LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO
THE BARBER OF SEVILLE The Barber of Seville ROSSINI 2019/20 SEASON
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 1
In this issue Robert Kusel
The Barber of Seville | pp. 16-32
6 WELCOME TO YOUR LYRIC 40 RYAN OPERA CENTER 8 From the General Director 42 Ryan Opera Center and the Chairman alumni around the world 10 Board of Directors 42 Program staff 12 A musical mission 43 Ryan Opera Center contributors
16 TONIGHT’S PERFORMANCE 44 THANK YOU FOR 18 Title page and cast YOUR SUPPORT 19 Synopsis 46 Production sponsors 20 Artist profiles 47 Aria Society 24 Orchestra & Chorus 59 Supporting our future— 28 Opera notes endowments at Lyric 31 A conversation with the director 60 Faces of Lyric 32 After the curtain falls 63 Gift planning 66 Corporate partnerships 34 BEYOND THE STAGE 68 Annual individual 36 Learning & creative and foundation support Rosenberg Todd engagement at Lyric 74 Commemorative gifts A musical mission | pp. 12-15 76 Artistic roster 78 Lyric staff
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Gail McGrath Tahira Merchant You can view this program Publisher & President Graphic Designer on your mobile device at Sheldon Levin performancemedia.us. Publisher & Director Joy Morawez - Josie Negron of Finance Accounting For advertising information LISA MIDDLETON A. J. Levin Willie Smith call 847-770-4620. To see Executive Editor Director of Operations Supervisor Operations our Terms and Conditions Earl Love relating to advertising ROGER PINES Rand Brichta Operations orders, visit our website at Editor Arnie Hoffman Wilfredo Silva performancemedia.us. All Account Managers Operations contents copyrighted. All MAGDA KRANCE Michael Hedge Steve Dunn rights reserved. Nothing may Associate Editor Southeast | 847-770-4643 Web & Internet be reproduced in any manner Betsy Gugick & Associates Development without written permission. Administrative Offices Southwest | 972-387-1347 © 2019 20 North Wacker Drive Manzo Media Group Suite 860 East Coas | 610-527-7047 Performance Media & Gail Chicago, Illinois 60606 McGrath & Associates, Inc. lyricopera.org is a Woman Owned Business.
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Lyric Opera of Chicago | 5 At Lyric, you’ll be amazed, replenished, and inspired with must-see, must-hear live experiences. Through the timeless power of voice, acting that brings characters to life in triumph and tragedy, the splendor of a great orchestra and chorus—coupled with theater, dance, design, and truly magical stagecraft–– Lyric is devoted to immersing audiences in worlds both familiar and unexpected, creating shared experiences that resonate long after the curtain comes down. Todd Rosenberg Todd
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 6 Welcome to your Lyric
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 7 From the General Director and the Chairman
Welcome to Lyric! We’re delighted that you’re joining us for the opening of what is sure to be a season of tremendously exciting productions and glorious music-making.
There couldn’t be a better opera to start the season than The Barber of Seville, one of the most exhilarating works in the repertoire. Barber captivates audiences all over the world thanks to its effervescent music, matched by its irresistible wit. That’s no surprise, since Gioachino Rossini is opera’s greatest musical comedian. It’s impossible to leave a performance of this opera without a smile. In every brilliant aria and ensemble Barber’s energy, virtuosity, and sparkle combine to make it the most popular and best-loved of all operatic comedies. Our renowned music director, Sir Andrew Davis, has a wonderful affinity for Rossini. He brings to this music not just his amazing gifts as a musician, but also his own irrepressible sense of humor. He’ll be conducting a marvelous cast of international stars, including four favorites of the Lyric audience: Adam Plachetka, Lawrence Brownlee, Marianne Crebassa, and Alessandro Corbelli. Director Rob Ashford and his brilliant design team approach Barber with terrific imagination, and we know the production will be a joy for everyone. It’s a very exciting time to be part of Lyric. We’re producing more new types of work than ever before. Our musical-theater productions and other Lyric-produced special events are attracting tens of thousands of new patrons, and we’re on the cusp of producing an extraordinary new Ring cycle. And, in 2020/21, we’ll be welcoming The Joffrey Ballet as they take up residency in the Lyric Opera House. We’re thrilled to have just announced the appointment of our new music director, Enrique Mazzola, who will take up the position in two years. He’ll be an outstanding successor to Sir Andrew Davis, and a real spark in Chicago’s performing-arts community. The dynamic Italian conductor is already looking forward to engaging with our entire city. Put all of these major developments together and you’ll see a company striving to become a true visionary arts leader in Chicago and throughout America. The real measure of success is how often and in how many different ways people choose to interact with Lyric. The opera house is our home, but our mission is to engage people where they are, reflecting the city and communities we serve. This means making the entire experience welcoming and engaging by looking at the performance through a variety of lenses. Our goal is to provide new ways to ensure that our audiences’ initial encounter with Lyric is so impactful and entertaining that new patrons will make Lyric a part of their lives. By focusing on building our audience of the future, while we continue to serve our current audiences, we’ll ensure that both Lyric and opera itself remain culturally relevant and artistically important for the next generation. We hope you feel the drumbeat of progress at Lyric as much as we do. Together we are all part of the Lyric story.
ANTHONY FREUD DAVID T. ORMESHER General Director, President & CEO Chairman The Women’s Board Endowed Chair
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Lyric Opera of Chicago Board of Directors
OFFICERS LIFE DIRECTORS Renée Fleming+ Olufunmilayo I. Olopade The Honorable J.B. Pritzker Edgar Foster Daniels Sonia Florian+ David T. Ormesher+ The Honorable Lori Lightfoot Richard J. Franke Anthony Freud+ William A. Osborn+ Honorary Chairs Edgar D. Jannotta Mary Patricia Gannon Matthew J. Parr of the Board George E. Johnson Ruth Ann M. Gillis+• Jane DiRenzo Pigott+ Edgar D. Jannotta Robert W. Lane Brent W. Gledhill Richard Pomeroy Co-Chair Emeritus James J. O’Connor Ethel C. Gofen Jose Luis Prado Allan B. Muchin Gordon Segal Howard L. Gottlieb+ Don M. Randel Co-Chair Emeritus Robert E. Wood II Melvin Gray Elke Rehbock+ David T. Ormesher Karen Z. Gray-Krehbiel Anne Nelson Reyes+ Chair of the Board DIRECTORS Maria C. Green William C. Richardson• Sylvia Neil Katherine A. Abelson• Dietrich M. Gross+ Brenda Robinson Chair-Elect of the Board Whitney W. Addington+ Dan Grossman Collin E. Roche Lester Crown James L. Alexander+ Elliot E. Hirsch Joseph O. Rubinelli, Jr.+ Chair of the Executive John P. Amboian Eric L. Hirschfield Richard O. Ryan Committee Paul F. Anderson J. Thomas Hurvis Shirley Welsh Ryan+ Anthony Freud Larry A. Barden Gregory K. Jones E. Scott Santi+ General Director, Julie Baskes+ Stephen A. Kaplan• Claudia M. Saran President & CEO James N. Bay• Kip Kelley II Rodd M. Schreiber Sir Andrew Davis Gilda R. Buchbinder Susan Kiphart Christine Schyvinck Vice Chair Allan E. Bulley, III Lori Ann Komisar Marsha Serlin Renée Fleming John E. Butler Fred A. Krehbiel• Brenda M. Shapiro+ Vice Chair Marion A. Cameron+ Josef Lakonishok+ Richard W. Shepro James L. Alexander David W. Carpenter James W. Mabie+ Eric S. Smith+ Vice Chair Richard W. Colburn Daniel T. Manoogian Kevin Smith Shirley Welsh Ryan Michael P. Cole Craig C. Martin+ Pam F. Szokol Vice Chair Vinay Couto Robert J. McCullen Franco Tedeschi William C. Vance Scott Cozad Blythe J. McGarvie Mark A. Thierer Vice Chair Lester Crown+ Andrew J. McKenna Cherryl T. Thomas+ Donna Van Eekeren Marsha Cruzan+ Mimi Mitchell Olivia Tyrrell Secretary Sir Andrew Davis+ Frank B. Modruson+ Donna Van Eekeren+ Ruth Ann M. Gillis Joseph Dominguez Robert S. Morrison William C. Vance+ Treasurer Gerald Dorros• Allan B. Muchin+ Roberta L. Washlow Elizabeth Hurley Ann M. Drake Linda K. Myers Miles D. White Assistant Secretary Dan Draper Jeffrey C. Neal William Mason Roberta Lane Allan Drebin Amélie Négrier-Oyarzabal General Director Assistant Treasurer Charles Droege Sylvia Neil+ Emeritus Chaz Ebert John D. Nichols• Stefan T. Edlis Kenneth R. Norgan Lois Eisen Gregory J. O’Leary James E. Fellowes Sharon F. Oberlander Matthew A. Fisher John W. Oleniczak
+ Executive Committee • National Member
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Lyric Opera of Chicago | 11 A musical mission: Lyric’s exciting programs to engage young audiences
By Margaret Kellas, Grace Coberly, and Magda Krance
Flashback to November 2018: A high-school auditorium buzzes as a thousand excited children funnel in with their teachers amidst laughter, shushes, and eager questions. Once seated, they lean forward, feet dangling, and check out the scenery onstage: a museum façade, huge paintings of dinosaurs, and a massive dino skull peeking out—a tantalizing glimpse of what’s to come over the next 40 minutes. A swirling piano melody and the appearance of a young-adult soprano costumed like a kid quiets the crowd. “Hello! I’m Rhoda, and I’m nine years old,” she sings directly to the wide-eyed audience. She needs help to find her lost fossils. With a resounding “Yes!” the students join the adventure of Rhoda and the Fossil Hunt. It’s a weekday morning at Lindblom Math and Science Academy in West Englewood, a great time and place to introduce so many CPS elementary students to Lyric’s popular Opera in the Neighborhoods program.
Lyric is committed to introducing audiences to opera, including those who are brand new to the art form, guided by a belief that opera can be relevant for everyone With programs spanning a network of Chicagoland schools, partnerships with community organizations and new artistic initiatives across Chicago, Lyric is making it happen for audiences of all ages and backgrounds. “We have cultivated a multi-faceted approach that includes commissioning new operas for children on themes that are meaningful today, creating programs that use opera as a framework for learning and individual development, and breaking down as many barriers as possible for young audiences so that they can experience opera at Lyric,” says Cayenne Harris, vice president for learning and creative engagement. “And our efforts are paying off! We've seen
significant growth in Chicago public school students Kyle Flubacker participating in Lyric programs, and increasingly more A scene from 2018’s Rhoda and the Fossil Hunt, presented through Lyric’s young people attending performances at Lyric.” Opera in the Neighborhoods program, and students eager to interact with the artists following the performance. AGES 5-12 Rhoda and the Fossil Hunt, a new opera for children by John throughout the Chicagoland area, more than 18,000 children Musto and Eric Einhorn, was Lyric’s Opera in the Neighborhoods experienced this engagingly relatable operatic adventure. Many production last season. With a weekend of public performances were only nine years old, just like the title character (played by for families and a month-long, 30-performance tour to 15 venues the youthful soprano Boya Wei).
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 12 Putting young people at the center of the story is essential to Lyric’s productions for young audiences. Our heroes, while navigating extraordinary stories, are often grounded in real, relatable situations. In 2017/18, Jason and the Argonauts followed the youthful title character on his quest to find the Golden Fleece, win back his stolen throne, and learn what it really means to be a hero. This season’s opera for young people may resonate with audience members in many ways: Earth to Kenzie centers on a fifth-grader with homework, asthma, and a big imagination. When Kenzie and her mother must move into a family shelter, Kenzie finds refuge in the world of video games alongside her avatar, Edwin. Through their virtual space adventures, young audiences will see Kenzie gain confidence and find success in the classroom. The opera is written by composer Frances Pollock and librettist Jessica Murphy Moo (who also wrote the libretto for last season’s An American Dream). To maximize accessibility, participating schools enjoy the Opera in the Neighborhoods program at a minimal cost (there is a suggested donation of $65 per classroom), with bus scholarships offered for qualifying Chicago public schools. “This experience is so valued and important to the K-5 music educators that we literally wrote attending the Opera in the Neighborhoods performances into our curriculum!” says one enthusiastic teacher. Lyric is hosting a special free dress rehearsal of Earth to
Kenzie for residents of the Chicago Housing Authority at the Rosenberg Todd Gary Comer Youth Center. Families can attend public weekend Family Day provides a wonderful look behind the scenes at Lyric. performances (Sat.-Sun., Nov. 9-10, $10-20) at Vittum Theater in Noble Square. Go to lyricopera.org/kenzie for reservations and One attendee said, “Just being inside the Lyric Opera House information. Lyric’s educational partner for this production is makes you feel grand. You are transported away from whatever Codeverse, the world's first fully interactive coding studio and Chicago neighborhood you come from. All the guests are set development platform for kids ages 6-13. on the same stage, with the same map, and the rest is up to us.” Lyric’s Elementary Opera Residency is designed for Lyric’s next Family Day is May 16, 11am—3pm ($5-$10). classrooms with students in grades 1-5. “Many Chicago schools have little to no arts programming in the curriculum,” says Todd AGE 12-18 Snead, Lyric’s director of learning programs. “Lyric's residency Once the opera-awareness seeds are planted, opportunities programs afford students in these schools an opportunity to expand to engage in Lyric’s learning and community initiatives. explore their creativity and talents.” Lyric works closely with Students can participate in Explore Opera (for grades 6-12) and professional teaching artists, many of whom have performance the High School Choir Residency (for grades 9-12), components careers outside of Lyric. Imagination is key in this 12- to 18-week in the three-program opera residency format. In four sessions, program; youngsters brainstorm, write, and eventually perform Explore Opera allows for in-depth immersion, culminating in their very own operas—often spoofs on familiar stories. Students a field trip to a Lyric mainstage performance. Said one student at Skinner Elementary School, for example, created a Harry participant, “It’s good to teach kids about opera because they Potter-inspired opera last fall, British accents and all. probably think that it is silly or not important,” and another Children ages 5-10 (plus their parents, grandparents, and chimed in, “Everyone should go to the opera at least once.” other relatives) are the focus of Family Day at Lyric, a spring The High School Choir Residency lasts a full academic Saturday full of behind-the-scenes adventure at the Lyric Opera year in weekly sessions with a Lyric professional teaching artist. House. Families explore the magnificent building, take part in arts Student participants are generally familiar with opera and have and crafts projects, and watch live demonstrations of swordplay, artistic goals on their own—and many achieve them. Senn Arts music making, and other theatrical magic by Lyric professionals. High School, a High School Choir Residency school for the past It’s enchanting to see face-painted tigers, ladybugs, and fairies three years led by teaching artist Heather Aranyi, has seen many climbing Lyric’s grand staircase for the first time, lining up to try accomplishments. Last June, students in the residency were on costumes, posing for pictures, chiming in on a sing-along, chosen to sing the National Anthem at a Cubs game to a packed and more. Family Day is a collaborative effort involving every stadium; and in August, Senn Art’s standout music student, department at Lyric, including stage performers, orchestra Deianna Jones, was selected by the Department of Cultural members, artisans, and administrative staff. Affairs and Special Events and Mayor Lori Lightfoot as a Last spring’s Family Day welcomed approximately 1,000 member of the 2019 Rising Star Honor Roll. people, 80 percent of whom were completely new to Lyric.
