Chicago Lyric Stars Ana María Martínez, Albina Shagimuratova, James Valenti and More Perform at Free Millennium Park Concert

Lyric Opera of Chicago stars will illumine the Chicago skyline on Saturday, September 7, during Lyric Opera's annual free concert, "Stars of Lyric Opera at Millennium Park."

This concert has become a Chicago tradition, featuring Lyric Opera's headliners from last season and also previewing the season to come. This year's featured artists include sopranos Ana María Martínez and Albina Shagimuratova, tenor James Valenti and bass-baritone Evan Boyer.

Instead of paying up to $150 at the Civic Opera House, on September 7 you can stake out a free place on the Pritzker Pavilion lawn and listen to Ana María Martínez sing "Un bel di" from Puccini's Madama Butterfly. She will be joined by James Valenti as Pinkerton, who will reprise this role when Lyric Opera stages stages Butterfly next season.

The program will continue with the prelude to Act III and "Bridal Chorus" of Wagner's Lohengrin, featuring the Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Ward Stare; selections from Verdi's Otello and Il trovatore; and Act III, Scene 2 of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor--the famous "mad scene."

Classicalite remembers Martínez's moving portrayal of Mimi in Puccini's La bohème at Lyric this past season. Chicago Tribune critic John von Rhein said about her: "The Puerto Rico-born soprano sounded fresh and radiant...her phrasing nuanced and full of alluring colorations. Her singing and acting were as one, creating a believably fragile heroine whose fate we really cared about."

Von Rhein concluded, "It is not for nothing that Lyric has big plans for Martínez in future seasons."

You can hear why on this recording of Martínez singing "Un bel di" from Butterfly at Houston Grand Opera.

Martínez is slated to sing the title role of Dvořák's Rusalka at Lyric in 2014.

Russian soprano Albina Shagimuratova made her Lyric debut last season as Gilda in Verdi's Rigoletto. She will be singing Lucia here at Millennium Park, a role she recently sang at Houston Grand Opera. Her performance of the "mad scene" was described by New York Times critic Steve Smith as "riveting" and "the stuff of nightmares."

If you do decide to go, you'll have lots of company. "The Stars of Lyric Opera at Millennium Park" annually attracts capacity crowds of 11,000-plus to the lawn of the Jay Prizker Pavilion.

The concert will also be broadcast live on Chicago's 98.7 WFMT and wfmt.com.