Opening Night for the Chicago Irish Film Festival presents the Midwest Premier of Verdigris, the debut feature by Director Patricia Kelly, who will be in attendance.

The film stars Geraldine McAlinden and Maya O'Shea as a census worker and abandoned inner-city teen who form a unique and unexpected bond. This poignant film invites you to share in the power of the ties that bind us.

Date: Thursday, February 29, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Theatre on the Lake, 2401 N. Fullerton @ Lake Shore Drive

Aloft Chicago Mag Mile Hotel

Following the show, enjoy one (1) night at the Aloft Chicago Mag Mile Hotel (243 E. Ontario)
Date: Thursday, February 29, 2024
Location: 243 E Ontario St, Chicago, IL 60611
Includes: Deluxe King Bedroom and Breakfast for 2 in the Lobby Lounge (note: does not include parking)

Enjoy dinner before the game or drinks after the game with a $100 gift certificate to Bub City!

Two (2) tickets to the Broadway in Chicago show, Message in a Bottle, on February 28, 2024 at 7:00 PM and $300 gift certificate to The Dearborn.

Message in a Bottle is based on the songs of Sting!

Two (2) tickets to an upcoming Music of the Baroque concert at the Harris Theatre and a five course dinner with wine pairings and cocktail start for two at Acanto Restaurant.

About Acanto

Across from Millennium Park and situated along Chicago's Cultural Mile, Acanto Restaurant + Wine Bar is a treasured destination for those who appreciate authentic and approachable Italian food in a conversation-friendly atmosphere. The menu spans both North and South Italy and includes handcrafted pastas, stone oven pizzas, daily salad and entrée specials.

About Music of the Baroque

Long recognized as one of the region's top classical groups, Music of the Baroque's professional chorus and orchestra is one of the leading ensembles in the country devoted to the performance of eighteenth-century works. The ensemble has drawn particular praise throughout its history for its performances of the major choral and orchestral works of J. S. Bach and Handel, Mozart, and Haydn.

Two (2) tickets to the Lyric Opera of Chicago to a show of your choice! Choose from Cinderella, Champion or Aida!

Cinderella
Gioachino Rossini
Show Dates: January 21 - February 10, 2024
Rossini's enchanting fairytale heroine returns to the Lyric Opera of Chicago stage in classic style. Cinderella (La Cenerentola) tells the story of the downtrodden daughter of a selfish father, Don Magnifico. When Prince Ramiro (disguised as his own valet, Dandini) meets her, they fall instantly in love, leading - after a few complications - to a heartwarming happy ending. Rossini's score provides endless sparkle, with Cenerentola's and Ramiro's arias abounding in fabulous vocal virtuosity. There's also hilarity, thanks to the antics of Magnifico and Dandini. Two rising stars, Vasilisa Berzhanskaya and Jack Swanson, will be joined by the incomparable Alessandro Corbelli to lead Lyric's cast in Jean-Pierre Ponnelle's world-famous production led by the exciting Taiwanese conductor Yi-Chen Lin.

Champion
An opera by Terence Blanchard. Libretto by Michael Cristofer
Show Dates: January 27 - February 11, 2024
Lyric Opera of Chicago welcomes Champion, the first opera written by composer Terence Blanchard. Based on a true story and featuring a libretto by Michael Cristofer; the drama unfolds in what composer Terence Blanchard calls "an opera in jazz." Welterweight boxer Emile Griffith is tortured by the complex realities of his life: decades-long guilt from defeating a challenger in the ring, who died from Griffith's blows; and desperately conflicted feelings regarding his own sexuality. James Robinson's production arrives in Chicago with a remarkable cast. Joining Lyric favorites Reginald Smith, Jr., Whitney Morrison, and Paul Groves is Justin Austin, a brilliant new star who triumphed in Fire Shut Up in My Bones, with Music Director Enrique Mazzola leading the Lyric Opera Orchestra. Content advisory: Champion is about the life of Emile Griffith. In the telling of this complex story, Champion contains mature themes including physical violence, profanity, sexually explicit language,and homophobic slurs.

