Lyric Opera of Chicago Enhances High School Music Education

Experienced in real estate and construction investment, Richard Rinaolo serves as the managing partner of Phoenix Venture Capital. Richard Rinaolo is also an active philanthropist who supports the Lyric Opera of Chicago, which has a program designed to help local music teachers in the classroom.

The Lyric Opera of Chicago High School Choir Residency Program sends out teacher-artists to help high school music educators bring out the natural skills of their students. In addition to supporting teachers, the program exposes children to opera and arranges for guest-artist visits in the schools.

To develop students’ confidence and technique, the opera’s artists facilitate such classroom activities as warm-ups, lessons for individuals and groups, audition preparation coaching, and master classes. The artists also collaborate by serving as teacher resources.

Additionally, the program sponsors Exploring Opera, which blends studies of language, drama, and stage performance. The Lyric Opera artists show participants how to re-imagine operatic scenes through their own experience. Later, students attend a full-scale opera production.

Finally, musicians or members of the Lyric Opera’s artistic and technical staffs organize in-school presentations and Q&A sessions.

Private donations allow the Lyric Opera to provide the program free of charge to Chicago public schools. Access is also available on a fee basis.