Having been modeled on the Concertgebouw, the Lyric was primarily used as a concert hall. By 1970, the name was changed to Baltimore Opera Company and had become firmly established at the Lyric.

She brought Beverly Sills to Baltimore for a production of Manon in 1952. In 1950, building on earlier amateur efforts, the Baltimore Opera was formally established as the Baltimore Civic Opera Company, with the famous American soprano Rosa Ponselle as its first artistic director. In the early 20th century, the Lyric Opera featured opera tenor Enrico Caruso who appeared there with the Metropolitan Opera in a performance of Flotow's Martha. and firmed up the continuity of the Metropolitan Opera's annual visits. However Kahn's purchase caused the venue's name to be changed to the Lyric Theatre. Prior to the 1909 purchase of the building on behalf of the Metropolitan Opera by Otto Kahn, Oscar Hammerstein I presented an opera season and began to make plans to remodel it by enlarging the stage area. The Grote Zaal (Great Hall) of the Concertgebouw after which the Baltimore Lyric Opera House was modeled.

Lyric opera house baltimore