Parsifal is an enigmatic work by the greatest of all German opera composers. Hear John Caird, the director of this new production, set designer Johan Engels, and Lyric Opera dramaturg Roger Pines discuss Wagner’s last opera.

Shakespeare’s searing drama is made more intense by Verdi’s music. Enjoy this discussion with Johan Botha (Otello), Ana María Martínez (Desdemona), and conductor Bertrand de Billy. Moderated by dramaturg Roger Pines.

One of Verdi's defining operas, Rigoletto is a fountain of memorable melodies, while its suject matter involves moral depravity, licentiousness, and plenty of emotional devastation. Be there when Giuseppe Filianoti (the Duke of Mantua), conductor Evan Rogister, and director Stephen Barlow delve into this Verdi favorite.

Twenty-four hours in 18th-century Nürnberg on the longest day of the year. That's the when and where of Wagner's comedy. But there is much more-after all, it's Wagner! Join James Morris, Johan Botha, Bo Skovhus, Sir Andrew Davis, and director Marie Lambert as they discuss the opera that Paderewski called "the greatest work of genius ever achieved by any artist in any field of human endeavor."

Some people say La Bohème is a comedy with a sad ending; for others, it's a heavenly romance. Regardless of how it's viewed, it's the most popular opera of all time! Ana María Martínez (Mimì), Dimitri Pittas (Rodolfo), and conductor Emmanuel Villaume talk about this melody-filled Puccini jewel.

We all know the children's story of two kids getting lost in the woods and happening upon a witch who lives in a gingerbread house. But the opera, especially this production, goes much deeper into the characters and their motivations. Elizabeth DeShong (Hansel), Maria Kanyova (Gretel), and general director Anthony Freud give you the what's-what on this late-Romantic classic.

What's funnier than an old codger smitten with a beautiful young woman? That's the plot of this Donizetti comedy. But there's much more to it! Hear director Sir Thomas Allen, conductor Stephen Lord, and Marlis Petersen (Norina) discuss this comedy with a heart.

One of the great romantic tragedies, Werther is a story of love, hope, and finally, despair. This production of the Massenet masterwork is directed by Francisco Negrin, who dazzled us last season with his Rinaldo. For this Discovery session he's joined by Matthew Polenzani (Werther) and Sophie Koch (Charlotte) in a thoughtful discussion of the opera that's based on the classic Goethe novel.

If you love the bass voice, here's your chance to get up close to one of the most illustrious stars in the business. Hear Ferruccio Furlanetto explain the intricacies and delights of one of Verdi's most sublime scores.

Richard Strauss became the "bad boy" of classical music by pushing the envelope to the extreme. His Elektra only cemented that reputation! Listen as Elektra herself, Christine Goerke, along with Emily Magee (Chrysothemis), Jill Grove (Clytemnestra), and conductor Sir Andrew Davis discuss this musically complex psychological thrill-ride.

Rinaldo is a tale filled with magic, sorcery, and vocal fireworks. Contralto Sonia Prina and soprano Elza van den Heever certainly know about vocal fireworks; conductor Harry Bicket and director Francisco Negrin add insights in the music and the staging.

Show Boat details the struggles of Americans, both white and black, from the age of steam and riverboats to the year of Lindbergh's transatlantic crossing. Panelists: Ashley Brown (Magnolia), Alyson Cambridge (Julie), Nathan Gunn (Ravenal), Morris Robinson (Joe), Northwestern University's David Bell (director of music theater), and Harvey Young (associate professor; theater, performance studies, African-American studies, and radio/television/film). You’ll hear Northwestern music students sing...

Lyric music director Sir Andrew Davis provides incomparable insight to the 2012/13 season operas.

Listen as Verdi soprano supreme Sondra Radvanovsky (Aida) and the always-incendiary Jill Grove (Amneris) discuss the late Verdi favorite, Aida.

Join our all-star panel – Lyric’s own Nicole Cabell (Pamina), Charles Castronovo (Tamino), Stéphane Degout (Papageno), and Sir Andrew Davis - to get the what's what on Mozart's final opera, a story of love, friendship, and the ideals of the Enlightenment.

Come along to the world of Straussian delights with Amber Wagner (Prima Donna/Ariadne), Brandon Jovanovich (Bacchus), Anna Christy (Zerbinetta), Alice Coote (The Composer), and Stage Director John Cox for an exploration of this masterful take on high art and low comedy.

Bass Ferruccio Furlanetto (Boris), stage director Julia Pevzner, and Lyric music director Sir Andrew Davis offer lively discourse on Mussorgsky's dark portrait of a tormented ruler and his long-suffering subjects.

Bel canto means beautiful singing, and Lucia is full of it. Listen to Lyric's Lucia (Susanna Phillips), Edgardo (Giuseppe Filianoti), and Maestro Massimo Zanetti in a discussion of Donizetti's bel canto rendering of murder and madness in 17th-century Scotland.

Hear the poet himself, Lyric fave Matthew Polenzani, and the production's musical architect, conductor Emmanuel Villaume, discuss The Tales of Hoffmann in this Discovery Series session, part of the Backstage at Lyric podcasts.

Hercules languished in obscurity for almost two centuries and didn’t receive its first modern performance until 1925! Director Peter Sellars gives us a new production with a fresh perspective on Handel's 1745 creation. For this Discovery Session, The University of Chicago's renowned mythologist Wendy Doniger and the ever-brilliant Sellars delve into the timeless themes and compelling characters of the work now considered one of the supreme achievements of its age.

South African tenor Johan Botha, who previously starred at Lyric in La Gioconda, Pagliacci, and Turandot, is renowned internationally for his portrayal of many of the most formidably difficult roles in the repertoire. One of his specialties is Wagner's Lohengrin, with which he's making his eagerly awaited return to Lyric this season. The role has been a triumph for him at the Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, and the Vienna Staatsoper - he also appears in an acclaimed Lohengrin recording now...

German mezzo-soprano Michaela Schuster is making her Lyric debut in one of the most fearsomely challenging roles in the entire Wagner repertoire, Ortrud in Lohengrin. Ortrud has brought Schuster huge acclaim in Copenhagen and Munich (her portrayal in the recent new production at Munich's Bayerische Staatsoper is now on DVD). Schuster is a star of all the major German houses, as well as Covent Garden and the Vienna Staatsoper. Ortrud has often been regarded as a one-dimensional villainess,...

Some see it as Wagner's first masterpiece. Others say it was his stepping-stone to the Ring cycle. Either way, Lohengrin is the perfect melding of vocal and orchestral forces and a dramatic tour de force! Join Emily Magee (Elsa), Greer Grimsley (Telramund), and conductor Sir Andrew Davis in an exploration of the master's 1850 magnum opus.

Sir Andrew Davis, Lyric's renowned music director, introduces listeners to the 2011-12 season, including commentary and musical highlights from all eight operas.