Three new mainstage opera productions and three new-to-Chicago opera productions, a new-to-Chicago chamber opera production, and JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR will grace the stage of they Civic Opera House next season.

Lyric Opera General Director Anthony Freud and Music Director Sir Andrew Davis announced today the repertoire and casting for the company’s 2017/18 season – the third season that they have fully planned together. Joining them for the announcement was Creative Consultant Renée Fleming.

“We are very excited about the 2017/18 season,” said Freud. “Continuing our new Ring cycle with DIE WALKÜRE will be a major highlight, as will be our first collaboration with The Joffrey Ballet in ORPHÉE ET EURYDICE. We’re also including several of the Lyric audience’s favorites – RIGOLETTO, TURANDOT, and COSÌ FAN TUTTE, as well as three ravishingly beautiful romantic dramas – I PURITANI, THE PEARL FISHERS, and FAUST. Of these, ORPHÉE, WALKÜRE, and FAUST are brand-new productions; andRIGOLETTO, TURANDOT, and THE PEARL FISHERS are new-to-Chicago productions. Musically, dramatically, and visually, the season will offer abundant rewards for longtime opera lovers and newcomers alike.”

Freud also noted that a new production of the musical JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (presented at Lyric’s Civic Opera House) and a new-to-Chicago production of the 2016 chamber opera FELLOW TRAVELERS (presented by Lyric Unlimited at the Athenaeum Theatre) will both receive company premieres.

“In planning our latest season, we have assembled a truly exceptional roster of well-known and multi-faceted singers including Piotr Beczała, Lawrence Brownlee, Andriana Chuchman, Alessandro Corbelli, Christine Goerke, Brandon Jovanovich, Quinn Kelsey, Mariusz Kwiecień, Ana María Martínez, Eric Owens, Matthew Polenzani, Marina Rebeka, Albina Shagimuratova, Christian Van Horn, Amber Wagner, and Erin Wall,” Freud said.

“We are also immensely excited to welcome a dazzling array of talented and vocally thrilling artists who will make their Lyric debuts,” the general director noted. “We are pleased to welcome to the Lyric stage Maria Agresta, Ain Anger, Benjamin Bernheim, Janai Brugger, Rosa Feola, Dmitry Korchak, Stefano La Colla, Edward Parks, Elisabet Strid, Elena Tsallagova, and Alexander Tsymbalyuk.”

Sir Andrew Davis will conduct three operas next season, beginning with the highly-anticipated continuation of Wagner’s Ring cycle, DIE WALKÜRE. He will also return to leadTHE PEARL FISHERS and TURANDOT. In addition to Davis, conductors for the 2017/18 season include Harry Bicket (Orphée et Eurydice), Marco Armiliato (Rigoletto), Enrique Mazzola (I Puritani), James Gaffigan (Così fan tutte), and Emmanuel Villaume (Faust).

The 2017/18 season’s operas will be staged by internationally acclaimed and award-winning directors including John Neumeier (ORPHÉE ET EURYDICE), David Pountney (DIE WALKÜRE), John Cox (COSÌ FAN TUTTE), and Kevin Newbury (FAUST).

Lyric will present JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR(reimagining Timothy Sheader’s production from Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) April 27 – May 20, 2018, featuring a cast to be announced at a later date.

Two special concerts are planned for early 2018. On February 25, 2018, internationally celebrated Polish tenor Piotr Beczała will perform a recital of opera and song as a subscriber appreciation event; and on March 10, 2018, Lyric will celebrate the 100th birthday of composer, conductor, and pianist Leonard Bernstein in an evening of music.

Lyric Unlimited will present the Chicago premiere of FELLOW TRAVELERS by composer Gregory Spears and librettist Greg Pierce. Based on the evocative novel by Thomas Mallon, the 2016 chamber opera earned national critical acclaim in its world premiere at Cincinnati Opera. Kevin Newbury directs four performances at the Athenaeum Theatre in March 2018.