Lyric Opera of Chicago

Welcome to the magnificent Civic Opera House, the proud and historic home of the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Standing on the bustling pavement of Wacker Drive, with the waters of the Chicago River flowing quietly just behind the…

Step through the heavy entry doors and find yourself standing within the breathtaking expanse of the Rice Grand Foyer. As you transition from the wind swept, modern streets of downtown Chicago into this palatial interior, take a…

Pass through the inner doors and step into the vast, echoing sanctuary of the Ardis Krainik Theatre. Stand for a moment at the rear of the house and simply survey the sweeping, cavernous expanse before you. …

Walk down the gently sloping aisles, moving past the rows of velvet seats until you reach the very lip of the stage. Here, look down into the sunken, curved trench separating the audience from the performers. …

Step out of the auditorium and move directly onto the stage deck itself. As you stand in the center and gaze out into the dark, empty house, you are occupying the second largest operatic stage in the United States. …

From the stage level, you must now ascend a series of steep, industrial staircases, climbing six full stories straight up into the cavernous loft space above the theatre. Eventually, you will reach a narrow, terrifyingly high…

Descending from the dizzying heights of the catwalk, we move into one of the expansive rehearsal halls located behind the main stage. Ordinarily, this vast, acoustically treated room is used by the chorus and principal singers to…

Continue your journey through the hidden, industrious levels of the opera house, taking the service elevator up to the seventh floor. The doors open to reveal the sprawling, brightly lit epicenter of the costume and wig…

For our final backstage destination, we descend deep into the lower levels of the building to discover The Eaves, a stunning modern culinary addition ingeniously carved into the historic architecture. This restaurant and bar…

As our extensive journey through the hidden corridors and grand halls of the Lyric Opera of Chicago draws to a close, let us pause once more in the magnificent Rice Grand Foyer. Take a deep breath and synthesize the myriad,…