Chicago Philharmonic joins bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green for evening of arias

The Chicago Philharmonic Society announces the full program for its upcoming concert with two-time Grammy Award-winning bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green. Featuring some of the greatest works from over 200 years of opera, highlights include works from Terence Blanchard’s acclaimed operas Fire Shut Up in My Bones and Champion, both of which Green performed at the Metropolitan Opera. Audience members will have the unique opportunity to get a preview of Champion which receives its Chicago premiere this winter at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Led by of Chicago Philharmonic artistic director Scott Speck, the one-night-only concert titled Chicago Philharmonic Presents: Aria Masterpieces with Ryan Speedo Green takes place Saturday, October 14, 7:30 PM at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E Randolph St. Tickets start at $35 and are available at chicagophilharmonic.org/.

In addition to the pieces by Blanchard, “Peculiar Grace” from Fire Shut Up in My Bones and “What Makes a Man a Man” from Champion, the evening will include some of the most beloved repertoire from the bass-baritone canon including “La calunnia” from Gioachino Rossini’s comedic The Barber of Seville, the touching ode to a coat “Vecchia zimarra senti” from Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème, “Studia il passo, O mio figlio” from Giuseppe Verdi’s dramatic version of Macbeth, and “Die Frist ist um” from Richard Wagner’s Flying Dutchman.

The orchestra rounds out the program with Rossini’s delightful overture to La scala di seta, Puccini’s elegiac Crisantemi, Zolton Kodály’s folk influenced Dances of Galánta, the overture to Wagner’s oft-forgotten opera Rienzi, and Chicago Symphony Orchestra Mead Composer-in-Residence Jessie Montgomery’s symphonic song Starburst.

The full program is below:

Rossini - La scala di seta Overture

Rossini - Il Barbiere di Siviglia: "La calunnia"

Puccini - Crisantemi

Puccini - La Bohème: "Vecchia zimarra senti"

Verdi - Macbeth: "Studia il passo, O mio figlio"

Kodály - Dances of Galánta

Montgomery - Starburst

Blanchard - Fire Shut Up in my Bones: “Peculiar Grace”

Blanchard- Champion: "What Makes a Man a Man"

Wagner - Overture to Rienzi

Wagner - Flying Dutchman: "Die Frist ist um"

Collaborating with major artists such as Green has been an integral goal of Terell Johnson’s rule of thumb since he was appointed Chicago Philharmonic’s Executive Director in June 2021. 

“There are no small concerts for Chicago Philharmonic,” says Johnson. “Every event is a catalyst to move our organization forward, to reach new audiences, and to champion the most forward-thinking artists of our time. Ryan Speedo Green is truly one of the finest voices in a generation, and we are honored to present him this fall.”

About The Chicago Philharmonic Society

Founded by musicians of the Lyric Opera Orchestra in 1979, The Chicago Philharmonic Society is a collaboration of over 250 of the highest-level classical musicians in the Midwest. The orchestra, known as the Chicago Philharmonic, has been called one of the country’s finest symphonic orchestras, and its unique chamber music ensembles perform as Chicago Phil Chamber. The brilliance of Chicago Philharmonic’s structure is in its versatility - the organization curates the best ensemble for each concert from an exceptional pool of musicians, be it classical, jazz, pops, movie concerts, outreach programming, and everything else. 

The Illinois Council of Orchestras has awarded Chicago Philharmonic “Orchestra of the Year'' (2018), “Programming of the Year” (2019), “Community Relations of the Year” (2019), “Executive Director of the Year” (2020), and “Conductor of the Year” (2021).

Chicago Philharmonic presents a robust and varied collection of programming throughout the 2023-24 season including a concert with Grammy nominated band Tank and the Bangas September 30 at the Auditorium Theatre, Sonic Symphony on October 28 at the Auditorium Theatre, a performance of works by John Williams as part of the Kohler Foundation’s Distinguished Guest Series in Kohler, Wisconsin, and Terence Blanchard: Film Scores LIVE! on January 13, 2024 at the Auditorium Theatre. Find out more about Chicago Philharmonic at chicagophilharmonic.org. 

About Ryan Speedo Green

Green has established himself as one of the great bass-baritones in a generation, praised for his rich tone and commanding stage presence. He has made solo appearances with the New York Philharmonic, the Opéra national de Paris, and the LA Philharmonic. Green won his second Grammy Award for the role of Uncle Paul in Terence Blanchard’s groundbreaking Fire Shut Up in My Bones at the Met Opera in 2021. He returned to the Met in April 2023 for his first leading role at the company- Emille Griffith, the real-life boxing star at the center of Terence Blanchard’s “opera in jazz” Champion. Although the part was originally written for a higher tessitura, Blanchard rewrote much of the music for Green’s voice. 

“With Speedo, it’s not just that he can produce big sound,” Blanchard says. “He has a way of expressing himself that’s compassionate, while still being powerful. I think the complexity in this role, what makes it hard, is that you have to be strong and powerful and still very vulnerable at the same time. That’s a hard thing for some people to pull off, but I know Speedo has the chops to do it.”

This season, Green also makes his house debut at Opéra national de Paris singing Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, and his house debut at Bayerische Staatsoper as Varlaam in Boris Godunov. He also returns to Washington National Opera to sing Ferrando in a new production of Il Trovatore and Orest in a new production of Elektra. Orchestral engagements include Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde with the LA Philharmonic, his debut with the New York Philharmonic in the world premiere of a piece by Courtney Bryan written for him, Mussorgsky’s Songs and Dances of Death at Carnegie Hall with Daniele Rustioni conducting the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and excerpts from Blanchard’s Champion with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra Chamber Ensemble at Carnegie Hall, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Green also appears as a featured artist on the Richard Tucker Gala, and with the Peoria Symphony for Beethoven’s Symphony Number 9. This academic season sees Green as an artist in residence with Florida State University, which will include master classes with vocal students and a solo recital.

Honors and awards include National Grand Finals winner of the 2011 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, a 2014 George London Foundation Award, a 2014 Annenberg grant recipient, a 2014 Gerda Lissner Foundation First Prize winner, both the Richard and Sara Tucker Grants from the Richard Tucker Foundation, and a finalist in the Palm Beach Opera Competition. Green was also the first Artist in Residence for the Texas Opera Alliance, where he held masterclasses and community events for Houston Grand Opera, Dallas Opera, Austin Opera, Fort Worth Opera, and Opera San Antonio.

A native of Suffolk, Virginia, Green received a Master of Music degree from Florida State University, a Bachelor of Music degree from the Hartt School of Music and was a member of the Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artist Development Program. Green currently sits on the Board of Regents at University of Hartford.