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 13 Kyle Flubacker
On the catwalk 74.5 feet above the stage, during a student backstage tour.
The Vocal Partnership Program brings Lyric professional High school students who have become passionate about teaching artists into performing-arts schools around the city. opera can apply to join the Youth Opera Council. YOC members Last season participants focused on The America Project, a enjoy exclusive access to Lyric Opera artists, staff, and behind-the- collection of devised pieces created in conjunction with West scenes exploration. The YOC hosts youth-focused events, like A Side Story that asked the question: What does America mean to Night at the Opera, which enables YOC members and other high you? Final presentations included a spoken performance about school students to bring friends to a mainstage performance at Hurricane Maria and a choreographed dance from Gallery 37, Lyric and to join in a lively reception beforehand. The photobooth, an Afro-Caribbean jazz performance by The Ruiz Belvis Afro- costume try-on, and YOC-curated snacks are some bonus Caribbean Jazz Collective, and additional pieces by students highlights for participating teens. from Chicago High School for Arts, The Chicago Academy YOC also lets students experience responsibility and for the Arts, and Merit School of Music. Students performed collaboration, while giving them insights into arts administration in a rehearsal room at Lyric, with several West Side Story cast with visits from members of the Lyric team. Earlier this year, members and choreographer Julio Monge cheering them general director Anthony Freud sat down for a podcast recording on and dancing along. with YOC members, who asked him everything from plans for the Performances for Students and Chicago Public School Dress upcoming season to his best impression of an American accent. Rehearsals enable thousands of students to experience the full Carson Cook joined YOC for the 2015/16 season, and is now force of a mainstage opera or musical at the Lyric Opera House— a senior at the San Francisco Conservatory, pursuing opera as at little or no cost. As one teacher noted, “It is so beneficial for all a profession. “YOC taught me to network. It was cool to be able students to have the opportunity to experience great art.” West to see all aspects of the opera house. We got to meet everyone, Side Story alone brought 6,000 students into the Ardis Krainik including the general director and the music director. We got to Theatre last spring. A total of 3,025 students attended Cendrillon, have pizza with the orchestra and go to every show. I’ve been so La bohème, and Elektra. inspired by Lyric’s ability to get new people in.” Student Backstage Tours are a perennially popular field Lyric has partnered with the Chicago Urban League to trip. Even the most reluctant or jaded kids are dazzled by the create EmpowerYouth! Igniting Creativity Through the Arts, a beauty of the Rice Grand Foyer and the Ardis Krainik Theatre. participatory arts program for students in grades 9-12 spanning They’re surprised and thrilled to walk across the stage, witness an academic year. EmpowerYouth! brings together 30 young the intricacies of wig and wardrobe fabrication, and learn people from Chicago’s south side for a hands-on exploration the tricks of weapon and prop assembly. of performing arts and the creative process. The program includes
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 14 exposure to opera at Lyric and art forms at several other cultural BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL organizations, as well as deep dives into storytelling, singing, College students can join Lyric’s NEXT program, which offers acting, and movement with the guidance of professional teaching discounted tickets ($20) to mainstage performances. NEXT nights artists. The end result of this intensive eight-month program is an often feature pre-performance receptions, where attendees can original theatrical work presented at a community venue. meet artists performing in the production. Though the program culminates in a performance, the After graduation many NEXT members join Lyric Young goal is to honor the process more than the product, to encourage Professionals, a growing group of 240 dynamic opera lovers a proactive attitude in teens, empowering them to set life between the ages of 21 and 45 dedicated to building the next goals beyond music and performance, guiding them to create generation of supporters for Lyric. LYP members can network strategies to achieve those goals. Says one recent participant, with like-minded professionals, attend unique social events, “I’m more confident, I’m able to branch out more. Once you do and learn about opera. “This program gives you a guaranteed EmpowerYouth!, they make sure you stay connected to what opera buddy,” says one member. “It’s an extracurricular for you do next. Up next, I start a six-month program at Harold adults. It fits with whatever you have in your life.” Washington [College].” Above all, EmpowerYouth! enables By providing opportunities for everyone to explore opera, Lyric students to find self-expression and explore identity in ways nourishes a growing community of audiences, budding performers, that might be impossible in their day-to-day lives. This program and passionate learners from all over the city. Accessible pricing, returns for its third year starting in October. opportunities for learning, and exploration are top priorities for Lyric, supporting our commitment to attracting new audiences and igniting creativity across Chicago. Dan Rest Rosenberg Todd
Youth Opera Council members at Lyric. College students who purchased tickets through Lyric’s NEXT program enjoy an evening at the Lyric Opera House. Dan Rest Kyle Flubacker
EmpowerYouth! brings out a wonderful enthusiasm The Lyric Young Professionals at Stars of Lyric Opera at Millennium Park and camaraderie in the participants. with Lyric’s creative consultant, Renée Fleming.
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 15 Everyone loves a good story, and when comedy, romance, and music that is both stunning and silly all come together, even better. Add in a disguised count, a damsel in distress, a possessive and preening guardian—and, of course, the original barber-fixer, Figaro—and you have a recipe for mischief and mayhem from start to finish. So, sit back, relax, and get ready to laugh as we experience The Barber of Seville.
Figaro (Nathan Gunn) is amused as Bartolo (Alessandro Corbelli) woos Rosina (Isabel Leonard): The Barber of Seville at Lyric, 2013/14 season. Robert Kusel
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 16 The Barber of Seville
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 17 The Barber of Seville (Il barbiere di Siviglia)
Gioachino Rossini Commedia in two acts in Italian Libretto by Cesare Sterbini after the play of the same name by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais
CHARACTERS IN ORDER OF VOCAL APPEARANCE Fiorello Christopher Kenney• Set Designer Scott Pask Count Almaviva Lawrence Brownlee Costume Designer Catherine Zuber Figaro Adam Plachetka Lighting Designer Howard Harrison Dr. Bartolo Alessandro Corbelli Chorus Master Michael Black Rosina Marianne Crebassa Wigmaster and Sarah Hatten Don Basilio Krzysztof Baczyk+ Makeup Designer Berta Mathilda Edge+• Assistant Director David Carl Toulson A Sergeant Eric Ferring• Stage Manager Rachel C. Henneberry Ambrogio Jon Beal Stage Band Conductor Stefano Sarzani Musical Preparation William C. Billingham Conductor Sir Andrew Davis Madeline Slettedahl• Stefano Sarzani | Oct. 18 Roger Kalia* Original Director Rob Ashford Recitative Accompanist William C. Billingham Revival Director Tara Faircloth Projected English Titles Francis Rizzo
+ Lyric debut * Solti Fellow • Current member, The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center
First performed at the Teatro Argentina, Rome, on February 20, 1816 First performed by Lyric Opera of Chicago on November 6, 1954 Todd Rosenberg Todd
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 18 SYNOPSIS Time Late 18th century | Place Seville, Spain
Act one Scene 1. Count Almaviva is in love with Dr. Bartolo’s ward, Rosina, and LYRIC OPERA decides to serenade her at dawn. Once Figaro, resourceful barber of the OF CHICAGO city of Seville, conveniently appears, the Count enlists his help in arranging Anthony Freud a meeting with Rosina, who knows him only as “Lindoro.” Bartolo tells a General Director, President & CEO servant not to admit anyone to the house but Don Basilio. Rosina’s music teacher. Before the day is over, Bartolo hopes to marry Rosina himself. Sir Andrew Davis Music Director Figaro plans to bring the Count into Bartolo’s house in disguise. Enrique Mazzola Music Director Designate Scene 2. Rosina swears that “Lindoro” will be hers. Bartolo is worried that his young man could actually be Count Almaviva. Don Basilio suggests that Renée Fleming Creative Consultant spreading a few rumors could cool Rosina’s feelings for her admirer. Figaro reveals to Rosina that Lindoro is head-over-heels in love with her. Rosina produces a note she has written to Lindoro, and Figaro leaves to deliver PRODUCTION SPONSORS it. Almaviva barges into Bartolo’s house, impersonating a drunken soldier, and is able to slip a note to Rosina. When the police appear – summoned by Bartolo – the disorderly soldier is arrested. After managing to reveal his identity to the sergeant in command, he’s immediately released, to Liz Stiffel everyone’s astonishment. Act two Allan and Elaine Muchin Bartolo suspects that the drunken soldier is an acquaintance of Count Almaviva. The Count reappears, disguised as “Don Alonso,” a music teacher substituting for the supposedly ailing Don Basilio. He produces Rosina’s Score edited by Patricia B. Brauner. Used by arrangement note to Lindoro, saying he found it at the inn where the Count is staying. with European American Music Distributors Company, U. S. He pleases Bartolo by offering to make Rosina believe the Count is deceiving and Canadian agent for Baerenreiter her. Rosina recognizes Don Alonso as Lindoro and uses her music lesson Verlag, publisher and copyright owner. to express her love for him. Figaro appears, ready to shave Bartolo. Scenery provided by Adirondack Scenic Studios and Ravenswood He takes the old man’s keys to the linen closet, using this opportunity to Studio, Inc. steal the balcony key. When Don Basilio appears, the Count signals Bartolo Costumes provided by Steppenwolf about their scheme to deceive Rosina. He makes clear that Basilio must Theatre Company Costume Shop. be disposed of immediately. Convinced by everyone that he is terribly ill, Lyric Opera of Chicago gratefully Basilio accepts a purse from Almaviva and departs. While Figaro shaves acknowledges the support of the Mr. and Mrs. William H. Redfield Bel Bartolo, Rosina and “Alonso” plan their elopement, but Bartolo finally Canto Opera Endowed Chair and realizes that he has again been tricked. the NIB Foundation Italian Opera Endowed Chair. Rosina is miserable when Bartolo shows her her own note, convincing Lyric Opera of Chicago wishes to thank her that Lindoro is plotting to give her up to the Count. She offers to marry its Official Airline, American Airlines. Bartolo, revealing her previous elopement plans. No sooner has Bartolo Projected English titles © 2001 gone after the police and the notary than Figaro and the Count appear, by Francis Rizzo. having used the stolen key. Rosina reproaches the Count, but is delighted when he reveals his true identity. Bartolo rushes in too late to stop the APPROXIMATE TIMINGS wedding. He accepts the situation and gives the couple his blessing. Act 1 1 hour, 35 minutes Intermission 30 minutes Act 2 1 hour Total 3 hours, 5 minutes
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 19 Artist profiles
ADAM PLACHETKA | FIGARO LAWRENCE BROWNLEE | Previously at Lyric: Papageno/The Magic Flute COUNT ALMAVIVA (2016/17); title role/The Marriage of Figaro Previously at Lyric: Arturo/I puritani (2017/18); (2015/16). Charlie/Charlie Parker’s Yardbird, recital with Eric Owens (both 2016/17); The Prague native made his professional Don Ramiro/La Cenerentola (2015/16). debut at his hometown’s National Theatre, where he has returned most recently as Vladislav/Smetana’s Dalibor. This season the Winner of 2017’s “Male Singer of the Year” award from both bass-baritone will star in the title role/The Marriage of Figaro the International Opera Awards and Bachtrack, the celebrated at the Vienna State Opera and the Metropolitan Opera (where American tenor this season reprises Ramiro/La Cenerentola he will alternate the role with that of Count Almaviva). Recent (Amsterdam) and Count Almaviva (Dallas), while also singing successes include Guglielmo/Così fan tutte (premiere of new his first Fernand/La favorite (Houston). Renowned for formidable Met production), Publio/La clemenza di Tito (Baden-Baden), bel canto roles, Brownlee has starred in that repertoire at the and Belcore/L’elisir d’amore (London’s Royal Opera). Since 2010 Met (I puritani, La Cenerentola, The Barber of Seville, Rinaldo, he has been a favorite at the Vienna State Opera, acclaimed in La donna del lago), Zurich (Le Comte Ory), Paris (Don Pasquale), Mozart, Handel, Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, Berlioz, and Puccini. and Munich (Semiramide), among many other venues. At Opera Plachetka’s successes also include Mozart’s Figaro at the Salzburg Philadelphia he created Charlie/Charlie Parker’s Yardbird (later and Glyndebourne festivals, and performances at La Scala, the at New York’s Apollo Theater, London’s English National Opera, Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Berlin and Lyric). Brownlee has performed with many major orchestras State Opera, and Munich’s Bavarian State Opera. Renowned including those of Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Cleveland, conductors with whom Plachetka has collaborated include Daniel New York, Berlin, Rome, and Munich. He premiered a new song Barenboim, Valéry Gergiev, Riccardo Muti, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, cycle, Cycles of My Being by composer Tyshawn Sorey and lyricist and Franz Welser-Möst. Terrance Hayes, in Philadelphia, which he repeated in Chicago and at Carnegie Hall.
