History of CHAMBER OPERA CHICAGO

CHAMBER OPERA CHICAGO is a professional not-for-profit opera company devoted to presenting operas in English in intimate settings and providing performance opportunities for Chicago-area singers.  The Chamber Opera Chicago Orchestra is distinguished by top orchestral players and first-rate conductors, which have been highly praised by both critics and audience members alike.  With award-winning designers and acclaimed directors from around the world, audiences can expect high quality, innovative productions that bring the operas to life. 

Having originated over 25 years ago, the COC launched itself in a season of Puccini and Mozart in spring, 1983 in the Ruth Page Auditorium.  In May of 2005, General/Artistic Director Barbara Landis took over to first produce a festival of contemporary American operas, which received rave reviews.  Now in its third year as a new and energized opera company, it continues its original mission of providing high quality dramatic works in English in very personalized performances, making opera accessible to the widest possible audience.

“COC has the potential to become an opera company on par with a repertory theatre,” Landis says.  “We want to move the audience emotionally and create memorable performances for both experienced opera-goers and novices.  Our main goal is to touch the hearts of our audience members…make them laugh, make them cry, and leave them wanting more!”

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