Lyric Opera 2019-2020 Issue 9 The Queen of Spades

Lyric Opera of Chicago | 42 ELIZABETH D E SHONG At Lyric this season: Pauline/ The Queen of Spades . Also this season: Madama Butterfly , Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House Covent Garden; Bianca e Falliero , Oper Frankfurt. “How did you become an opera singer?” This is a simple question that invokes varied and sometimes complicated responses. In general, the first step toward an operatic career involves training the voice. Solid vocal technique is a must, but it is only the beginning. In order to transition from student to artist, you need to learn what the real work of an in-demand opera singer entails—until you’ve lived it, you simply can’t fully understand it. Emerging singers need to witness great artists rehearsing, watch them develop their characters, see how they navigate artistic challenges on and off the stage, learn how they deal with stress, and observe their triumphs and failures. My time in the Ryan Opera Center provided me with this essential opportunity, and for that, I will always be exceptionally grateful. A big thank you to the Ryan Opera Center donors for making that possible and for supporting the future of opera. Ryan Opera Center alumni around the world Paul Corona La traviata Metropolitan Opera Emily Magee Tosca Semperoper Dresden Susanna Phillips Susannah Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Administration Dan Novak Director , The Ryan Opera Center Board Endowed Chair Craig Terry Music Director The Jannotta Family Endowed Chair Julia Faulkner Director of Vocal Studies Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation Renée Fleming Advisor Faculty Julia Faulkner W. Stephen Smith Vocal Instruction The Robert and Ellen Marks Vocal Studies Program Endowed Chair in honor of Gianna Rolandi Deborah Birnbaum Alessandro Corbelli Sir Andrew Davis Matthew A. Epstein Renée Fleming James Gaffigan Susan Graham Enrique Mazzola Gerald Martin Moore Louisa Muller Patricia Racette Christian Van Horn Anne Sofie von Otter Guest Master Artists William C. Billingham Alan Darling Laurann Gilley Jonathan Gmeinder Noah Lindquist Celeste Rue Eric Weimer Pedro Yanez Coaching Staff Irina Feoktistova Julia Savoie Klein Derek Matson Klára Moldová Sharon Peterson Marina Vecci Alessandra Visconti Melissa Wittmeier Foreign Language Instruction Dawn Arnold Katie Klein Andrew Gordon Knox Laurel Krabacher E. Loren Meeker Acting and Movement Instruction Orit Carpenter Performance Psychology Roger Pines Guest Lecturer and Consultant Artistic/Production Personnel Michael Christie Ari Pelto Conductors Louisa Muller Patricia Racette Directors Donald Claxon Bill Walters Stage Managers Theresa Ham Wardrobe PROGRAM STAFF THIS SEASON Cory Weever