Lyric Opera 2024-2025 Issue 1 - Rigoletto

13 | Lyric Opera of Chicago “It’s truly remarkable to look back on The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center’s legacy,” says Dan Novak, who has worked at the Ryan Opera Center since 2000, becoming director in 2013. Recognized globally for its standard-setting training, the Ryan Opera Center is celebrating its 50th anniversary this season, an astonishing benchmark that speaks to its innumerable successes and ongoing impact on the field. Hundreds of artists have participated in the program’s Ensemble, and dozens continue to grace stages around the globe. The roster of its instructors, mentors, and visiting artists reads as a who’s-who of the opera world. The Ryan Opera Center is indeed one of Lyric Opera of Chicago’s most significant calling cards. Originally named the Lyric Opera School of Chicago, what is now the Ryan Opera Center was established in 1974 under the visionary leadership of then-General Manager Carol Fox, Music Director Bruno Bartoletti, and Assistant Manager Ardis Krainik. Their goal was to attract and nurture the country’s best emerging singers by providing advanced coaching and training, along with opportunities to perform in comprimario roles on the Lyric stage. The Chicago Tribune hailed the program as a groundbreaking development in local opera history. Under the direction of the American lyric tenor and conductor Herbert Handt, the program enrolled its first cohort of 10 up-and-coming American singers, including the future internationally acclaimed contralto Kathleen Kuhlmann. One of the early highlights was the Ensemble’s own production of Domenico Puccini’s Il Ciarlatano , performed with orchestra at the University of Chicago and at Lake Forest’s Barat College, setting a precedent for excellence, collaboration, and performance opportunities that continues to define the program today. Notable productions including Ensemble artists have become cornerstones in the Ryan Opera Center’s history. Among these, the 1990 performances and recording by New World Records of Hugo Weisgall’s Six Characters in Search of an Author stands out, showcasing the training program’s dedication to contemporary opera. In fact, Lyric’s Composer-in-Residence program was overseen by the Ryan Opera Center and resulted in several world premieres, among them The Song of Majnun (1992) by Bright Sheng, Between Two Worlds (The Dybbuk) (1997) by Shulamit Ran, and Lovers and Friends: The Chautauqua Variations (2001) by Michael John LaChiusa. Ryan Opera Center artists have also made remarkable contributions to Lyric’s mainstage productions, often performing supporting roles as well as understudying principal roles—and, quite often, stepping in to perform them. This has not only provided invaluable experience for the artists but has also enriched Lyric Opera’s offerings with fresh and dynamic talent. Audience members won’t soon forget the last-minute, remarkable substitution of Ensemble soprano Kathryn Henry into the title role of Jen ˚ufa in its last performance during the 2023/24 Season. Since its inception, the Ryan Opera Center has undergone several name changes and significant program evolutions, each reflecting a new phase in its development and mission. In 1981, the name was changed to the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists to better represent its mission of nurturing American talent who might otherwise have needed to go to Europe for post- graduate professional development. This period saw the introduction of master classes led by renowned stars like Luciano Pavarotti, Alfredo Kraus, Evelyn Lear, Sherrill Milnes, and more, enhancing the training experience for Ensemble artists. In 2006, the program was renamed The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center in recognition of a transformative gift from the Ryans, reflecting the program’s broadened mission and elevated status within the opera community. That year was significant also due to the appointment of Gianna Rolandi as the Ryan Opera Center’s Former and current Ensemble members surround Denyce Graves, in Lyric’s 2005/06 Carmen. Clockwise from left: Susanna Phillips,David Cangelosi, Rodell Rosel,and Lauren McNeese. Dan Rest