Lyric Opera of Chicago brings back “Sunday in the Park” to Jay Pritzker Pavilion

Lyric Opera of Chicago will bring back Sunday in the Park with Lyric on Sunday, Aug. 23 at 7 p.m. at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, marking the company’s free end-of-summer concert in one of Chicago’s busiest public spaces. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m., and the performance is expected to run about 90 minutes without intermission, according to the company’s announcement.

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The event will feature the Lyric Opera Orchestra under Music Director Enrique Mazzola, along with new Ryan Opera Center conductor Luke Poeppel. The concert also will showcase the full ensemble of the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, Lyric’s artist-development program, in a lineup that includes sopranos Kylie Kreucher and Josie Larsen; mezzo-sopranos Alexis Peart and Camille Robles; tenors Sid Chand and Daniel Luis Espinal; baritones Sihao Hu and Adam Partridge; and bass-baritones Matthew Dexter, Lin Fan and Benjamin R. Sokol.

Free entry, season preview

Admission is free, with seating offered on a first-come, first-served basis in both the pavilion and on the Great Lawn. Attendees may bring blankets, lawn chairs and picnics, including beer and wine, while easy-to-follow English titles will be projected during the performance, according to the announcement.

Lyric Opera confirmed the concert will include operatic favorites and selections from its 2026-27 season, giving audiences a preview of the company’s upcoming slate. John Mangum, Lyric’s general director, said in the press release, “There is an unmatched magic in gathering in the heart of our city to share in the transformative power of live music,” and added that the event is “a night of family, fun, and the exquisite thrill of hearing some of the world’s most exciting emerging voices in one of the country’s greatest outdoor venues.”

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Throughout the evening, audience members will also have the chance to win prizes and tickets to future Lyric performances.

The concert is part of Lyric’s broader season push, which includes seven operas, four concerts, two films performed live with orchestra and the return of the summer musical with a new production of “Guys & Dolls,” according to the announcement.

What attendees need to know

The performance will take place at Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St. Entry will be through checkpoints A and B on Randolph Street.

For more information, Lyric directs audiences to its announcement and related season information through the company’s website.