Celebrating World Opera Day 2025

Our Annual Newsletter from

Bellissima Opera & Working In Concert

Today we celebrate the wonder of opera—its power to move hearts, tell stories, and bring communities together. In this joyful spirit, our annual newsletter is filled with exciting updates, new programs, and upcoming performances that showcase the passion and creativity of Bellissima Opera.

From inspiring outreach and fresh fundraising experiences to thrilling concerts and summer performances, there’s so much to look forward to.

Your support keeps the music alive and helps us share the beauty of opera and song with audiences of all ages—thank you for being part of the harmony!

~Carl, Kerri & Christine

In this Newsletter

please forward to your friends!

• Our Outreach Program Reaches 25,000 Kids!
• 1st ever Holiday Chocolate Fundraiser
• Singers Under 30 present Opera to Cabaret in January
• 5th Annual International Women Day Concert in March
• July Opera: Marriage of Figaro – Revealed & Unwrapped
• August Garden Concert “Latin is the Thing“
• Your Donation supports these things
• Favorite Bellissima Videos recently posted
• Our 2024-25 Season in Pictures
• About Bellissima & Working In Concert

Since 2008, we have brought professional musicians into schools from Chicago into the tri-state area inspiring 25,000 young people to discover live music and the unamplified beauty of the human voice.

Want to support Bellissima in a great way? Order a box of Chocolate for our 1st ever Holiday Fundraiser. Details Coming Soon.

Hear the next generation Under 30 who will present Opera to Cabaret January 18, 7:30pm at PianoForte Chicago. Tickets Coming Soon.

Top musicians showcase works by women composers and lyricists for our annual IWD Concert, March 8, 7pm at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Oak Park.

We invite singers who have performed with Bellissima & Working In Concert over the years to sing on our end-of-summer outdoor concert.

Support Us! It’s Easy

a little bit goes a long way to keep musicians making music—any amount welcome

$$$ Where Your Dollars Go $$$

• $800 pays for postcards, posters, and programs
• $500 underwrites performing at a Chicago area school You can even pick your school
• $1500 supports the Under 30 masterclass & workshop
• $125 buys one period costume for Marriage of Figaro
• $1500 underwrites our IWD concert with works by women
• $1000 supports videography for performances to be viewed online
• $150 pays for a piano tuning
• $1400 pays for lighting
• $5000 supports Bellissima Opera’s staff
• $500 pays for sheet music and royalties
• $3000 supports venue rental costs

Please help support Bellissima Opera by making a tax-deductible donation! Note, you will be taking to the Working In Concert site. From there, you’ll be able to bookmark your donation for Bellisima Opera. https://workinginconcert.org/donate/

Bellissima’s Latest Video Releases

our summer opera 2025 will post in early 2026



Watch the complete SPEED DATING TONIGHT!

by Michael Ching, Bellissima’s 2024 Summer Opera

Watch Act 1 of Outside the Ring by David Shenton &

Christine Steyer, Bellissima’s 2024 Summer Opera

Christine Steyer and Jean-Claude Orfali premiere the official English version of Henri Betti’s song ‘The Ponds of Sologne’

Carl Ratner and Dana Brown present Erik Satie’s ‘Je te veux’

as part of a From Chicago to Paris With Love Concert

Anna Caldwell, Christine Steyer, Jules Furgal, Kelci Kosin and Jennifer McCabe, perform ‘A-Tisket, A-Tasket’ for Bellissima Opera IWD25

Guest artists Ava Logan and Elizabeth Doyle perform

‘J’ai deux amours’ for Bellissima Opera IWD25

Alison Meuth and Sarah Yoon-Mayer perform

Florence Price’s ‘Night’ for Bellissima Opera IWD24

Kimberly Jones and Jennifer McCabe perform Florence Price’s

‘Hold Fast to Dreams’ for IWD24

Our 2024-25 Highlights in Pictures



About Bellissima Opera



Bellissima Opera is an initiative of Working In Concert, a not-for-profit performing arts alliance for cabaret, opera and classical vocal arts. Working In Concert educates, advocates for, and mobilizes a network of performers, both local and global, to use the art of song to build community. Our goal is to reflect the great diversity of Chicago’s population in the artists we work with, the audiences we entertain, and the themes we embrace.



Find out more at BellissimaOpera.com