Opera on WRTI

With Jerusalem as the prize, General Goffredo and his chief knight Rinaldo are battling it out with King Argante. But the king’s lover and ally is the sorceress Armida — and she uses every trick in her arsenal to help win the war. Good thing Rinaldo has some supernatural reinforcements of his own!

Vienna’s richest man is planning an incredible party - and you're invited on Saturday, June 9th from 1 to 4 pm. First, guests will enjoy a serious opera (the Prima Donna plays Ariadne, who’s ready to die on the island of Naxos because her lover’s jilted her). Then comes a ribald comedy, starring saucy Zerbinetta (who has a Ph.D. in flirting). And finally, there’s to be a pyrotechnic display.

Look out for dancing bears and dinosaurs…into the enchanted forest we go on Saturday, June 2nd, from 1 to 4:30 pm. Lyric’s inspired production reflects the composer himself - seamlessly blending emotional profundity with slapstick humor that appeals to the kid in us all.

It’s one of the most searing lyric dramas of all time, featuring arguably the greatest bass role ever created. Listen to BORIS GODUNOV on Saturday, May 26th from 1 to 4 pm on WRTI. The magnificent Ferruccio Furlanetto is Boris, who’s haunted by the specter of the child he murdered to become Czar, surrounded by whispers and enemies, and threatened by a pretender to his throne. And not only that - his people are starving.

Join us on Saturday, May 19th, from 1 to 4 pm for Lyric Opera of Chicago's bel canto favorite, Lucia di Lammermoor. In Scotland, Lucia and Edgardo are breathlessly, desperately in love - but their two clans are bitter rivals. Lucia’s villainous brother Enrico sets out to kill his young sister’s romance. And he deploys every devious device he can muster, including lies, forgery, and, finally, the false revelation of Edgardo’s infidelity. Little wonder that Lucia is mentally crushed and destroyed, driven to madness and murder before she dies of a broken heart.

It's time for the Lyric Opera of Chicago series on WRTI! We begin with Jacques Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffman, sung in French, with a fabulous cast. Join us on Saturday, May 12th from 1 to 5 pm.

Join us at 12:30 pm (early start time) on Saturday, May 5th for The Met Opera's The Makropulos Case. Count on a tour-de-force performance from Karita Mattila in Leos Janácek’s absorbing drama of a diva’s supernatural fight against her destiny. Czech expert Jirí Behlolávek conducts.

Synopsis Here

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Join us from 11 am (early start time) to 4:30 pm on Saturday, April 28th for The Met Opera's Die Walkure. A wounded deity comes to realize the limits of his power in the heartbreaking second installment of Wagner's "Ring" cycle. Wotan, king of the gods, strives to undo the curse of the ring by fathering a pure-of-heart hero by a mortal woman. But he finds himself torn as events spin out of control and his offspring defy his will.
 

Be sure to join us on Saturday, April 21st, *11 am to 5 pm (note early start time) for Richard Wagner's SIEGFRIED.

In part three of the Ring cycle, Wagner’s cosmic vision focuses on his hero’s early conquests. Jay Hunter Morris sings the title role and Deborah Voigt’s Brünnhilde is his prize. Bryn Terfel is the Wanderer. Fabio Luisi conducts.

Synopsis and videos