Will Contemporary Opera Take Root at Lyric?

www.chicagomag.com: Four years ago, Lyric Opera of Chicago staged its first commissioned grand opera in more than a decade: Bel Canto, adapted from Ann Patchett’s 2001 novel about a terrorist hostage crisis. The production had no trouble demonstrating its relevance or engaging a modern audience; the Islamic State attacks in Paris had come less than a month before the opening. Lyric held sessions after each performance so that audience members could discuss the piece. Sometimes more than 200 people would stay.