MARIANNE CREBASSA | ROSINA Previously at Lyric: Dorabella/Così fan ALESSANDRO CORBELLI | tutte (2017/18); Stéphano/Romeo and Juliet DR. BARTOLO (2015/16). Previously at Lyric: Eight roles since 1986/87, most recently Don Alfonso/Così fan tutte The French mezzo-soprano will highlight (2017/18); Don Magnifico/La Cenerentola (2015/16); Mozart this season with Cherubino (Metropolitan Opera, Berlin Dr. Bartolo/The Barber of Seville (2013/14). State Opera) and Dorabella (Berlin State Opera, Vienna State Opera). Among her other recent successes have been Irene/ The Turin-born baritone has presented his acclaimed Bartolo in Handel’s Tamerlano and Rossini’s Cenerentola (La Scala, the latter many major houses (most recently Glyndebourne and San Francisco also for her return to the Opéra National de Paris), Gluck’s Orphée Opera). Later this season Corbelli will reprise his equally celebrated (Paris’s Opéra Comique), and Mélisande (Berlin State Opera). Don Magnifico/La Cenerentola (Zurich, Vienna). Other recent bel She debuted at the Salzburg Festival as Irene and returned as canto successes include Don Pasquale (Vienna, Glyndebourne, DVD), Cecilio/Lucio Silla, the title role/Marc Andre Dalbavie’s Charlotte Taddeo/L’italiana in Algeri (Salzburg), Dulcamara/L’elisir d’amore Salomon (world premiere), and Sesto/La clemenza di Tito. (Lyric, Metropolitan Opera, Madrid, Leipzig, Barcelona, San Further appearances have included Cecilio (La Scala debut) and Francisco, and Houston, among other houses), and Sulpice/La fille Cherubino (Berlin, Vienna, Amsterdam, La Scala). The mezzo- du régiment (Covent Garden, Paris, Met). Corbelli is also renowned soprano has recorded two critically praised solo discs: Oh, Boy!, as Michonnet/Adriana Lecouvreur (Berlin, London, Paris), Don a recital of arias for trouser roles, winner of the prestigious Echo Alfonso/Così fan tutte (Vienna), Falstaff (Toulouse, Glyndebourne), Klassik Award for Solo Recording (Voice); and Secrets, featuring and Gianni Schicchi (Met, Glyndebourne, Turin). In 2017 he sang songs of Debussy, Ravel, and Crebassa’s pianist on the disc, Fazil his first Melitone/La forza del destino and recently reprised the role Say, which won a Gramophone Award. in the acclaimed new production at London’s Royal Opera House. He holds the Premio Abbiati, the Italian music critics’ prize, for his Leporello at La Scala, and the similarly prestigious Rossini d’Oro for his Don Geronio at Pesaro’s Rossini Opera Festival.
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 20 KRZYSTOF BACZYK | DON BASILIO Kentucky, and Philadelphia’s Academy of Vocal Arts. Lyric debut Christopher Kenney is sponsored by an Anonymous Donor.
The Polish bass's early-career successes included The Magic Flute and Alcina (Aix- ERIC FERRING | SERGEANT en-Provence), La clemenza di Tito (Warsaw), Previously at Lyric: Lurcanio/Ariodante, and Acis and Galatea (Salzburg). In recent seasons he sang the Gastone de Letorières and Giuseppe/La Commendatore and Masetto/Don Giovanni in Stockholm; Capellio/ traviata, Young Servant/Elektra (all 2018/19). I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Melisso/Alcina, Raimondo/Lucia di Lammermoor, Masetto and Colline (all at the Zurich Opera House); The Iowa-born tenor, a second-year Ryan Opera and the Mozart Requiem (Opéra National de Lorraine). Other Center member, was a Resident Artist at Pittsburgh Opera (2016/17, successes have included his Opéra National de Paris debut (Don 2017/18), where prominent among his roles was the Protagonist/ Carlos) and subsequent roles in Iolanta and Tosca, Die Zauberflöte Douglas J. Cuomo’s Ashes and Snow (world premiere). A 2017 and Zuniga/Carmen at Polish National Opera, Rossini's Stabat apprentice at The Santa Fe Opera, Ferrring has also performed with Mater (Toulouse's Orchestre National du Capitole), Alcina (Paris's Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Wolf Trap Opera, and Seagle Music Théâtre des Champs-Elysées), The Fiery Angel (Polish National Colony. In 2017/18 he received a Sara Tucker Study Grant from the Opera, Aix-en-Provence Festival), and Masetto/Don Giovanni Richard Tucker Foundation, a Sullivan Foundation Career Grant, and (NDR Philharmonie Hannover). Most recently he debuted at third prize in the Gerda Lissner Foundation International Voice ABAO Olbe Bilbao as Colline/La bohème and made his U.S. debut Competition. This summer he participated in the Britten-Pears Young singing Rossini's Stabat Mater with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Artist Programme and the Aix-en-Provence Festival’s summer academy. Eric Ferring is sponsored by Richard O. Ryan, Richard W. Shepro MATHILDA EDGE | BERTA and Lindsay E. Roberts, and Cynthia Vahlkamp and Robert Kenyon. Lyric debut
The soprano, a first-year Ryan Opera Center SIR ANDREW DAVIS | CONDUCTOR member, returns to the Lyric stage later this Previously at Lyric: 59 operas since 1987, season in Die Walküre. An Illinois native, most recently Cendrillon, Siegfried, Idomeneo Edge has been heard at Indiana University as Butterfly, Fiordiligi, (all 2018/19) Romilda/Xerxes, and the First Lady/The Magic Flute. Most recently, she was a recipient of a prestigious Sara Tucker Study Internationally renowned as one of today’s most Grant through the Richard Tucker Music Foundation. In 2016 celebrated musicians, Sir Andrew Davis is music director and she received third place in the NATS Artist Award Competition principal conductor of Lyric Opera of Chicago and chief conductor and the Washington International Competition for Voice. Also of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. This season at Lyric he also in 2016, she won Milwaukee’s Bel Canto Chorus Regional Artist leads The Queen of Spades and the Ring cycle. The 2019/20 season Competition, subsequently singing Elijah with the BCC. A two- sees his return to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, where he time winner in the Indiana District's Metropolitan Opera National serves as interim artistic director through 2020 (among the highlights Council Auditions, she received the Georgina Joshi Fellowship will be a concert performance of Massenet’s Thaïs); Melbourne through Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. Mathilda Symphony Orchestra (Handel’s Messiah in Davis’s own orchestration, Edge is sponsored by Maurice J. and Patricia Frank. also to be heard with Washington’s National Symphony Orchestra), and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Beethoven and Tippett). Maestro Davis’s career spans more than 40 years, during which he CHRISTOPHER KENNEY | has been the musical and artistic leader at several of the world’s FIORELLO most distinguished symphonic institutions, including the BBC Previously at Lyric: Marquis d’Obigny/ Symphony Orchestra, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, and the La traviata, Master of Ceremonies/Cendrillon Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. An extensive and award- (both 2018/19). winning discography documents his artistry. Sir Andrew Davis is the John D. and Alexandra C. Nichols Music Director Endowed Chair. A Minnesota native and a second-year Ryan Opera Center member, the baritone also appears in Dead Man Walking and Madama Butterfly at Lyric this season. Kenney was recently a member of Washington STEFANO SARZANI | National Opera’s Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program (The Barber CONDUCTOR, OCT. 18 of Seville, Rachel Portman’s The Little Prince, Missy Mazzoli’s Proving Previously at Lyric: La bohème (2018/19). Up—world premiere). He was also a featured soloist in Bernstein’s Songfest with the National Symphony Orchestra. A former Santa The Italian-born conductor’s recent Fe Opera apprentice artist, Kenney is a three-time winner of the engagements include concerts in New Metropolitan Opera National Council District Auditions. The Hampshire with Symphony NH and baritone is an alumnus of Concordia College, the University of Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana (Italy). He will conduct
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 21 La Bohème at Opera Idaho in 2020 and has recently collaborated SCOTT PASK | SET DESIGNER at Central City Opera (Madama Butterfly, Billy Budd), Michigan Previously at Lyric: The Barber of Seville Opera Theater (Hansel and Gretel) and Opera Maine (The Marriage of (2013/14). Figaro). He has also conducted and collaborated with symphonic and operatic institutions such as Boise Philharmonic Orchestra, Among the American designer’s many Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, National Repertory Orchestra Broadway credits are dramas (The Pillowman – (Colorado), Orchestra Sinfonica di Sanremo (Italy), Den Jyske Opera Tony Award, The Father, The Little Foxes, Blackbird, An Act of God, A (Denmark), Opéra National de Lorraine (France), Atlanta Opera, and Steady Rain, The Coast of Utopia – Tony Award, Speed-the-Plow, Take Sarasota Opera. Sarzani is a recipient of Career Assistance Awards Me Out); musicals (The Book of Mormon – Tony Award, The Band’s in 2016, 2018, and 2019 from the Solti Foundation U.S., which also Visit, Mean Girls, Waitress, Nine, Pippin, Urinetown, Promises Promises, selected him for the Elizabeth Buccheri Opera Residency Programs Pal Joey); and comedies (It’s Only a Play, Oh, Hello!, I’ll Eat You Last). at both Lyric and Michigan Opera Theater. He is a graduate of Among Pask’s achievements in London theater are productions at Indiana University and Conservatorio G. Rossini (Pesaro). the National Theatre, Donmar Warehouse, Old Vic, and throughout the West End. His work has also been seen at the Chichester Festival Theatre, Opera North, and Edinburgh’s Lyceum Theatre. Pask has ROB ASHFORD | received multiple Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Outer Critics Circle, ORIGINAL DIRECTOR Bessie, and Henry Hewes Awards. Additional productions include Previously at Lyric: Carmen (2016/17); Peter Grimes (Metropolitan Opera) and Cirque du Soleil’s Amaluna. Carousel (2014/15); The Barber of Seville (2013/14).
The American director-choreographer, CATHERINE ZUBER | who debuted in opera with this production, subsequently directed COSTUME DESIGNER and choreographed Carmen (Houston). Among Ashford’s most Previously at Lyric: Romeo and Juliet important directing achievements are Anna Christie (London’s (2015/16); The Barber of Seville (2013/14). Donmar Warehouse—Olivier Award) and, on Broadway, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Thoroughly Modern Millie (Tony Award), How to The British-born designer’s operatic work Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Promises, Promises, includes six Metropolitan Opera productions, as well as La forza del and currently Frozen. In London, he recently directed Sir Kenneth destino (Washington), Carmen (London), Romeo and Juliet (Salzburg), Branagh in The Entertainer. His choreography has been seen at Faust (Baden-Baden), and the Ring cycle (Washington, San Francisco). City Center Encores!; in Candide (Paris, London, Milan); in NBC’s She has been equally successful on Broadway in musicals (Frozen, live productions of The Sound of Music and Peter Pan (both of War Paint, Fiddler on the Roof, Gigi, The King and I, The Bridges of which he directed); on the Tony Awards, Oscars (2009 Emmy Madison County, The Sound of Music, most recently Moulin Rouge), Award) and Kennedy Center Honors telecasts. He is directing comedy (Born Yesterday, The Royal Family, Dinner at Eight, Twelfth the film version of the musical Sunset Boulevard. Night), and drama (The Father, Oslo, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Oleanna, A Man for All Seasons, Mauritius, Doubt, Little Women, Dracula, Ivanov). She also designed the live NBC/Universal TARA FAIRCLOTH | broadcast of The Sound of Music. Zuber has won six Tony Awards, REVIVAL DIRECTOR most recently for My Fair Lady (2018). In addition, she has received Lyric directorial debut the Olivier, Lucille Lortel, Henry Hewes, Ovation, and Obie awards. Catherine Zuber is supported by the Richard P. and Susan Kiphart The American director’s work has been Costume Designer Endowed Chair. seen widely across North America. In recent seasons, Faircloth has created new productions of The Little Prince (Utah Opera), Ariadne auf Naxos (Wolf Trap Opera), Il re HOWARD HARRISON | pastore (Merola Opera), Agrippina (Ars Lyrica Houston), and LIGHTING DESIGNER L’incoronazione di Poppea (Boston Baroque). She is currently Previously at Lyric: The Barber of Seville working on two major new productions: Emmeline (Tulsa Opera) (2013/14). and Monkey (White Snake Projects). Faircloth has directed two world premieres for Houston Grand Opera’s East+West series The British lighting designer’s operatic work and has a thriving career in regional houses such as Utah Opera, has been seen at the Metropolitan Opera and the major companies Arizona Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, and Boston Baroque. The of London, Cardiff, Sydney, and Madrid. Among his credits in Baroque repertoire is of special interest to Faircloth, who made London’s West End are Mamma Mia! (also Broadway and worldwide), her directorial debut with Ars Lyrica Houston’s production of The Pajama Game, Guys and Dolls, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Mary Cain: Il primo omicidio in 2003 and has since designed and Poppins (also Broadway), The Importance of Being Earnest, Butley, directed numerous productions for that company. She is the Macbeth (also Broadway), and Glengarry Glen Ross. Harrison’s drama instructor for the Houston Grand Opera Studio, and work has been seen in City of Angels, Anna Christie, Creditors, and regularly coaches singers at Rice University. Tales from Hollywood (London’s Donmar Warehouse); Romeo and
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 22 Juliet (Royal Shakespeare Company); and at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, one of Australia’s most prominent vocal accompanists, Black Almeida Theatre, the National Theatre, Old Vic, Royal Court has regularly performed for broadcasts and recordings. He has Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre, Sheffi eld Crucible, and served as chorus master on four continents, and his work has English National Ballet. A two-time Tony Award nominee, he been recorded and/or aired on ABC, BBC, PBS, for many HD has been nominated nine times and has been twice awarded the productions in movie theaters, and on television. Michael Black Olivier Award for Best Lighting Designer. Howard Harrison is is the Howard A. Stotler Chorus Master Endowed Chair. supported by the Mary-Louise and James S. Aagaard Lighting Director Endowed Chair. SARAH HATTEN | WIGMASTER & MAKEUP DESIGNER MICHAEL BLACK | Previously at Lyric: Wigmaster and makeup CHORUS MASTER designer since 2011/12. Previously at Lyric: Chorus master since 2013/14; interim chorus master, 2011/12. Lyric’s wigmaster and makeup designer has worked in a wide repertoire at Des Moines Metro Opera The Australian chorus master held this and Michigan Opera Theatre, as well as Columbus Opera, position in Sydney at Opera Australia from 2001 to 2013. Black Toledo Opera, the Cabrillo Music Festival, and the University has served in this capacity for such distinguished organizations of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She has also as the Edinburgh International Festival, Opera Holland Park worked at the Glimmerglass Festival and the major opera (London), and, in Australia, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, companies of Los Angeles, Omaha, Cleveland, Sarasota, and the Philharmonia Choir, Motet Choir, Cantillation chamber Central City, as well as Wisconsin’s American Players Theatre choir, and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Other activities and, in Los Angeles, the Pantages Theatre and the Geffen include preparing the Damnation of Faust chorus at the Grant Playhouse. Sarah Hatten is the Marlys Beider Wigmaster Park Music Festival, where he has worked for two seasons. As and Makeup Designer Endowed Chair.
