Beginning with a dream of presenting world-class productions of Italian opera masterworks, conductor Emanuele Andrizzi and baritone Franco Pomponi set off in 2018 to stage this artform in Chicago. With the help of arts administrator Tim Corpus and opera director Ella Marchment, the four co-founders launched a preview event at Chicago’s historic Union League Club.

With a full festival plan in early 2020, the company was halted by the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new company diverted to a series called “12:21!”, a 12 part, monthly festival of virtual masterclasses, recitals, and interviews with notable artists such as world renowned bassist, Ferruccio Furlanetto and conductor Julia Jones. The organization reimagined its plans under the leadership of General Director Robert Massey for its inaugural season in the summer of 2021 at two of Chicago’s oldest standing opera houses, Thalia Hall and the Athenaeum Theater.

The festival launched to critical acclaim and continued to grow in its early seasons, featuring fully staged productions of Il Segreto di Susanna, Dante 700, Il Tabarro, L’inganno Felice, and Verdi’s Il Corsaro.

This period marked a significant expansion in both artistry and community impact, bringing with it partnerships with renowned performers Jonathan Tetelman, Ferrucio Furlanetto and Andrea Silvestrelli. In 2023, the OFC launched the Young and Emerging Artist Program, providing vital mentorship and performance opportunities for the next generation of singers. The organization continued to expand with the appointment of General Director, Sasha Gerritson in 2024 along with strategic partnerships with the Chicago Federation of Musicians and the Italian Cultural Institute.

By 2025, the festival had grown into a major undertaking involving over 150 cast and crew members. Programming became increasingly ambitious, ranging from the haunting productions Murder in the Cathedral by Ildebrando Pizzetti and Il Prigioniero by Luigi Dallapicola to a grand production of Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. The Young Artist Program, led by Maria Kanyova and Franco Pomponi, expanded to include 17 artists, culminating in creative initiatives like the “Delicatessen Recital” in collaboration with the Accademia Italiana della Cucina.

Opera Festival of Chicago performances have been broadcast on WFMT, WETA, and other classical radio stations across the United States and internationally. The company has received critical recognition from local, national and international media, including Opera Magazine UK, Opera News and Chicago Classical Review. Its production of Il Prigioniero by Luigi Dallapiccola was selected by the Chicago Tribune as one of the city’s best opera productions of the year.