On Sunday, April 26, Lyric Opera of Chicago invites audiences of all ages to experience the opera house in an entirely new way at Explore Your Lyric, a one-day-only open house filled with discovery, creativity, and hands-on activities. Families, first-time visitors, and longtime opera lovers alike are invited to step inside the Lyric Opera House for a lively afternoon that reveals the many artists, craftspeople, and creative disciplines that bring opera to life.
Designed as a choose-your-own-adventure experience, Explore Your Lyric allows guests to explore the building at their own pace from meeting musicians, designers, and technicians, to taking part in interactive activities, and getting a rare, behind-the-scenes look at spaces where productions take shape.
This year’s event is inspired by Katie: The Strongest of the Strong, the 2025/26 Opera in the Neighborhoods production. Throughout the afternoon, circus-inspired activities will bring the spirit of the show into the opera house, with roaming jugglers and stilt walkers, circus demonstrations, face painting, craft stations, and other family-friendly experiences.
A highlight of the day will be two abridged, 20-minute performances of Katie: The Strongest of the Strong, offering audiences a lively introduction to the opera. Composed by Faye Chiao with a libretto by Anton Dudley, the opera tells the remarkable true story of circus strongwoman Katie Sandwina known as "the strongest woman in the world." Alongside her feats of strength, Sandwina was also an advocate for women’s suffrage in the early 20th century. With its all-female cast and vibrant circus setting, the opera introduces young audiences to the art form while celebrating resilience, justice, and community.
"Explore Your Lyric lets visitors step behind the scenes and see the magic of opera up close," says Sheran Goodspeed Keyton, Director of Civic Engagement at Lyric. "It’s a unique opportunity for residents and visitors of Chicago to discover how one of the world’s leading opera companies creates its productions and trains the next generation of opera performers. We want everyone to leave inspired, with a sense of how much goes into every performance — and to feel that the opera house truly belongs to them."
Visitors will also get a rare, behind-the-scenes glimpse at how opera is made. A special "Peek in the Pit" offers special access into the orchestra pit, where guests can meet members of the Lyric Opera Orchestra and see their instruments up close. Throughout the opera house, interactive displays will highlight the work of scenic designers, sound engineers, and makeup artists — revealing the creativity and collaboration that bring each production to life.
Additional highlights throughout the opera house include readings of the Katie: The Strongest of the Strong storybook, costume displays, and photo opportunities. DJ Jawon Mayberry will be live throughout the event, providing fun, family-friendly music to keep the energy upbeat all day.
At Explore Your Lyric, guests may choose arrival times of 11:00 a.m. or 12:00 p.m., with each visit designed as a 90-minute experience that allows attendees to enjoy the full range of activities.
For more information and to purchase tickets ($10 for adults, $5 for children), visit lyricopera.org/explorelyric.
If you loved Katie at Explore Your Lyric, see the full Opera in the Neighborhoods performances in May
For those inspired by the mini performances of Katie: The Strongest of the Strong during Explore Your Lyric, there will be full public performances in May as part of the Opera in the Neighborhoods program:
- Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. — Kennedy-King College
- Sunday, May 3, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. — Merit School of Music
To reserve free tickets for the complete public performances of Katie: The Strongest of the Strong, visit lyricopera.org/katie.
Lyric’s 2025/26 Season is presented by the Robert and Penelope Steiner Family Foundation.
Lyric Opera of Chicago thanks its Official Airline, United Airlines, and acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council.
About Lyric
Lyric Opera of Chicago is committed to redefining what it means to experience great opera. The company is driven to deliver consistently excellent artistry through innovative, relevant, celebratory programming that engages and energizes new and traditional audiences.
Under the leadership of General Director, President & CEO John Mangum and Music Director Enrique Mazzola, Lyric is dedicated to reflecting, and drawing strength from, the diversity of Chicago. Lyric offers, through innovation, collaboration, and evolving learning opportunities, ever-more exciting, accessible, and thought-provoking audience and community experiences. We also stand committed to training the artists of the future, through The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center; and to becoming increasingly diverse across our audiences, staff, programming, and artists — magnifying the welcoming pull of our art form, our company, and our city.
Through the timeless power of voice, the splendor of a great orchestra and chorus, theater, dance, design, and truly magnificent stagecraft, Lyric is devoted to immersing audiences in worlds both familiar and unexpected, creating shared experiences that resonate long after the curtain comes down.
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For more information, visit lyricopera.org.