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Lyric Opera of Chicago | 23 Orchestra & Chorus
MUSIC STAFF Amy Hess Contrabassoon CHORUS MASTER William C. Billingham Melissa Trier Kirk Lewis Kirk Michael Black, Susan Miller Hult Chorus Master, Roger Kalia Cello Horn The Howard A. Stotler Keun-A Lee Calum Cook, Principal Jonathan Boen, Principal Endowed Chair Noah Lindquist Paul Dwyer, Assistant Principal Fritz Foss, Assistant Principal/ Grant Loehnig Mark Brandfonbrener Utility Horn REGULAR CHORUS Francesco Milioto William H. Cernota Robert E. Johnson, Third Horn Soprano Jerad Mosbey Laura Deming• Samuel Hamzem Elisa Billey Becker• Matthew Piatt Paula Kosower+ Neil Kimel Jillian Bonczek Stefano Sarzani Sonia Mantell Sharon Garvey Cohen Madeline Slettedahl Walter Preucil Trumpet Patricia A. Cook-Nicholson Tatiana Vassilieva William Denton, Principal Cathleen Dunn Eric Weimer Bass Channing Philbrick, Janet Marie Farr Ian Hallas, Acting Principal Assistant Principal Desirée Hassler ORCHESTRA Andrew L. W. Anderson Mike Brozick+ Rachael Holzhausen Violin I Andrew J. Keller+ Laureen Janeczek-Wysocki Robert Hanford, Concertmaster Gregory Sarchet Trombone Kimberly McCord The Mrs. R. Robert Collins R. Trier Jeremy Moeller, Principal Heidi Spoor Funderburg Endowed Chair Mark Fisher, Assistant Principal Stephani Springer Sharon Polifrone, Flute Mark Fry+ Elizabeth Anne Taylor Assistant Concertmaster Marie Tachouet, Principal Sherry Watkins Alexander Belavsky Dionne Jackson, Assistant Principal Bass Trombone Kelsea Webb Kathleen Brauer Alyce Johnson Mark Fry+ Pauli Ewing Mezzo David Hildner Piccolo Tuba Claudia A. Kerski-Nienow Laura Miller Alyce Johnson Andrew Smith, Principal Marianna Kulikova Liba Shacht Colleen Lovinello Heather Wittels Oboe Harp Yvette Smith Bing Jing Yu Judith Kulb, Principal Marguerite Lynn Williams, Principal Marie Sokolova Judith Zunamon Lewis, Maia Surace Violin II Acting Assistant Principal Timpani Corinne Wallace-Crane Yin Shen, Principal Anne Bach+ Edward Harrison, Principal Pamela Williams John Macfarlane, Assistant Principal Michelle K. Wrighte Bonita Di Bello English Horn Percussion Diane Duraffourg-Robinson Judith Zunamon Lewis Michael Green, Principal Tenor Teresa Kay Fream Douglas Waddell, Geoffrey Agpalo• Peter Labella Clarinet Assistant Principal Timothy Bradley Ann Palen Charlene Zimmerman, Principal Eric Millstein Hoss Brock Irene Radetzky Linda A. Baker, William M. Combs John D. Robinson Co-Assistant Principal Extra Musicians John J. Concepcion David Volfe Susan Warner, William C. Billingham, Kenneth Donovan Albert Wang Co-Assistant Principal harpsichord Joseph A. Fosselman Steve Roberts, guitar Cullen Gandy Viola Bass Clarinet Cameo T. Humes Carol Cook, Principal Linda A. Baker Librarian Tyler Samuel Lee Terri Van Valkinburgh, John Rosenkrans, Principal Mark Nienow Assistant Principal Bassoon Thomas L. Potter Frank W. Babbitt Preman Tilson, Principal Personnel Manager Joe Shadday Patrick Brennan Lewis Kirk, Assistant Principal and Stageband Contractor Karl Davies Hanna Sterba+ Christine Janicki
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 24 Bass Mezzo Tenor Bass Matthew Carroll Katie Ruth Bieber Humberto Borboa Mason Cooper David DuBois Amanda Runge Justin Berkowitz Thaddeus Ennen Robert Morrissey Emma Sorenson Damon Cole David Govertsen Kenneth Nichols Kevin Courtemanche Earl Hazell Thomas Sillitti Tenor Matthew Daniel Nathaniel Hill Craig Springer Jared V. Esguerra Andrew Fisher Antoine Hodge Jeffrey W. Taylor Alex Guerrero Jeremy Ayres Fisher Brian Hupp Nicholas Ward Gerald Frantzen Jonathan Kimple Ronald Watkins Bass Klaus Georg Jess Koehn Nikolas Wenzel Michael Cavalieri Jianghai Ho Dorian McCall Max Wier Kirk Greiner Garrett Johannsen De'Ron McDaniel Nicolai Janitzky Luther Lewis Caleb Morgan CORE SUPPLEMENTARY Vince Wallace Christopher T. Martin Ian Murrell CHORUS Nathan Oakes Wilbur Pauley Soprano SUPPLEMENTARY Steven Michael Patrick Douglas Peters Carla Janzen CHORUS Brett Potts Ian R. Prichard Suzanne M. Kszastowski Mezzo Joseph Quintana Dan Richardson Katelyn Lee Emily Price Ryan Townsend Strand William Roberts Hugo Vera Sean Stanton Jonathan Wilson + Season substitute • Sabbatical
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Lyric Opera of Chicago | 25 VERDI
NEW-TO-CHICAGO PRODUCTION OCTOBER 12 – 31
An innocent young lady. The man she loves. And an unethical villain who will stop at nothing in keeping them apart. It’s been more than 30 years since this sumptuous drama was on Lyric’s stage. One of Verdi’s great – but rarely performed – masterpieces, it premiered just 15 months before Rigoletto, which 2019/20 was followed by Il trovatore and La traviata. A feast of passionate music that SEASON you can’t miss in a production from Francesca Zambello with Maestro Enrique The Barber of Seville Mazzola leading the all-star cast. Luisa Miller Dead Man Walking Lyric presentation of Verdi’s Luisa Miller generously made possible by the NIB Foundation, Don Giovanni Julie and Roger Baskes, the Henry and Gilda Buchbinder Family Foundation, and Liz Stiffel, with additional support from The Nelson Cornelius Production Endowment Fund Madama Butterfl y The Queen of Spades Gotterdämmerung
The Ring Cycle 42nd Street The Three Queens starring Sonda HEGGIE/MCNALLY Radbanovsky Sir Bryn Terfel in recital Blue DEAD MAN LYRIC PREMIERE NOVEMBER 2 - 22 WALKING A New York Times best-selling book, nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. An Academy Award-nominated fi lm. And one of the most celebrated contemporary operatic works of our time, staged in nearly 60 productions on fi ve continents. This riveting story of a convicted criminal awaiting execution on Death Row and the nun, Sister Helen Prejean, who becomes his spiritual adviser is inspired by real-life events. It simply demands to be seen.
Lyric premiere of Heggie’s Dead Man Walking generously made possible by Roberta L. and Robert J. Washlow
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 26 Lyric Opera of Chicago | 27 The Barber of Seville— It makes you laugh out loud
By Roger Pines
The first time I ever laughed out loud at an opera performance was as a high-school student at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., hearing my first Barber of Seville. It was during Bartolo’s pompous aria in Act One: outraged by what he considers disrespectful behavior from his young ward Rosina, Bartolo gets so mad that all he can do is splutter the word “Sì” no fewer than 16 times. The singer made something side-splitting out of Rossini’s repetition, and the whole audience just exploded with laughter. Bartolo on that occasion was sung by a great operatic comedian, the late Andrew Foldi (some years later he became director of Lyric’s young-artist program). But it wasn’t just his acting and that of the rest of the brilliant cast that made me laugh throughout that Barber performance—it was the music itself. There’s no one like Gioachino Rossini for making an opera audience giggle and chortle. Everything about Barber’s music is simply irresistible.
Over and over, Rossini not only shows us the humor onstage— Dan Rest Ken Howard he makes sure we hear it as well. Even if you were only listening, During her aria in Act One, Rosina Count Almaviva (Lawrence and even if you didn’t have projected English translations, you’d (Isabel Leonard) finishes a letter Brownlee), confident that he will win know just from the music that Rossini wants you to laugh at this to her serenader, “Lindoro.” Rosina. Photo from the Metropolitan ridiculous, outrageously self-important character. Lyric production, 2013/14 season. Opera production, 2014/15 season. For Rossini’s entire career, he reigned as the undisputed king of Italian operatic comedy. He was already composing operas in other Rossini operas that preceded it, Barber showed that Rossini his late teens, and from the very beginning he had that unique was in a class by himself—a composer who could totally captivate vigor, dazzle, and sparkle that we hear everywhere in his music. any audience with his wicked sense of humor. It’s what makes He wasn’t even 20 years old when his first opera premiered, and Barber the most popular comic opera ever written. prior to Barber, he’d already written 15 others. But above all the As perennially popular as it is today, the opera got off to a mighty rough start at the Rome premiere in 1816. Even before the performance, a huge portion of the audience already resented Rossini. They objected that the opera was being done at all; another Barber of Seville—by composer Giovanni Paisiello—had already been a terrific success, and who wanted to see a reboot of the same story? At the actual performance, a series of unfortunate events took place, beginning with the very first scene: during Count Almaviva’s serenade, there were guffaws throughout the auditorium when the tenor, who’d been playing the guitar himself, broke a string and had to re-tune. The story also goes that a live cat showed up onstage, creating total mayhem. The audience behaved very badly throughout the performance, and everyone— especially Rossini—considered the whole evening a catastrophe in every way. But it all turned around at the second performance, and Barber has triumphed everywhere ever since. The opera is designed to provide audiences with laughs and light-hearted mischief from start to finish. There are loads of sight gags and silly situations onstage (just think of Almaviva There have probably been funnier caricatures of Rossini than any other major composer. One of the most famous images is by the celebrated pretending to be a drunken soldier, or Figaro, the barber, 19th-century French illustrator André Gill. attempting to shave the impatient Bartolo), but none of that would
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 28 be especially funny without the scampering, sparkling, gleefully irrepressibly confident young woman, determined to get what goofy and yet always gorgeous music to go with it. This opera she wants. With one little word she flips the comedic switch from requires virtuoso singing from most of the cast, and for each of sweet to fiercely sassy. After declaring that she’s gentle, respectful, the principals there’s a wonderfully witty characterization by the obedient, and loving, there comes the exclamation “Ma…” endlessly resourceful, inventive Rossini. (“But…”). Rosina then pauses before declaring—in cascades of First on the scene in Act One is Almaviva, who serenades extravagantly florid singing—that “if anyone touches me in my Rosina enchantingly. It’s a graceful, elegantly romantic moment, weak spot, I’ll be a viper and play a hundred tricks before I give with music to match. For Almaviva, the whole opening scene is all in.” That “ma” gets repeated a page or two later in the aria, and about wanting to get into Bartolo’s house so he can woo Rosina in both times it’s great fun to hear how the mezzo-soprano colors it person. His disguise as a soldier gets him inside, and that’s where to crack up her audience. Rossini reveals Almaviva the comedian. Rossini’s clever use of There’s another great moment when Figaro, Almaviva, repetition makes us laugh when the “soldier” says he’s entitled to and Rosina come together in Act Three. Rosina has just heard be given lodging at Bartolo’s house. He’s got the paper to prove from Almaviva that that the young man serenading her (who’d it, and as he repeats the words “Eccolo qua” (“Here it is”), singing identified himself to her only as poor “Lindoro”) is actually the higher and higher, poor Bartolo gets very rattled indeed. guy now standing in front of her. The two lovebirds are warbling Almaviva is back at Bartolo’s at the start of Act Two, this ecstatically together, united in one flight after another of highly time in another disguise: Don Basilio, Rosina’s music teacher, florid singing, but Figaro is there, too, itching to get them all out is apparently ill, and this is his substitute, “Don Alonso.” In of Bartolo’s house before the old man arrives with the police! As contrast to the brazen drunken soldier, we hear something totally Rosina and Almaviva’s music continues to soar, Figaro blurts little different in “Don Alonso”’s music; it’s mincing and dainty, light as interjections in a desperate effort to get them to snap out of it. dandelion fluff in a breeze. Many a tenor is apt to ham it up here, Their showy vocalism actually becomes funny, contrasting as it but all he really has to do is simply sing Rossini’s notes. does with the frustrated, impatient Figaro. That’s also true of baritones singing Figaro—there’s no need Bartolo’s big aria is loaded with the kind of pomposity that to exaggerate anything, since Rossini does it all for him. In Figaro’s can’t help but make us laugh. His housekeeper, Berta, gets her famous entrance aria, he’s proclaiming his merits as a true jack aria as well. She’s been observing Bartolo through the whole of all trades. The fun comes with his patter-singing at the end: as opera and now gives us her opinion: it can only end badly when he proclaims, “Ah, bravo, Figaro, fortunatissimo per verità” (“Ah, an old man is looking for a wife. “And yet,” she asks (as Cole bravo Figaro, truly the most fortunate of men”), Rossini has him Porter would do many years later), “what is this thing called love?” fly through the words at breakneck speed. It’s exhilarating, and And, Berta adds, “Why does it makes everyone go crazy?” She the more fun the singer has with it, the funnier it can be. finally resigns herself to becoming an old maid. Her delicious aria Later in that first scene, Figaro has his big duet with Almaviva, has a bouncy oom-pah beat to it, punctuated by high notes where, when they’re scheming to get Almaviva into Bartolo’s house. If the the more they sound like despairing wails, the funnier they are. disguised count acts drunk, Figaro cleverly explains—in a halting, A showpiece that shows us Rossini at his absolutely best, hiccup-like vocal line that mimics tipsiness—old Bartolo won't both musically and comedically, is Basilio’s aria midway through suspect he's trying to make off with Rosina. the first act. Here the wily music teacher is explaining to Bartolo The opera’s second scene introduces the lovely Rosina how to spread malicious rumors (in this case, it’s Bartolo who with an aria that reveals exactly the kind of person she is—an wants to know how he could take down Almaviva). The aria Dan Rest Dan Rest
Don Basilio (Kyle Ketelsen), in his aria “La calunnia,” explains to Dr. Almaviva (Alek Shrader) is disguised as a drunken soldier, Bartolo (Alessandro Corbelli) everything he needs to know about slander. and Figaro (Nathan Gunn) attempts to control his antics. Lyric production, 2013/14 season. Lyric production, 2013/14 season.