Aida
Giuseppe Verdi
Show Dates: March 9 - April 7, 2024
Opera at its grandest! While Aida delights audiences with its visual splendor, it also captivates them with a score ranging from exquisitely intimate arias to deeply dramatic duets and trios, and the most thrilling choruses Verdi ever composed. At Lyric Opera of Chicago, each of the five principal artists boasts not only a sumptuously beautiful voice, but also the charismatic presence to bring these characters and the opera's story of a riveting love triangle vividly to life. Conducting Francesca Zambello's striking production will be Music Director Enrique Mazzola, acknowledged internationally as an exceptionally authoritative Verdian.

Two (2) tickets to the Lyric Opera of Chicago to a show of your choice! Choose from Cinderella, Champion or Aida!

Cinderella
Gioachino Rossini
Show Dates: January 21 - February 10, 2024
Rossini's enchanting fairytale heroine returns to the Lyric Opera of Chicago stage in classic style. Cinderella (La Cenerentola) tells the story of the downtrodden daughter of a selfish father, Don Magnifico. When Prince Ramiro (disguised as his own valet, Dandini) meets her, they fall instantly in love, leading - after a few complications - to a heartwarming happy ending. Rossini's score provides endless sparkle, with Cenerentola's and Ramiro's arias abounding in fabulous vocal virtuosity. There's also hilarity, thanks to the antics of Magnifico and Dandini. Two rising stars, Vasilisa Berzhanskaya and Jack Swanson, will be joined by the incomparable Alessandro Corbelli to lead Lyric's cast in Jean-Pierre Ponnelle's world-famous production led by the exciting Taiwanese conductor Yi-Chen Lin.

Champion
An opera by Terence Blanchard. Libretto by Michael Cristofer
Show Dates: January 27 - February 11, 2024
Lyric Opera of Chicago welcomes Champion, the first opera written by composer Terence Blanchard. Based on a true story and featuring a libretto by Michael Cristofer; the drama unfolds in what composer Terence Blanchard calls "an opera in jazz." Welterweight boxer Emile Griffith is tortured by the complex realities of his life: decades-long guilt from defeating a challenger in the ring, who died from Griffith's blows; and desperately conflicted feelings regarding his own sexuality. James Robinson's production arrives in Chicago with a remarkable cast. Joining Lyric favorites Reginald Smith, Jr., Whitney Morrison, and Paul Groves is Justin Austin, a brilliant new star who triumphed in Fire Shut Up in My Bones, with Music Director Enrique Mazzola leading the Lyric Opera Orchestra. Content advisory: Champion is about the life of Emile Griffith. In the telling of this complex story, Champion contains mature themes including physical violence, profanity, sexually explicit language, and homophobic slurs.

Aida
Giuseppe Verdi
Show Dates: March 9 - April 7, 2024
Opera at its grandest! While Aida delights audiences with its visual splendor, it also captivates them with a score ranging from exquisitely intimate arias to deeply dramatic duets and trios, and the most thrilling choruses Verdi ever composed. At Lyric Opera of Chicago, each of the five principal artists boasts not only a sumptuously beautiful voice, but also the charismatic presence to bring these characters and the opera's story of a riveting love triangle vividly to life. Conducting Francesca Zambello's striking production will be Music Director Enrique Mazzola, acknowledged internationally as an exceptionally authoritative Verdian.

Two (2) tickets to the Lyric Opera of Chicago to a show of your choice! Choose from Cinderella, Champion or Aida!

