Lyric Opera 2024-2025 Issue 8 - The Listeners

Lyric Opera of Chicago | 20 The Listeners follows Claire, a suburban high school teacher living in the southwestern United States. Her life spirals out of control when she begins to hear a mysterious high-frequency hum. The Hum keeps her awake at night, alienates her family, and threatens her sanity, but she finds an ally in Kyle, one of her students who also hears the all-consuming noise. When Kyle discovers a group that meets regularly in hopes of understanding and eliminating the source of the Hum, Claire is optimistic. The group is led by the charismatic Howard and his second-in-command Angela, who provide a compassionate environment for the beleaguered Claire and Kyle. As the group grows in number, and the meetings become increasingly strange and ritualistic, internal fractures appear, and it becomes clear that this community of “Listeners” is on a perilous path. Robert and Penelope Steiner Family Foundation + * Zell Family Foundation + National Endowment for the Arts Alice & John Butler + H. Gael Neeson + Sylvia Neil & Daniel Fischel + Mary Stowell + Virginia Tobiason* + Enrique Circle Members * New Work Fund Co-commissioned and co-produced by Lyric Opera of Chicago, Norwegian National Opera, and Opera Philadelphia. Supertitles provided by Opera Philadelphia. By arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc., publisher and copyright owner. Additional costumes provided by: Vicky Neufeld Bethany Joy Costumes, Inc. Jolly Craft Studio Lyric Opera of Chicago thanks its Official Airline,American Airlines. APPROXIMATE TIMINGS This production will be performed with one intermission. Act I 1 hour 5 minutes Intermission 25 minutes Act II 1 hour TOTAL 2 hours 30 minutes LYRIC’S 2024/25 SEASON IS PRESENTED BY Erika Gross in loving memory of Dietrich Gross Julie & Roger Baskes Synopsis TIME | Present day PLACE | Southwestern United States PRODUCTION SPONSORS