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 29 starts quietly, as Basilio describes slander as “un venticello” (“a little breeze”). It’s delicate music, but then, as slanders spreads, Rossini deploys one long, astonishing crescendo (he was famous for them). And then finally, as slander reaches vast proportions like “un colpo di cannone” (“the shot of a cannon”), Basilio simply explodes on a pile-driving high note. One second later he launches a torrent of frantically excited phrases as he sings of slander resembling “an earthquake, a hurricane, a universal tumult that makes the air resound.” And that’s what The Barber of Seville has created worldwide, for more than two centuries—an absolute hurricane of laughter. Enjoy!
Roger Pines, Lyric’s dramaturg, has contributed articles and reviews to Opera News, Opera, The Times (London), International
Record Review, The Opera Quarterly, and major recording Robert Kusel companies. He has appeared annually on the Metropolitan Opera In the Act Two trio, Figaro (Nathan Gunn, left) frantically urges the lovestruck broadcasts’ Opera Quiz since 2006. Rosina (Isabel Leonard) and Almaviva (Alek Shrader) to leave with him, to avoid being discovered by Bartolo. Lyric production, 2013/14 season.
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 30 A conversation with Rob Ashford
THE PREMIERE OF THIS PRODUCTION MARKED I’ve directed Shakespeare—in a way, that’s a different language YOUR EAGERLY AWAITED OPERATIC DEBUT. as well! I’m thrilled, actually, that I did Shakespeare before working HAVE YOU BEEN GOING TO OPERA MOST OF with an Italian text. The meanings are so particular, that kind of YOUR LIFE, OR ARE YOU A CONVERT? research. I found it liberating to do Macbeth. It’s been the same When I was in college in Pittsburgh, I danced in the corps de with Barber—getting to the essence of what they’re saying, what ballet at Pittsburgh Opera—that was my first taste of it. Then, the true translation is. I enjoy it, rather than feeling like it’s in the way. when I moved to New York, one of my first jobs was dancing at the Met for a year. My first show there was Hal Prince’s production HOW DID BEAUMARCHAIS’ PLAY HELP YOU? of Faust. I feel as if my operatic education happened in the Met He got it right! And Rossini based his opera on it, so it makes me canteen, sitting with other dancers and seeing everyone in costume— trust the writing and not make me want to second-guess it. Because that was where I felt I began to learn. Also, we could see anything the play is so sound and Rossini’s work on top of that is so sound, we wanted. If I was having a rehearsal and we finished early, I’d it gives you an amazing freedom because you trust the material go watch a stage rehearsal or a dress rehearsal. so much that you don’t question—you just try to bring it to life. At that time in my life it was less about the particular performances and much more about the scope. That’s what blew me away. HOW DO YOU EXPECT THE HUMOR TO EMERGE ONSTAGE? WHAT DREW YOU TO THE BARBER OF From the situation these characters find themselves in. SEVILLE AS A FIRST OPERA TO DIRECT? Anthony Freud had many interesting observations about why it HOW DID YOU AND SCOTT PASK GO ABOUT would be a good fit. It might have been the fact of comedy being CONCEIVING THE PARTICULAR ENVIRONMENT something we do a lot in musicals—understanding comic timing, OF SEVILLE—WHAT WERE YOUR PRIORITIES? the simplicity and focus of it. The focus on the stage in key moments I’ve been to Seville, and I know the Moorish influence there. was something Anthony felt I knew about from years of doing I was keen to highlight the Spanish influence more. We have musicals—the idea of being able to focus on a small moment, inside the beautiful tiles, the wrought iron, the grillwork, the gates— a big tableau. You don’t have a camera, you’ve got a whole stage it feels traditionally Spanish. that’s alive, but you have to see the moment where the boy falls in love with the girl! HOW DO YOU USE YOUR ABILITIES AS A CHOREOGRAPHER IN THIS PIECE? BARBER IS SO OFTEN PLAYED JUST FOR LAUGHS. When you have an idea for a dance and you make up some steps, HOW DO YOU BRING HUMANITY TO IT? you must put them on the dancer. And if the steps don’t suit the It’s a love story! Working with Scott Pask and Catherine Zuber, dancer, you need to change the steps. You want to make the dancer the idea was that it should be romantic. The pure passion and the shine, so it would be crazy for me to choreograph a dance where unabashed primary colors of Rosina and Count Almaviva’s love— the girl kicks only her right leg and her leg doesn’t look good kicking! or lust—for each other are what causes the comedy. People do When I direct, I have a basic idea of how everything should be, silly things when they’re in love! I hope to find the humanity in the but I have to put it on them. And if it doesn’t suit them, I need to comic characters, or at least, to take them through that doorway alter it, still getting to my point, still delivering my vision, but I’ve of reality to find their humor. got to put it on them.
DO YOU PREPARE FOR THIS THE SAME WAY WHAT’S YOUR GOAL WITH THIS PRODUCTION? YOU PREPARE TO DIRECT A MUSICAL (OTHER I’d love it if people who know this piece say, “It was fresh. THAN THE LANGUAGE BEING DIFFERENT)? It wasn’t the same 20 gags that are always done”—that would It’s all about the text—that’s the way I approach everything. If I’m be really exciting for me. going to do a play or musical, I focus in on the text, what’s on the page, not other productions, and not “We’re going to do it differently from what so-and-so did,” and try to get to the essence of it.
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 31 After the From Lyric’s curtain falls archives
Thank you for attending The Barber of Seville, one of opera’s most famous comedies. We hope you enjoyed the experience!
It’s always great to continue talking about the opera, so here are some suggested conversation starters for on the way home: ▪ What moments made you laugh out loud? Did your companion/s find the same parts funny? ▪ What melody stuck in your head as you left the theater? ▪ Figaro makes a grand entrance with “Largo al factorum”— a.k.a. the “Figaro! Figaro! Figaro!” song. Does he remind you of any movie or TV characters? ▪ Who would you cast if The Barber of Seville was turned into a movie or a TV sitcom? ▪ The music from Barber has been sampled, riffed on, and repurposed in many pieces of pop culture. Where have you heard references before? (Here’s a hint—think animated rabbit) ▪ Does the music remind you of any other musical style? ▪ In the opera, Figaro’s a character with a lower social status, yet he tends to outsmart others at almost every turn. What does this opera tell us about status and class? ▪ If you were going to direct and design your own production of Barber, what would it look like?
MORE, PLEASE Craving more about Rossini and The Barber of Seville? Lyric has lots of suggestions and resources to help you explore more about this production and its stories. Visit lyricopera.org/AfterCurtain for cast profiles and video extras, suggestions on further reading and listening, relive moments from the show, take in notes about the opera and much more. Enjoy! Nancy Sorensen
The legendary Italian mezzo-soprano Giulietta Simionato in her Rosina costume from The Barber of Seville, backstage at Lyric in 1954, the company's inaugural season.
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 32 From Lyric’s archives
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 33 Beyond the stage, and beyond the boundaries that often define opera companies, Lyric is igniting creativity across Chicago. Through innovative learning opportunities, creative exploration, and artistic creation and collaboration, Lyric, with your support, encourages students, educators, families, audiences, and Chicagoans from neighbor- hoods across the city to share their voices and embrace the power and relevance of opera as a catalyst for growth and change.
Co-Creation with community groups The Kirin-Gornick Band (pictured) is comprised of first and second generation Serbian and Croatian immigrants. They were selected as one of the participants in a Lyric program which supported amateur performers develop an original production based on the story of their community.
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 34 Beyond the stage
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 35 We are all Lyric
Some years ago, in a landscape where many performing arts organizations were scaling back their educational and community engagement programs, Lyric took a bold step and increased its commitment to innovative learning, civic engagement, and to of-our-time creative programming.
Launched under a new Lyric Unlimited brand, these initiatives And to further add clarity, the staff at Lyric who made, and will for audiences, students, teachers, community groups across the make, innovative programs relevant and successful are now part city, and families proved wildly successful and made real positive of a newly named department: Learning & Creative Engagement. difference in people’s lives, and evolved Lyric into an organization that is deeply connected with the city it is here to serve. This brand re-alignment will bring forward and integrate the full range of Lyric activities, expanding what the Lyric brand Now, as Lyric continues to invest in signature learning opportunities, means in our city and across the country—from grand opera develop new partnerships, and to increase its civic footprint and to community created performances; from chamber operas value to all Chicagoans, the Lyric Unlimited brand is being retired. that explore contemporary issues to boundary-breaking Why? Because all of its initiatives are now so integral to Lyric—so school and youth programs. central to its vision to redefine what a 21st century opera company can be to an ever more diverse range of constituents—that programs Lyric is truly leading the advancement of opera in America. that were once branded Lyric Unlimited will now be Lyric.
Teacher Professional Development Workshops | Each fall, Lyric welcomes teachers from across Chicago to free Teacher Professional Development Workshops. Through these events, high school and elementary teachers work side by side with Lyric staff and professional teaching artists to plan lessons making curricular connections and exploring strategies for bringing opera into their classrooms. In the 2018/19 season, 40,049 students participated in Lyric programs, including 15,227 Chicago public school students from a total of 102 Chicago public school districts.
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 36 Family Day | Families have more ways to participate with Lyric than ever before. From our free annual Millennium Park concert to Lyric’s exciting new tradition— Family Day! Parents and grandparents can share their love of the art form with the youngest members of their families. Lyric also produces a children’s opera each fall especially for families with children 7-12.
Message in the Music | 2017’s The Message in the Music introduced students to different types of singing including opera, jazz, gospel, hip-hop and blues, while shedding light on the rich musical history of Chicago. The Message in the Music was part of the Chicago Voices initiative spearheaded by Lyric’s creative consultant Renée Fleming.
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 37 Contributors to learning & creative engagement
Lyric is grateful to the following generous donors for their support of Lyric’s Learning & Creative Engagement initiatives.
With Major Support provided In recognition of her extraordinary gift to the Campaign for from the Nancy W. Knowles Student Excellence, Lyric named the Nancy W. Knowles Lobby in 2007. and Family Performances Fund Ms. Knowles once again made a significant gift in support Opera always played an important role in the of the Breaking New Ground Campaign to support the Nancy W. life of the late Nancy W. Knowles. Her love for Knowles Student and Family Performances Fund. Ms. Knowles the art form was nurtured by her family’s musical generously underwrote the appearance of Lyric’s world premiere traditions. “My father had hundreds and hundreds of records to Bel Canto on PBS Great Performances in 2017, and had previously play,” she fondly recalled, “so classical music was always in my home.” cosponsored several mainstage operas. In recognition of her Nancy Knowles generously invested her time, talents, and leadership outstanding generosity and enthusiasm, she received the Carol abilities to advance Lyric as a member of the Board of Directors Fox Award, Lyric’s highest honor, in 2014. Lyric will forever be and Executive Committee, and formerly as a Guild Board member. grateful for Nancy's extraordinary generosity.