Cinderella
Gioachino Rossini
Show Dates: January 21 - February 10, 2024
Rossini's enchanting fairytale heroine returns to the Lyric Opera of Chicago stage in classic style. Cinderella (La Cenerentola) tells the story of the downtrodden daughter of a selfish father, Don Magnifico. When Prince Ramiro (disguised as his own valet, Dandini) meets her, they fall instantly in love, leading - after a few complications - to a heartwarming happy ending. Rossini's score provides endless sparkle, with Cenerentola's and Ramiro's arias abounding in fabulous vocal virtuosity. There's also hilarity, thanks to the antics of Magnifico and Dandini. Two rising stars, Vasilisa Berzhanskaya and Jack Swanson, will be joined by the incomparable Alessandro Corbelli to lead Lyric's cast in Jean-Pierre Ponnelle's world-famous production led by the exciting Taiwanese conductor Yi-Chen Lin.

Champion
An opera by Terence Blanchard. Libretto by Michael Cristofer
Show Dates: January 27 - February 11, 2024
Lyric Opera of Chicago welcomes Champion, the first opera written by composer Terence Blanchard. Based on a true story and featuring a libretto by Michael Cristofer; the drama unfolds in what composer Terence Blanchard calls "an opera in jazz." Welterweight boxer Emile Griffith is tortured by the complex realities of his life: decades-long guilt from defeating a challenger in the ring, who died from Griffith's blows; and desperately conflicted feelings regarding his own sexuality. James Robinson's production arrives in Chicago with a remarkable cast. Joining Lyric favorites Reginald Smith, Jr., Whitney Morrison, and Paul Groves is Justin Austin, a brilliant new star who triumphed in Fire Shut Up in My Bones, with Music Director Enrique Mazzola leading the Lyric Opera Orchestra. Content advisory: Champion is about the life of Emile Griffith. In the telling of this complex story, Champion contains mature themes including physical violence, profanity, sexually explicit language, and homophobic slurs.

Aida
Giuseppe Verdi
Show Dates: March 9 - April 7, 2024
Opera at its grandest! While Aida delights audiences with its visual splendor, it also captivates them with a score ranging from exquisitely intimate arias to deeply dramatic duets and trios, and the most thrilling choruses Verdi ever composed. At Lyric Opera of Chicago, each of the five principal artists boasts not only a sumptuously beautiful voice, but also the charismatic presence to bring these characters and the opera's story of a riveting love triangle vividly to life. Conducting Francesca Zambello's striking production will be Music Director Enrique Mazzola, acknowledged internationally as an exceptionally authoritative Verdian.

Two (2) tickets to the Lyric Opera of Chicago to a show of your choice! Choose from Cinderella, Champion or Aida!

Cinderella
Gioachino Rossini
Show Dates: January 21 - February 10, 2024
Rossini's enchanting fairytale heroine returns to the Lyric Opera of Chicago stage in classic style. Cinderella (La Cenerentola) tells the story of the downtrodden daughter of a selfish father, Don Magnifico. When Prince Ramiro (disguised as his own valet, Dandini) meets her, they fall instantly in love, leading - after a few complications - to a heartwarming happy ending. Rossini's score provides endless sparkle, with Cenerentola's and Ramiro's arias abounding in fabulous vocal virtuosity. There's also hilarity, thanks to the antics of Magnifico and Dandini. Two rising stars, Vasilisa Berzhanskaya and Jack Swanson, will be joined by the incomparable Alessandro Corbelli to lead Lyric's cast in Jean-Pierre Ponnelle's world-famous production led by the exciting Taiwanese conductor Yi-Chen Lin.

Champion
An opera by Terence Blanchard. Libretto by Michael Cristofer
Show Dates: January 27 - February 11, 2024
Lyric Opera of Chicago welcomes Champion, the first opera written by composer Terence Blanchard. Based on a true story and featuring a libretto by Michael Cristofer; the drama unfolds in what composer Terence Blanchard calls "an opera in jazz." Welterweight boxer Emile Griffith is tortured by the complex realities of his life: decades-long guilt from defeating a challenger in the ring, who died from Griffith's blows; and desperately conflicted feelings regarding his own sexuality. James Robinson's production arrives in Chicago with a remarkable cast. Joining Lyric favorites Reginald Smith, Jr., Whitney Morrison, and Paul Groves is Justin Austin, a brilliant new star who triumphed in Fire Shut Up in My Bones, with Music Director Enrique Mazzola leading the Lyric Opera Orchestra. Content advisory: Champion is about the life of Emile Griffith. In the telling of this complex story, Champion contains mature themes including physical violence, profanity, sexually explicit language, and homophobic slurs.

