Members of Chicago's Lyric Opera Orchestra played the opening night of the company's new season despite stalled contract negotiations, observers said. The musicians voted Saturday afternoon to go ahead with the opening night performance of Puccini's Tosca even though negotiations between the Lyric Opera and the Chicago Federation of Musicians Local 10-208 are at an impasse, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. William Cernota, a cellist and the chairman of the orchestra's members committee, told the newspaper the musicians played opening night despite voting 50-7 to reject what management has called its final offer. They've engaged in regressive bargaining, said Cernota, adding that at no point did we want to jeopardize opening night.

By Sara Faiwell sfaiwell@@dailyherald.com Elementary school students in Rolling Meadows put on a grand opera performance last month.

By TOM STRINI Luncheon, lecture kick off MacDowell centennial The MacDowell Club of Milwaukee will open a year of centennial celebration events with its annual fall luncheon and lecture at 1 p.m. on Sept. 14.

By John Von Rhein, Chicago Tribune Jul. 31--The catchy tunes and high tragedy of "Carmen" have made Georges Bizet's final stage work one of the most popular operas of all time.

By John Von Rhein, Chicago Tribune Jun. 23--Construction begins this summer for two new dining facilities Lyric Opera is creating for its patrons in the Civic Opera House Building.