Chicago Public Schools Earth to Kenzie Family Day at Lyric Deloitte Bus Scholarship Anonymous Donors (2) Bank of America The Ferguson-Yntema Family U.S. Bank Foundation Robert and Evelyn McCullen Charitable Trust Mr. and Mrs. William C. Vance Roberta L. and Robert J. Washlow General Support Elaine Frank Wintrust Community Banks Anonymous Donors (4) Jackie and James Holland Opera Residencies for Schools Drs. Walter and Anne-Marie An Anonymous Donor Blue Bruyninckx Pre-Opera Talks Robert & Isabelle Bass Allstate Insurance Company The Barker Welfare Foundation Raynette and Ned Boshell Foundation, Inc. BMO Harris Bank BNSF Railway Foundation Lloyd A. Fry Foundation Magellan Corporation Helen Brach Foundation Senior Matinee Polk Bros. Foundation Drs. Walter and Anne-Marie Envestnet Buehler Family Foundation Bruyninckx Michael and Leigh Huston Shirley and Benjamin Performances for Students Debbie K. Wright Elizabeth Khalil and Peter Gould Endowment Fund Mrs. James S. Aagaard Belytschko Lannan Foundation Paul M. Angell Family Foundation Caminos a la ópera The Jobs Initiative Chicago The Retirement Research Anonymous Donors (2) Dan J. Epstein, Judy Guitelman, Molex Foundation John and Rosemary Brown Family and the Dan J. Epstein Family MUFG Siragusa Family Foundation Foundation Foundation Estate of Nancy D. Anderson Dan J. Epstein, Judy Guitelman, Rosy and Jose Luis Prado Northern Trust Student Backstage Tours and the Dan J. Epstein Family Laurie and Michael Petersen Shirley and Benjamin Gould Foundation EmpowerYouth! Charles and M.R. Shapiro Endowment Fund Shirley and Benjamin Gould The Beaubien Family Foundation, Inc. Endowment Fund Eisen Family Foundation Rose L. Shure Charitable Trust Youth Opera Council Dan and Caroline Grossman Dan J. Epstein, Judy Guitelman, Michael Welsh and Linda Brummer Terry J. Medhurst James and Brenda Grusecki and the Dan J. Epstein Family Penelope and Robert Steiner Anne and Craig Linn Foundation NEXT Student Ticket Program John Hart and Carol Prins Fifth Third Bank Leadership Funding JPMorgan Chase & Co. Eric and Deb Hirschfield The Grainger Foundation Drs. Funmi and Sola Olopade Lauter McDougal Charitable Fund Dr. Scholl Foundation OPERA America Additional Support Segal Family Foundation Estate of Pierrette E. Sauvat Paul and Mary Anderson Mr. and Mrs. William C. Vance Tony Valukas and Cathy Beres Dr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Atkinson, Jr. Berggruen Institute The Brinson Foundation
Listing include contributors whose gifts of $5,000 and above were received by July 29, 2019.
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 38
To keep opera a must-see, must-hear experience, the art form needs outstanding artists who can convey through singing and acting the emotional range and engaging storytelling that are opera’s hallmarks. Lyric, through The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, identifies exceptionally talented emerging artists from around the world and provides them with comprehensive training and performance opportunities. On the world’s stages, the Center’s impressive roster of alumni continually proves the value of training at Lyric.
The 2019/20 Ryan Opera Center Ensemble
Soprano Tenor Mathilda Edge Mario Rojas Sponsored by Sponsored by Maurice J. and Elizabeth Patricia Frank F. Cheney Soprano Foundation Emily Pogorelc Baritone Sponsored by Christopher Sally and Michael Kenney Feder, Ms. Gay K. Sponsored by Stanek, Mr. and An Anonymous Mrs. Roger Stone Donor and Jennifer L. Baritone Stone Ricardo José Mezzo-soprano Rivera Kayleigh Decker Sponsored by Sponsored by Mrs. Myung S. The C. G. Pinnell Chung Family, Dr. Family David H. Whitney Mezzo-soprano and Dr. Juliana Kathleen Felty Chyu, Drs. Joan Sponsored by and Russ Zajtchuk Heidi Heutel Bohn, Bass-baritone Lawrence O. David Weigel Corry, Robert C. Sponsored by Lois Marks B. Siegel, Michael Contralto and Salme Harju Lauren Decker Steinberg, Sponsored by Mrs. J. W. Van An Anonymous Gorkom Donor, Susan Bass M. Miller, Thierer Anthony Reed Family Foundation Sponsored by J. Tenor Thomas Hurvis Eric Ferring Pianist Sponsored by Madeline Richard O. Ryan, Slettedahl Richard W. Shepro Sponsored by and Lindsay E. Nancy Dehmlow, Roberts, Cynthia Loretta N. Julian, Vahlkamp and Philip G. Lumpkin Todd Rosenberg Robert Kenyon Todd Rosenberg Todd
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 40 40| 41
Ryan Opera Center
Front row, left to right Mario Rojas, Kayleigh Decker, Emily Pogorelc, Christopher Kenney Back row, left to right Ricardo José Rivera, Kathleen Felty, Anthony Reed, Lauren Decker, David Weigel, Mathilda Edge, Eric Ferring, Madeline Slettedahl
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 41 Ryan Opera Center alumni around the world LAURA WILDE At Lyric this season: Freia/Das Rheingold, Sieglinde and Ortlinde/Die Walküre, Third Norn/Götterdämmerung. Pictured here in Das Rheingold, 2016/17. Recently: Title role/ Jenufa, The Santa Fe Opera; Title role/Katya Kabanova, Scottish Opera; Fiordiligi/Così fan tutte, Stuttgart Opera. Todd Rosenberg Todd
It’s hard to put into words how incredibly grateful I am for my time in the Ryan Opera Center. I remember flying to Chicago for the Final Auditions, a mezzo beginning the transition to soprano, having no idea what the outcome would be. The program took a chance on me and helped me through the tumultuous experience of switching voice types. Everyone in the company was encouraging and supportive as I worked through the change and discovered my new soprano instrument. I had the unique experience of understudying and rehearsing “in-role” for a number of weeks in operas such as Rusalka, Capriccio, and Der Rosenkavalier. These experiences helped to unlock my voice and point me in the right repertoire direction. My teachers, coaches, administrators, patrons, and colleagues made my time in the Ryan Opera Center tremendously memorable and invaluable in launching my professional career. Returning to Lyric Opera of Chicago feels like coming home, and I’m looking forward to doing so this season!
THIS SEASON Franco Pomponi Kathleen Kim Annie Rosen Carmen Hansel and Gretel Akhnaten Finnish National Korea National Metropolitan Opera Opera Opera
PROGRAM STAFF Administration Deborah Birnbaum Alessandra Visconti Artistic/Production Personnel Dan Novak Sir Andrew Davis Melissa Wittmeier Michael Christie Director, The Ryan Opera Center Matthew A. Epstein Foreign Language Ari Pelto Board Endowed Chair Renée Fleming Instruction Conductors Craig Terry Enrique Mazzola Dawn Arnold Louisa Muller Music Director Gerald Martin Moore Katie Klein Patricia Racette The Jannotta Family Louisa Muller Andrew Gordon Knox Directors Endowed Chair Patricia Racette Laurel Krabacher Donald Claxon Julia Faulkner Anne Sofie von Otter E. Loren Meeker Bill Walters Director of Vocal Studies Guest Master Artists Acting and Movement Stage Managers Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation William C. Billingham Instruction Theresa Ham Renée Fleming Alan Darling Orit Carpenter Lucy Lindquist Advisor Laurann Gilley Performance Psychology Maureen Reilly Celeste Rue Roger Pines Wardrobe Faculty Eric Weimer Guest Lecturer and Consultant Allison Burkholder Julia Faulkner Pedro Yanez Sarah Hatten W. Stephen Smith Coaching Staff Hair and Makeup Vocal Instruction Irina Feoktistova The Robert and Ellen Marks Julia Savoie Klein Vocal Studies Program Derek Matson Endowed Chair in honor Sharon Peterson of Gianna Rolandi Marina Vecci
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 42 Ryan Opera Center contributors
Lyric is grateful to the following generous donors for their contributions in support of The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, one of the world’s premier artist development programs.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE WFMT RECITAL SERIES H. Earl Hoover Foundation INSTRUCTION Julie and Roger Baskes Illinois Arts Council Erma S. Medgyesy Capt. Bernardo Iorgulescu, WORKSHOP USMC Memorial Fund GUEST MASTER ARTISTS PERFORMANCES Stephen A. Kaplan Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation Martha A. Hesse Jeanne Randall Malkin Family Foundation LAUNCHPAD GENERAL SUPPORT Jean McLaren and Sally and Michael Feder Aria Society John Nitschke Leslie Fund, Inc. $100,000 and above Helen Melchior Judith W. McCue and Patrick G. and Shirley Welsh Ryan Charles Morcom Howard M. McCue III The Elizabeth Morse Platinum Grand Benefactor Charitable Trust MASTER CLASSES to Palladium Grand Benefactor Phyllis Neiman Mrs. Thomas D. Heath $50,000 to $99,999 Margo and Michael Martha A. Hesse Estate of Kip Kelley Oberman and Family Lauter McDougal Charitable Fund Mrs. Vernon J. Pellouchoud NATIONAL AUDITIONS D. Elizabeth Price American Airlines Golden Grand Benefactor Mrs. Robert E. Sargent to Titanium Grand Benefactor The George L. Shields Foundation RENÉE FLEMING $25,000 to $49,999 Mr. and Mrs. Henry Underwood MASTER CLASS Mary Ellen Hennessy Donna Van Eekeren Foundation Julian Family Foundation Nix Lauridsen and Virginia Dan and Patty Walsh Croskery Lauridsen Debbie K. Wright RYAN OPERA CENTER Lyric Young Professionals GALA: UNPROHIBITED Ingrid Peters Benefactor to Lead Individual Sponsor Walter Family Foundation Premier Benefactor Richard O. Ryan $5,000 to $9,999 Lead Corporate Sponsor Silver Grand Benefactor Anonymous (2) Mayer Brown to Mercury Grand Benefactor Dr. and Mrs. Robert M. Arensman $10,000 to $24,999 Mrs. Sheila Dulin TRAINING PROGRAM Anonymous (2) Stephen and Mary Etherington National Endowment for the Arts Estate of Walter (Fred) Bandi The Blanny A. Haganah Family Fund Paul and Robert Barker Foundation James and Mary Houston VOICE INSTRUCTION C. Bekerman, M.D. Dr. Katherine Knight Anonymous Donor Fred L. Drucker and Hon. Jeffrey and Cynthia McCreary Robert and Isabelle Bass Rhoda Sweeney Drucker Burton X. and Sheli Rosenberg Foundation, Inc. Erika E. Erich Mr. and Mrs. Michael T. Sawyier Elizabeth F. Cheney Mr. and Mrs. Jack Forsythe Michael and Salme Harju Steinberg Foundation David S. Fox Ksenia A. and Peter Turula Mira Frohnmayer Mary Patricia Gannon Marilee and Richard Wehman and Sandra Sweet Sue and Melvin Gray Drs. Joan and Russ Zajtchuk
Listings include contributors whose gifts of $5,000 and above were received by July 29th, 2019.
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 43 With the generous support of individuals and organizations, Lyric is leading the advancement of opera in America—continually advancing artistic excellence, increasing relevance and reach for both traditional and new audiences, engaging our diverse communities through signature learning and exploration initiatives, and expanding our role as a cultural cornerstone in Chicago. You are our partners in this important shared enterprise—and we sincerely thank you.
Students await a matinee performance at Lyric. Kyle Flubacker
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 44 Thank you for your support
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 45 Production sponsors
Lyric is grateful for our 2019/20 season production sponsors
THE BARBER OF SEVILLE THE QUEEN OF SPADES Liz Stiffel Margot and Josef Lakonishok Allan and Elaine Muchin Mrs. Herbert A. Vance and Mr. and Mrs. William C. Vance
GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG LUISA MILLER Marlys A. Beider Helen and Sam Zell
THE RING CYCLE 2016-2020 Lead Sponsor: An Anonymous Donor Julie and Roger Baskes Cosponsors: Mr. & Mrs. Dietrich M. Gross Henry and Gilda Buchbinder Family Foundation Gramma Fisher Foundation of Marshalltown, Iowa Liz Stiffel Ada and Whitney Addington The Nelson Cornelius Production Endowment Fund
DEAD MAN WALKING Roberta L. and Robert J. Washlow
DON GIOVANNI Lead Sponsor: The Negaunee Foundation Howard L. Gottlieb and Barbara G. Greis Additional Support: Robin Angly Nancy and Sanfred Koltun Richard J. and Barbara Franke Mazza Foundation Prince Charitable Trusts
THREE QUEENS STARRING SONDRA 42ND STREET RADVANOVSKY Lead Sponsor: The Negaunee Foundation Ethel and William Gofen An Anonymous Donor Harris Family Foundation Donna Van Eekeren and Dale Connelly Lead Corporate Sponsor: MADAMA BUTTERFLY Sylvia Neil and Daniel Fischel Randy L. and Melvin R. Berlin Marion A. Cameron
To learn more about Lyric sponsorship opportunities, please visit lyricopera.org/support/Sponsorship-Opportunities.
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 46 Aria Society spotlight 2019/20
The Aria Society | The Aria Society is one of Lyric’s most generous donor groups. Members are recognized prominently as champions of the art form and have multiple opportunities throughout the year to engage in meaningful ways with Lyric’s leadership and main stage artists.