Aida
Giuseppe Verdi
Show Dates: March 9 - April 7, 2024
Opera at its grandest! While Aida delights audiences with its visual splendor, it also captivates them with a score ranging from exquisitely intimate arias to deeply dramatic duets and trios, and the most thrilling choruses Verdi ever composed. At Lyric Opera of Chicago, each of the five principal artists boasts not only a sumptuously beautiful voice, but also the charismatic presence to bring these characters and the opera's story of a riveting love triangle vividly to life. Conducting Francesca Zambello's striking production will be Music Director Enrique Mazzola, acknowledged internationally as an exceptionally authoritative Verdian.

Two (2) tickets to the Lyric Opera of Chicago to a show of your choice! Choose from Cinderella, Champion or Aida!

Cinderella
Gioachino Rossini
Show Dates: January 21 - February 10, 2024
Rossini's enchanting fairytale heroine returns to the Lyric Opera of Chicago stage in classic style. Cinderella (La Cenerentola) tells the story of the downtrodden daughter of a selfish father, Don Magnifico. When Prince Ramiro (disguised as his own valet, Dandini) meets her, they fall instantly in love, leading - after a few complications - to a heartwarming happy ending. Rossini's score provides endless sparkle, with Cenerentola's and Ramiro's arias abounding in fabulous vocal virtuosity. There's also hilarity, thanks to the antics of Magnifico and Dandini. Two rising stars, Vasilisa Berzhanskaya and Jack Swanson, will be joined by the incomparable Alessandro Corbelli to lead Lyric's cast in Jean-Pierre Ponnelle's world-famous production led by the exciting Taiwanese conductor Yi-Chen Lin.

Champion
An opera by Terence Blanchard. Libretto by Michael Cristofer
Show Dates: January 27 - February 11, 2024
Lyric Opera of Chicago welcomes Champion, the first opera written by composer Terence Blanchard. Based on a true story and featuring a libretto by Michael Cristofer; the drama unfolds in what composer Terence Blanchard calls "an opera in jazz." Welterweight boxer Emile Griffith is tortured by the complex realities of his life: decades-long guilt from defeating a challenger in the ring, who died from Griffith's blows; and desperately conflicted feelings regarding his own sexuality. James Robinson's production arrives in Chicago with a remarkable cast. Joining Lyric favorites Reginald Smith, Jr., Whitney Morrison, and Paul Groves is Justin Austin, a brilliant new star who triumphed in Fire Shut Up in My Bones, with Music Director Enrique Mazzola leading the Lyric Opera Orchestra. Content advisory: Champion is about the life of Emile Griffith. In the telling of this complex story, Champion contains mature themes including physical violence, profanity, sexually explicit language, and homophobic slurs.

Aida
Giuseppe Verdi
Show Dates: March 9 - April 7, 2024
Opera at its grandest! While Aida delights audiences with its visual splendor, it also captivates them with a score ranging from exquisitely intimate arias to deeply dramatic duets and trios, and the most thrilling choruses Verdi ever composed. At Lyric Opera of Chicago, each of the five principal artists boasts not only a sumptuously beautiful voice, but also the charismatic presence to bring these characters and the opera's story of a riveting love triangle vividly to life. Conducting Francesca Zambello's striking production will be Music Director Enrique Mazzola, acknowledged internationally as an exceptionally authoritative Verdian.

Make a night downtown in our beautiful city with a $100 gift certificate to Theatre on the Lake and a $100 gift certificate to Park Grill!