Thank you for everything you do, Lyric Opera Stage Artists. “We’re just happy to be able to serve our community.” “We get such a sense of fulfillment and happiness when we see that our music impacts people who are not able to go out and see live performances,” Williams said. And with the Lyric Opera of Chicago being closed, these volunteers are committed to using their voices to give communities hope. LOSA has been busier than ever with even more communities wanting the magic that comes with a performance. “Seeing people’s faces light up gives us the energy to keep working, pursuing and broadening our outreach to help more people,” Williams said.ĭue to the pandemic, they were forced to pivot to virtually performing. LOSA performed “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning,” for residents and before they knew it, every single person in the room was singing along. They smile, tap their feet and even sing along. Many residents experience memory loss, but Williams recalls that the older adults quickly remember some of the music played. That is why working at Lyric Opera Orchestra is a dream come. Pam Williams, outreach coordinator for LOSA and a mezzo soprano, recalls the transformational moments she’s witnessed while performing at Hartwell Place. In my violin playing, I have always tried to emulate the qualities of a singing human voice. Their goal is to “bring the potential of music and theater to the lives of all those who need its lasting beauty and power.” Following that performance, LOSA made time to perform two concerts a year at each of the CMSS communities: Hartwell Place, Wesley Place and Covenant Home of Chicago. The evening benefited enormously from two significant debuts: soprano Michelle Bradley in the title role and conductor Eun Sun Kim leading the orchestra in the pit. This partnership began two and a half years ago with a concert at Hartwell Place. On Saturday night Lyric Opera gave us something much more than passable with one of the finest productions of Puccini’s shabby little shocker Chicago has seen in many years.
This group of volunteers from the Lyric Opera of Chicago perform opera, classical music and musical theatre free of charge for CMSS residents. One of our most cherished partnerships is with the Lyric Opera Stage Artists (LOSA). From having CoCo’s Songs for Seniors rent a 30-foot cherry picker bucket truck to serenade Wesley Place residents from a safe distance, to residents practicing learning the piano, there are no shortage of opportunities for our community to get their share of music. Chicago Methodist Senior Services prides itself on the opportunities we provide for staff and residents to experience the joy of music together. At the Lyric Opera of Chicago, much of the success of the new Don Giovanni production is due to director Robert Falls’ acknowledgment of this dual comic/serious aspects of Mozart (or buffa/seria in the correct historical terms), telling a serious story of the Don Juan legend while keeping the audience amused and entertained.