ABBOTT FUND Foundation is intended to honor him and his ideals. At Lyric, the Abbott and the Abbott Fund are leading Paul M. Angell Family Foundation has been a loyal supporter of corporate contributors to Lyric Opera of Lyric’s Annual Campaign and Lyric Unlimited programming, and Chicago, with a longstanding tradition has generously committed to a high level of multi-year support. of dedicated support. Over the last three decades, Abbott has generously cosponsored JULIE AND ROGER BASKES Miles D. White 25 Lyric productions, including this season’s Lyric treasures the exemplary leadership revival of The Barber of Seville. Abbott has championed Lyric’s and dedication of Julie and Roger Baskes. achievements by making a leadership commitment to the Subscribers for more than four decades, they Breaking New Ground Campaign. “Lyric is one of the treasures have generously supported Lyric’s Ryan Opera that make Chicago the world-class city that it is. We’re proud Center activities as previous cosponsors of to be associated with it,” says Miles D. White, Abbott’s Rising Stars in Concert, and currently underwrite the Ryan Opera Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and a Center Recital Series on 98.7WFMT. They have cosponsored many valued member of Lyric’s Board of Directors. productions including last season’s Elektra and this season's Luisa Miller. They also made a leadership commitment to the Breaking ADA AND WHITNEY ADDINGTON New Ground Campaign to strengthen the future of Lyric Opera of Ada and Whitney Addington are dedicated Chicago. Lyric is honored to have Julie Baskes serve on its Board Lyric subscribers and donors. They have of Directors and Executive Committee. Julie is also Chairman of contributed generously to the Annual the Production Sponsorship Committee, and is a past President of Campaign and the Breaking New Ground the Ryan Opera Center Board. Campaign, and have made a leadership gift in support of Lyric’s new Ring cycle. The Addingtons have MARLYS A. BEIDER also invested in the company’s future through their planned gift As an aficionada of Lyric for more than 30 to Lyric. Lyric is fortunate to have Dr. Whitney Addington as a years, Marlys has contributed to the Annual member of its Board of Directors and Executive Committee. Campaign and is a Bel Canto Benefactor of the planned giving Overture Society. AMERICAN AIRLINES Her planned gift commitment created the This season we celebrate 38 years of vital Marlys Beider Wigmaster and Makeup Designer Endowed Chair corporate partnership with American in memory of her late husband, Harold Beider. Marlys Beider Airlines, the Official Airline of Lyric Opera cosponsored several productions including Elektra (2012/13), of Chicago. In recognition of the company’s Parsifal (2013/14) and Tosca (2014/15), and has committed significant contribution to the Building on generous leadership gifts to cosponsor two of Lyric’s new Ring Franco Tedeschi Greatness Capital Campaign, the mezzanine cycle productions, Das Rheingold (2016/17) and this season's level of the Lyric Opera House is named the American Airlines Götterdämmerung. Mezzanine. American Airlines provides important in-kind support for Lyric’s programs and special events. Franco Tedeschi, Vice RANDY L. AND MELVIN R. BERLIN President of American Airlines, proudly Devoted fans of opera education and the arts, serves on Lyric’s Board of Directors and Randy and the late Melvin Berlin are beloved Labor Relations Committee. members of the Lyric family. “It’s part of Chicago for us. It enriches the city and the PAUL M. ANGELL FAMILY FOUNDATION community, and we like to be part of that,” The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation strives to advance society said the late Mr. Berlin. The Berlins have contributed significantly through the performing arts, conservation of the world’s oceans, to the Annual Campaign and made a leadership gift to the and alleviation of poverty. The Foundation’s namesake, Paul M. Breaking New Ground Campaign. Together they have generously Angell, founder of Newly Weds Foods, dedicated the early cosponsored many productions including last season's West Side part of his life to serving his country and performing as a member Story and this season's Madama Butterfly. of John Philip Sousa’s U.S. Navy Band during World War I. He believed in hard work, self reliance, and optimism, and the
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 47 BMO HARRIS BANK stage technology, we understood that to be a serious problem At BMO, our purpose is to "Boldly Grow that needed to be addressed. We believe in Lyric’s mission to be the Good, in business and life" by driving the best opera company in North America, and in order to be positive change for our customers, the best, we must have access to the best productions.” Lyric is employees and the communities we serve. honored to have John Butler serve on its Board of Directors and BMO is proud to support Lyric through Investment Committee. Richard Pomeroy various special projects and joined the production sponsorship family last season supporting La traviata. MARION A. CAMERON BMO is supporting Lyric’s chamber opera Blue this season. Lyric Lyric is sincerely honored to have the support is honored to have Richard “Rick” Pomeroy, Senior Managing and leadership of Marion A. Cameron. Director, BMO Family Offi ce, serve on its Board of Directors and A subscriber and donor for more than Investment Committee. “Opera is truly an inspiration. It affects 20 years, Lyric gratefully acknowledges how we see and interpret the world around us, and it’s our hope her outstanding generosity, through her that the support we provide Lyric will help increase exposure to leadership gift to the Breaking New Ground Campaign, and her such a beautiful form of many production cosponsorships, including this season’s Madama artistic expression.” Butterfl y. Ms. Cameron is the CEO of Sipi Metals Corp., which continues to support the widely popular Stars of Lyric Opera HENRY M. AND GILDA R. at Millennium Park concert. Marion Cameron is a member BUCHBINDER FAMILY of Lyric’s Board of Directors, Executive and Finance Committees, Dedicated lovers of the arts, Henry and Gilda and Chair of the Investment Committee. Buchbinder are longstanding members of the Lyric family. Committed to sustaining ELIZABETH F. CHENEY the exceptional quality of Lyric’s artistic FOUNDATION product, the Buchbinders made a leadership gift to Lyric’s Lyric remains deeply grateful for the long- Breaking New Ground Campaign to name the Henry and Gilda term generosity of the Elizabeth F. Cheney Buchbinder Family Foundation Rehearsal Room. They have also Foundation, one of Chicago’s nonprofi t been longtime generous donors to the Annual Campaign, and leaders in arts support and their multi-year are members of the production sponsorship family, cosponsoring Elizabeth F. Cheney commitment to Lyric's Ryan Opera Center. this season’s production of Luisa Miller. “I really do believe that During the 2019/20 season, the Cheney Lyric is the best opera company in the world,” is Gilda’s heartfelt Foundation is supporting the Director of Vocal Studies faculty assessment, to which Hank adds, “the productions are done so position, the singer sponsor-ship of tenor Mario Rojas, and Guest well, and stage sets are marvelous.” Lyric is honored to have Gilda Master Teacher and Artist residencies. Lyric is honored to have Buchbinder serve on its Board of Directors and the Production foundation director Allan Drebin serve on its Board of Directors Sponsorship Committee. and the Ryan Opera Center Board.
BULLEY & ANDREWS MRS. JOHN V. CROWE Founded 1891, Bulley & Andrews is Peggy and the late Jack Crowe are generous one of the Midwest’s most trusted and and passionate members of the Lyric family, accomplished construction companies. The evidenced by their major support of the fourth generation, family-owned fi rm offers Breaking New Ground Campaign and the clients a full-range of construction services Renée Fleming Initiative. Jack and Peggy Allan E. Bulley, III including general contracting, construction Crowe's signifi cant contribution to Lyric was recognized in naming management, design/build, and masonry and the Isabelle Cavagnaro Crowe Foyer on the fi fth fl oor in memory concrete restoration. Bulley & Andrews has, for many seasons, of Jack Crowe's mother. Lyric was very fortunate to have Jack Crowe supported Lyric Unlimited’s Performances for Students programs, serve as an esteemed member of the Executive Committee of and is a cosponsor of Lyric’s Ring cycle. Lyric's Board of Directors. Their beloved daughter Mimi Mitchell, Lyric is pleased to have Allan E. Bulley, past President of Women's Board, is proud to carry on the family III as a member of its Board of Directors. legacy as a newly appointed member of the Board Directors.
THE BUTLER FAMILY FOUNDATION THE CROWN FAMILY Longtime members of the Lyric family Two of Chicago’s leading philanthropists, Renée from Dubuque, Iowa, John and Alice Butler and Lester Crown, are devoted patrons of recently made a leadership gift to Lyric’s Lyric. The Crown Family is a sponsor of the Breaking New Ground Campaign’s stage Renée Fleming Initiative and made generous improvement project. John says, “When Alice gifts to Lyric’s Annual Campaign and Breaking John & Alice Butler and I heard that Lyric was unable to share Lester and New Ground Campaign. Mrs. Crown is a past productions with other houses due to our outdated and unreliable Renée Crown President of the Women’s Board. Mr. Crown
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 48 joined Lyric’s Board of Directors in 1977 and serves as Chairman ELIZABETH MORSE GENIUS of the Executive Committee. In 2004, Renée and Lester Crown CHARITABLE TRUST were recipients of the Carol Fox Award, presented in recognition One of two trusts established in memory of of their outstanding leadership and commitment to Lyric. Lyric is Elizabeth Morse Genius, daughter of 19th- also honored to have Mrs. Nancy Carrington Crown serve on its century industrialist Charles Hosmer Morse, esteemed Women’s Board. Lyric is forever indebted to The Crown the Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust is Family for their many years of dedicated service to Lyric Opera Elizabeth Morse a major, and deeply appreciated, leader among of Chicago. Genius Lyric’s contributors. Through the Trust’s support of classical fine arts, Co-Trustees Bank of America, N.A. and THE DAVEE FOUNDATION James L. Alexander seek to enrich the quality of life in Chicago, Lyric is extremely grateful to The Davee Foundation and the late especially for youth and elderly citizens. In recognition of the Ruth Dunbar and Ken M. Davee for their tremendous generosity Trust’s Building on Greatness Capital Campaign support, Lyric over the years. The Foundation’s exemplary support of Chicago- named the distinctive Opera House chimes and music library in area charities reflects the Davees’ wide-ranging interests, honor of Elizabeth Morse Genius. Along with its sister trust, The including their great love of music and the arts. Lyric is fortunate Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust, the Genius Trust has sponsored to be among the organizations benefiting from The Davee many mainstage productions. In addition to production Foundation’s enduring philanthropy, which helps secure Lyric’s sponsorship, the Trust has helped underwrite Lyric’s ongoing future for generations to come. The Davee Foundation provided efforts to diversify its various boards and preserve Lyric’s history critical preliminary support to enhance amplification and sound through support of its Archives project. Most recently, Lyric systems used in Lyric's musicals and has generously cosponsored named one of its key meeting rooms in its executive offices as the the annual musical including this season’s 42nd Street. Elizabeth Morse Genius Conference Room in order to show its grateful appreciation for the Trust’s significant gift to the Breaking STEFAN T. EDLIS AND GAEL NEESON New Ground Campaign, as well as to recognize the Trust’s Passionate patrons of the arts, Stefan Edlis commitment over many years to helping and Gael Neeson are actively involved with build the company’s core capacities and organizations in Chicago, New York, and institutional infrastructure. Aspen. Mr. Edlis and Ms. Neeson have supported and subscribed to Lyric for more WILLIAM AND ETHEL GOFEN than 30 years. They have cosponsored six mainstage operas, William and Ethel Gofen have been attending including last season’s Siegfried. Stefan and Gael also made a Lyric Opera of Chicago productions for more leadership gift to the Breaking New Ground Campaign. Lyric is than 50 years. They are generous donors to honored to have Stefan Edlis serve on its Board of Directors and Lyric’s Annual Campaign, and are members Production Sponsorship Committee. of Lyric's Production Sponsorship family, cosponsoring this season's The Three Queens starring Sondra JULIUS FRANKEL FOUNDATION Radvanovsky. They have also made a leadership gift to the Breaking A founding patron of Lyric Theatre (now New Ground Campaign. Lyric is thrilled to have Ethel Gofen as a Lyric Opera of Chicago) and a Lyric Board member of the Board of Directors and Lyric Unlimited Committee. member at the time of his death in 1982, Julius Frankel devoted his philanthropic HOWARD L. GOTTLIEB giving to making Chicago a great place to live AND BARBARA G. GREIS Julius Frankel and enjoy life. The Julius Frankel Foundation Among Lyric’s most devoted subscribers and has sustained this noble legacy under the guidance and longtime patrons, Howard Gottlieb and Barbara Greis dedication of former trustees Nelson Cornelius and John Georgas have generously supported Lyric through and current trustee BMO Harris Bank, N.A. Lyric’s audiences major contributions to the Annual Campaign have benefited greatly from the Foundation’s major grants for and the Breaking New Ground Campaign. They have cosponsored general operating support and production sponsorships. “Mr. many productions, including this season’s production of Don Giovanni. Frankel was particularly interested in making Chicago one of Mr. Gottlieb is the retired chairman of the Glenwood Investment the greatest places in the world to live and enjoy life,” Nelson Corporation and an accomplished violinist. In 2018, Mr. Gottlieb was Cornelius once said. “The foundation’s giving supports things given Lyric's highest honor, the Carol Fox Award, for his many years that enhance the reputation of Chicago; which, of course, Lyric of generous service. Lyric is honored to have him serve as an active does.” Lyric has named Mezzanine Box 25 in honor of Julius member of Lyric’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee. Frankel in grateful recognition of the Foundation’s significant gift to the Breaking New Ground Campaign. Last season, the Julius GRAMMA FISHER FOUNDATION Frankel Foundation was a generous cosponsor of Lyric's new With an unparalleled record as sponsor of almost 30 new Lyric coproduction of La bohème. productions since the 1960s, the Gramma Fisher Foundation of Marshalltown, Iowa is a cornerstone of Lyric’s legacy of world- class achievement in the arts. The Gramma Fisher Foundation
