Sagebrush verismo! Rough-and tumble characters, soaring arias, and a harmonically sumptuous score in the original spaghetti Western! Deborah Voigt (Minnie), Marcello Giordani (Dick Johnson), and conductor Sir Andrew Davis hitch up the buckboard and head west for a look at this most adventuresome addition to the Puccini oeuvre.

A legendary artist and a great Lyric favorite, American bass-baritone James Morris has long been celebrated throughout the world in many of the most formidable roles in the repertoire, including Wagner's Wotan and Dutchman, Puccini's Scarpia, and the four villains of Offenbach's TALES OF HOFFMANN. But Morris is also a big fan of Gilbert and Sullivan, and he was delighted to return to Lyric this season in the title role of THE MIKADO. He discusses this amazing change of pace in conversation...

Canadian soprano Andriana Chuchman, a Ryan Opera Center alumna who is rapidly establishing herself with important companies throughout North America, is returning to Lyric after her captivating portrayal of Valencienne in last season's Merry Widow. English tenor Toby Spence, a star of both of the major London companies and one of the most prominent British artists internationally, is debuting at Lyric Opera this season. These two singers play opposite each other in The Mikado as the two...

Lyric's music director revealed his immense enthusiasm for Gilbert and Sullivan when he led the company premiere of The Pirates of Penzance (2003-04). Now he's back on the podium for the new production of The Mikado, which he discusses in a lively conversation with the company's dramaturg, Roger Pines.

One of the most frequently performed stage works in history! Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado has delighted audiences since its 1885 premiere. Gary Griffin, Toby Spence and Neal Davies discuss the 125 year-old socio-political comedy and the two geniuses who created it.

No Lyric debut in recent seasons has been more eagerly anticipated than that of Stephanie Blythe. The American mezzo-soprano, a star of the Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, and the Opera National de Paris, is universally recognized by critics and audiences as one of the finest artists of our time. In this conversation with Lyric broadcast producer Mark Travis, she discusses the two very different roles she's performing in her first Lyric season -- Mme. Arvidson/A Masked Ball (debut) and...

American baritone Mark Delavan has demonstrated remarkable versatility at Lyric, where he has scored major successes in operas by Gluck, Verdi, Wagner, Mascagni, Leoncavallo, and Bolcom. The Verdi repertoire has brought Delavan many triumphs at the Metropolitan Opera, as well as Munich, San Francisco, and Santa Fe. He's making his role debut this season at Lyric in his 14th Verdi role, Anckarstrom/A Masked Ball, which he discusses here in a lively conversation with Lyric broadcast producer...

Currently principal guest conductor of Seattle Opera, Israeli conductor Asher Fisch Fisch appears frequently at the Vienna Staatsoper and is former music director of both the Vienna Volksoper and the Israeli Opera. He is returning to Lyric Opera to conduct his first performances of A Masked Ball. In a lively conversation with Lyric Opera dramaturg Roger Pines, he discusses this latest addition to his repertoire, while also recalling other career highlights.

American soprano Sondra Radvanovsky is acknowledged by audiences and critics throughout North America and Europe as one of today's few true Verdi sopranos. She is returning to Lyric this season to sing her first Amelia, one of the most eagerly awaited role debuts of her career. Here she discusses the formidable challenges of the role in relation to other heroines in her repertoire. Lyric Opera dramaturg Roger Pines poses the questions.

The four exceptional young American artists who are portraying the lovers in A Midsummer Night's Dream are all enjoying highly successful careers throughout North America and with major European opera companies. Here they get together for a roundtable discussion about Britten's opera with WFMT's George Preston, host of the Lyric Opera broadcasts.

American soprano Anna Christy, memorable at Lyric in both A Wedding (world premiere) and Dialogues of the Carmelites (company premiere), is portraying Tytania in Lyric's first production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Lyric Opera dramaturg and broadcast commentator Roger Pines speaks with her about her role, this production, and other important career highlights.

A Swedish monarch flirts with his trusted friend's wife and soon enough, they're on the road to perdition. Join A Masked Ball's director, opera legend Renata Scotto and celebrated tenor Frank Lopardo (King Gustavo) as they explore duty, honor, and middle-period Verdi.

