very happy that our generous donors will have the opportunity to see all Ryan Opera Center members shine in one of our favorite concerts of the year."

The Rising Stars in Concert audience will enjoy performances by sopranos Whitney Morrison, Emily Pogorelc, and Ann Toomey; mezzo-soprano Kayleigh Decker; contralto Lauren Decker; tenors Eric Ferring, Josh Lovell, and Mario Rojas; baritones Christopher Kenney and Ricardo José Rivera; bass-baritones Alan Higgs and David Weigel; and pianist Madeline Slettedahl.

Ryan Opera Center members have triumphed multiple times this season, whether stepping in as understudies in major roles or performing supporting roles throughout an opera's run. Lyric audiences have had many opportunities to experience the promising talent of the 2018/19 Ensemble.

The Ensemble members who will return to the program for 2019/20 include: Emily Pogorelc, Kayleigh Decker, Lauren Decker, Eric Ferring, Mario Rojas, Christopher Kenney, Ricardo José Rivera, David Weigel, and pianist Madeline Slettedahl .

Rising Stars in Concert will also be broadcast on 98.7WFMT and wfmt.com on Sunday, April 14, 2019, beginning at 7pm.