Civic Opera House (Chicago)

Civic Opera House
Auditorium, named in honor of Ardis Krainik.
Civic Opera House is located in Chicago
Civic Opera House
Civic Opera House
Location within Chicago
Civic Opera House is located in Illinois
Civic Opera House
Civic Opera House
Civic Opera House (Illinois)
Civic Opera House is located in the United States
Civic Opera House
Civic Opera House
Civic Opera House (the United States)
Address20 North Wacker Drive
Chicago, Illinois
United States
TypeOpera house
Capacity3,276 seats (formerly 3,563)
OpenedNovember 4, 1929; 95 years ago (November 4, 1929)

The Civic Opera House, also called Lyric Opera House is an opera house located at 20 North Wacker Drive in Chicago. The Civic's main performance space, named for Ardis Krainik, seats 3,563, making it the second-largest opera auditorium in North America, after the Metropolitan Opera House. Built for the Chicago Civic Opera, it has been home to the Lyric Opera of Chicago since 1954 and the Joffrey Ballet since 2021.[1][2] It is part of a complex with a 45-story office tower and two 22-story wings, known as the Civic Opera Building that opened November 4, 1929 and features Art Deco details.

West façade of the Civic Opera House
Wacker Drive façade of the Civic Opera House
Sculpture by Henry Hering
  1. ^ "Lyric Opera House history". www.lyricopera.org. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  2. ^ "Announcing the 2021–2022 Inaugural Season at Lyric Opera House and Return to Live Performances". Joffrey Ballet. May 19, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2023.