American countertenor David Daniels, the most renowned countertenor of our time, counts Oberon (his fourth Lyric Opera role) among his most acclaimed portrayals. Here he speaks about the music and his characterization of this formidable figure. Asking the questions is WFMT's George Preston, host of the Lyric Opera broadcasts.

British bass Peter Rose is internationally acknowledged as today's most celebrated exponent of the role of Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Here, in conversation with Lyric dramaturg and broadcast commentator Roger Pines, Rose discusses important details regarding this portrayal, which has brought him enormous acclaim in major houses internationally.

Shakespeare has inspired more than a few memorable operas, and this season Lyric is offering two of them -- Verdi's Macbeth (1847) and Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream (1960). This two-hour symposium features director Barbara Gaines (Macbeth) of Chicago Shakespeare Theater; singers David Daniels (A Midsummer Night's Dream), Thomas Hampson (Macbeth), and Nadja Michael (Macbeth); conductor Rory Macdonald (A Midsummer Night's Dream); and University of Chicago Shakespeare scholar...

American soprano Elaine Alvarez has developed an impressive international career (Munich, Frankfurt, Leipzig, Genoa, Athens, and more) since she first appeared at Lyric three seasons ago. She's returning to Lyric this season as Micaela in Carmen. Here, speaking with Lyric dramaturg Roger Pines, she discusses that role, while also explaining what brought her to singing and reminiscing about the circumstances of her eleventh-hour Lyric debut as Mimi in La boheme.

American mezzo-soprano Katharine Goeldner has triumphed in many major houses internationally (the Met, Dallas, Madrid, Paris, Toulouse, Salzburg, and many more). Having debuted at Lyric two seasons ago in Madama Butterfly, she's returning in 2010-11 for two enormously contrasting roles -- the heroine of Carmen and Pitti-Sing in The Mikado. Here Goeldner discusses both roles in a lively conversation with Lyric dramaturg Roger Pines.

The young Korean tenor Yonghoon Lee has enjoyed a spectacular rise to international prominence. This season alone includes his debuts at Lyric Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, and La Scala. In a conversation with Lyric dramaturg Roger Pines, he discusses Don Jose in Carmen, which introduces him to Lyric audiences this season after he triumphed in the role at Glyndebourne, Berlin, Hamburg, and Amsterdam.

Acclaimed American bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen, Escamillo in this season's Carmen, joins celebrated French conductor Alain Altinoglu for an illuminating discussion of Bizet's richly melodic and powerfully dramatic masterpiece.

German dramatic soprano Nadja Michael, making her eagerly awaited debut as Lady Macbeth, is a star of La Scala, Covent Garden, the Vienna Staatsoper, Munich's Bayerische Staatsoper (where she recently premiered a new Macbeth). Here she speaks with Lyric dramaturg Roger Pines about all aspects of Lyric's production of Verdi's opera, and also discusses her own remarkable one-woman "theatrical recital," Orlando Misterioso.

The brilliantly imaginative Chicago-based choreographer Harrison McEldowney, who is making his Lyric debut with Macbeth, speaks about his contribution to this new production and discusses other major highlights of his fascinatingly varied career. Lyric Opera dramaturg Roger Pines is host.

The young Italian-American tenor Leonardo Capalbo, whose portrayal of Macduff marks his Lyric debut, has won successes in major houses throughout Europe and America. Here he speaks with Lyric Opera dramaturg Roger Pines about his role in Macbeth, other experiences he's had singing Verdi, and the breadth of his repertoire.

South African dramatic tenor Johan Botha, a true master-singer and hugely acclaimed worldwide portraying the heroes of Wagner, returns to Lyric Opera in the title role of Lohengrin.

Handel's Hercules will mark the return to Lyric of the sensational English mezzo-soprano Alice Coote, who will star in the formidable role of Dejanira.

American mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe, acclaimed as one of the most thrilling singers of our time, sings Ulrica in A Masked Ball and then Katisha in The Mikado in her Lyric debut season.