Lyric Opera 2021-2022 Issue 6 Tosca 2

Lyric Opera of Chicago | 38 The multi-disciplinary program helps Chicago students learn to transform their own stories into art. EmpowerYouth! The 2021/22 season marks the fifth year of Lyric’s EmpowerYouth! : igniting creativity through the arts program in partnership with the Chicago Urban League. The initiative encourages and guides Black Chicago high school students in creating an original production drawn from the stories of their lives and how they deal with issues pertinent to them. Participants in the program work with professional artistic staff and program facilitators to learn how principles of performance, the written word, music, and dance can translate to their everyday lives. During 2020/2021, determined to not let the pandemic deter the creative process, EmpowerYouth! participants continued to work and create virtually. This season the process has been a hybrid of online learning and group discussions to foster the creation of a new work, and in-person sessions where the young artists perform together. The pandemic has brought unique challenges for students of all ages. The overwhelming sense of uncertainty, in and out of the classroom, has led to greater introspection. This year 18 participants have chosen to focus on identity as a driving Lyric Opera of Chicago Photo: Kyle Flubacker While young people are feeling uncertain about their future and the world around them, Lyric continues to invest deeply in educational and community engagement programs that encourage participants to express their hopes, fears, and dreams through opera.