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 49 has made a leadership commitment to cosponsor this season's THE HARRIS FAMILY FOUNDATION Ring cycle. Lyric is sincerely grateful for the enduring friendship The Harris Family Foundation, represented and leadership of Christine Hunter, Howard Hunter and other by Pam Szokol and King and Caryn Harris, is members of the Fisher family. Lyric is fortunate to have two members a valued member of Lyric’s production sponsor- of the Gramma Fisher Foundation Family serving in leadership ship family, most recently cosponsoring last roles; Matthew Fisher serves on its Board of Directors and season’s Siegfried and this season’s The Three Stephanie Fisher is an esteemed member of the Women’s Board. Caryn and Queens. The Harris Family Foundation also King Harris supports the Annual Campaign, and made a KAREN Z. GRAY-KREHBIEL generous commitment to the Breaking New Ground Campaign to AND JOHN H. KREHBIEL, JR. help secure Lyric’s future. Lyric is thrilled to have Vice President of Lyric is deeply grateful for the friendship the Foundation Pam Szokol as a member of its Board of Directors and support of Karen Z. Gray-Krehbiel and and serving on its Development and Production Sponsorship John Krehbiel. Karen and John recently Committees. Lyric is also grateful for the dedicated involvement joined the production sponsor family with of Caryn Harris. Caryn is an active member of the Women’s Board their generous support of the 2016/17 season's Carmen and and has held many leadership positions, most recently as made a leadership gift to Wine Auction 2018. A devoted member Co-Chair of Opening Night/Opera Ball in 2015. of the Women’s Board since 2008, Karen served as Chair of the Opening Night Opera Ball in 2011. Karen has also served on INVESCO QQQ several committees for the Women's Board, most recently as the Invesco QQQ, represented by Dan Draper, 2016 Board of Directors’ Annual Meeting Chair. In addition, she Managing Director and Head of Global contributed a very generous gift to the Breaking New Ground Exchange Traded Funds, is proud to sponsor Campaign in support of stage renovations. The Krehbiel family the arts as a corporate partner of Lyric. They plays a prominent role in the continued success of the company, previously cosponsored the productions of and Lyric is proud to have Karen Gray-Krehbiel as a new member Dan Draper Cinderella and Romeo and Juliet (2015/16), of Lyric's Board of Directors. The Magic Flute (2016/17), Turandot (2017/18), and Cendrillon (2018/19). This season Invesco QQQ is a generous cosponsor of MR. & MRS. DIETRICH M. GROSS Madama Butterfly and the Lead Corporate Sponsor of 42nd Street. Lyric deeply appreciates the enduring Invesco QQQ global network recognizes the value in helping friendship and tremendous generosity of investors around the world, but as members of the community Dietrich and Erika Gross. Together, they in Downers Grove, "We are proud supporters have sponsored/cosponsored a total of 26 both of Lyric’s innovative programming and Lyric productions since 1987/88, including community engagement, and we laud their this year's Ring cycle. Lyric is honored to name Mezzanine Box efforts to foster a rich artist culture locally.” 20 in grateful recognition for their leadership gift to the Breaking New Ground Campaign. Dietrich Gross is an esteemed member ITW of Lyric’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee. In 2009, Lyric Opera of Chicago deeply appreciates Lyric recognized the dedicated leadership and vital involvement of the long tradition of sustaining support from Dietrich Gross by granting him the Carol Fox Award, Lyric’s most Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW). The company prestigious honor. has made vital contributions to the Annual Campaign and the Breaking New Ground JOHN R. HALLIGAN Scott Santi Campaign, and since 2002, has cosponsored CHARITABLE FUND the Opera Ball, one of Lyric’s most important traditions. ITW has John R. Halligan was a devoted subscriber cosponsored many productions, including this season’s revival and patron of Lyric for many years until of Madama Butterfly. Lyric is proud to have Chairman and CEO his death in 2001. With support from his Scott Santi on its Board of Directors and Executive Committee, Charitable Fund under the direction of the along with past ITW Chairmen and CEOs W. John R. Halligan Fund’s President, Norman J. Gantz, Mr. James Farrell, John Nichols, and the late Halligan’s philanthropic legacy continues through very generous David Speer. annual contributions to Lyric. The Halligan Fund is proud to support numerous artistic, cultural, and civic organizations which JENNER & BLOCK enhance our lifestyles, preserve our sense of history and heritage, Founded in 1914, Jenner & Block is a leading instill knowledge, and advance our appreciation of nature. The law firm with global impact and substantial fund focuses its attention on organizations based in the Chicago experience in a broad range of legal issues. and Honolulu metropolitan areas, being the communities in which The firm has long played a prominent role in Mr. Halligan resided during his lifetime. Chicago’s legal and business communities, Craig C. Martin and is consistently ranked as one of the top firms in the country. Jenner & Block has provided significant pro
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 50 bono legal expertise to Lyric, along with generous contributions to mainstage productions, including last season’s Ariodante and this the Breaking New Ground Campaign and the Annual Campaign. season's Queen of Spades. The CEO of LSV Asset Management, Lyric is fortunate to have Craig C. Martin, Partner and Chair of Josef Lakonishok is a dedicated member of Lyric’s Board of Directors, Jenner & Block’s Litigation Department, as a valued member serving on the Executive, Finance, and Investment Committees. of its Board of Directors, Nominating/Governance, and Executive Committees. NIX LAURIDSEN AND VIRGINIA CROSKERY LAURIDSEN PATRICIA A. KENNEY Nix Lauridsen and Virginia Croskery AND GREGORY J. O'LEARY Lauridsen of Des Moines, Iowa, support Pat Kenney and Greg O'Leary are longtime many initiatives at Lyric, including special subscribers and generous donors to Lyric, gifts to The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan with a particular passion for supporting Opera Center and Lyric Unlimited. This season, they continue the emerging artists of The Patrick G., and as Lead Sponsors of the Ryan Opera Center Final Auditions, Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center. Greg serves on the Ryan Opera and also cosponsor Sir Bryn Terfel in Recital, having previously Center Board on its Fundraising Committee, and Greg and Pat supported Lyric Unlimited's presentation of An American Dream have cosponsored the season-culminating Rising Stars in Concert last season. As an alumna of the Ryan Opera Center, Virginia is for seven consecutive years. Greg is a proud member of the Lyric thrilled that she and her husband Nix are able to support these Board of Directors. This season, Pat and Greg are the Mainstage incredible, emerging artists. Nix is the chairman of LGI (Lauridsen Conductor Sponsors of Enrique Mazzola, leading the production Group Inc.) and a recent inductee into the Iowa Business Hall of of Luisa Miller. Lyric is deeply grateful for their longstanding Fame. He is a relative newcomer to the opera world but loves the friendship. "We are thrilled to help Lyric and the Ryan Opera excitement of the genre. The Lauridsens are pleased to be part of Center with their mission of providing world class opera and the Lyric family and look forward to an exciting new season. training for singers, respectively. Every time we think they hit the high plateau, they ascend to another." JOHN D. AND CATHERINE T. MACARTHUR FOUNDATION NANCY AND SANFRED KOLTUN The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation supports Close members of the Lyric family as creative people, effective institutions, and influential networks longtime subscribers and generous building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world. MacArthur is supporters of the Ryan Opera Center placing a few big bets that truly significant progress is possible and Lyric Unlimited, Nancy and Sanfred on some of the world’s most pressing social challenges, including are valued members of the production over-incarceration, global climate change, nuclear risk, and sponsorship family, and cosponsor this season's production of significantly increasing financial capital for the social sector. In Don Giovanni. "In the fall of 1954, I attended Carmen, staged by addition to the MacArthur Fellows Program, the Foundation the precursor of the Lyric. That night I fell in love with Carmen, supports creativity in Chicago through its arts and culture opera, and my date. We were married shortly thereafter. Nancy grantmaking. The Foundation’s support helps create powerful and I have loved Lyric and have always supported one of the most performances and exhibitions, educate young people, and engage cherished cultural institutions of Chicago. It is our hope that our communities, while providing arts and culture organizations children, grandchildren and those beyond will be able to attend the flexibility to innovate and experiment. the Lyric and appreciate what a gem is in their midst." Lyric is very grateful for the ongoing support of the MacArthur Foundation. MR. AND MRS. FRED A. KREHBIEL Kay and Fred Krehbiel are longstanding MAZZA FOUNDATION dedicated members of the Lyric Opera family. Lyric deeply appreciates the abiding Lyric gratefully acknowledges their generous friendship and generosity of the Mazza contributions to Wine Auction, the Annual Foundation. Under the guidance of its Campaign, and the Breaking New Ground directors, Mary Jane Rubinelli, Nicholas Campaign. Kay Krehbiel is a leading and cherished member of J. Lavezzorio, Joseph O. Rubinelli, Jr., and Lyric’s Women’s Board, and Fred Krehbiel is a National Director Joan Lavezzorio Schniedwind, the Mazza of Lyric’s Board of Directors. Foundation provided major support for the Joseph O. Rubinelli, Student Matinees for many years, helping Jr., Mary Jane Lyric introduce the majesty and grandeur JOSEF AND MARGOT LAKONISHOK Rubinelli, Nicholas Devoted members of the Lyric family, Josef J. Lavezzorio, and of opera to thousands of young people each and Margot Lakonishok have subscribed Joan Lavezzorio season. Since 2005, the Mazza Foundation Schniedwind to Lyric for many seasons. They have has been part of the production sponsorship contributed to the Annual Campaign and family, most recently cosponsoring last season’s production of made a significant gift to the Breaking Elektra and this season’s Don Giovanni. New Ground Campaign. They have also cosponsored several
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 51 MCDERMOTT WILL & EMERY THE ELIZABETH MORSE McDermott Will & Emery partners with CHARITABLE TRUST leaders around the world to fuel missions, Lyric sincerely appreciates the tremendous knock down barriers and shape markets. With ongoing support of The Elizabeth Morse more than 20 locations on three continents, Charitable Trust, as well as the invaluable our team works seamlessly across practices, leadership of the Trust’s Co-Trustees Marilyn Pearson industries and geographies to deliver highly Elizabeth Morse JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and James L. effective—and often unexpected—solutions Genius Alexander. One of two trusts established in that propel success. More than 1,100 lawyers strong, we bring memory of Elizabeth Morse Genius, daughter of 19th-century our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter industrialist Charles Hosmer Morse, The Elizabeth Morse for our clients and for the people they serve. Marilyn Pearson, Charitable Trust supports non-profit organizations that reflect McDermott’s Employment Practice Group, and the values of thrift, humility, industry, self-sufficiency, and self- others at our firm, are proud to support Lyric sacrifice, such as Lyric. The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust, in its mission to enrich Chicago’s communities along with its sister trust, the Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable and art and culture. Trust, has cosponsored many mainstage productions. To show its grateful appreciation for The Trust’s generous gift to the LAUTER MCDOUGAL Breaking New Ground Campaign, as well as to recognize The CHARITABLE FUND Trust’s commitment for more than fifteen years helping build the Nancy and her late husband Alfred have company’s core capacities and institutional infrastructure, Lyric provided longstanding, vital support to the named one of its key meeting rooms Annual Campaign as well as The Patrick G. in its executive offices the Elizabeth and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, including Morse Conference Room. Fred & Nancy Rising Stars in Concert. Last season, Nancy McDougal generously gave additional support as a ALLAN AND ELAINE MUCHIN cosponsor of La traviata, Lyric Unlimited’s Chicago premiere Allan and Elaine Muchin are longtime, valued of An American Dream and the Chicago Urban League arts members of the Lyric family. Allan served immersion partnership EmpowerYouth! as President and CEO of Lyric from 2001 to 2006 and is currently Co-Chairman Emeritus THE MONUMENT TRUST (UK) of the Board of Directors and serves on the Lyric is grateful for the generosity of The Monument Trust Executive Committee. The Muchins have staunchly supported and its Chairman of trustees Stewart Grimshaw, who initiated the Annual Campaign, Operathon, and the Stars of Lyric Opera their support for the cosponsorship of Rusalka in 2013/14 and at Millennium Park concert, and have committed leadership gifts five productions since, including last season's Ariodante. The to the Building on Greatness Capital Campaign, the Campaign Monument Trust is a passionate supporter for Excellence, and the Breaking New Ground Campaign. Allan of the arts in the U.K. and U.S. and Elaine recently became members of Lyric's production sponsorship family with their cosponsorship of this season's MR. AND MRS. ROBERT Barber of Seville. Lyric is extremely grateful for Allan and Elaine S. MORRISON Muchin’s munificent friendship. Susan and Bob Morrison are devoted members of the Lyric Opera family. Both NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS are loyal subscribers and patrons who take Our support from the National Endowment for the Arts: Grants an active role in nurturing Lyric’s success. awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) have Susan Morrison is a leading member of the Women’s Board. played a leading role in the advancement of Lyric’s programming Lyric is fortunate to have Bob Morrison serve as a member and expansion of the operatic repertoire, serving the public good of its Board of Directors. The Morrisons have generously by fostering creativity and artistic excellence in America. Through supported the Opera Ball and Wine Auction as well as the production and program funding as well as a major challenge Annual Campaign for many years. They provided a substantial grant, awards from the NEA have nurtured Lyric’s world-class gift to the Breaking New Ground Campaign and supported the artistic achievements. The Endowment has funded important Renee Fleming 25th Anniversary Gala. Proud sponsors of Lyric’s artistic initiatives at Lyric such as American Horizons, Great Musical Theatre Initiative, Susan and Bob have cosponsored American Voices, and Toward the 21st Century. The NEA has many of Lyric's musicals including last season's West Side Story. provided vital support for numerous Lyric Opera premieres, “Lyric reaches patrons at every level. People are here because new productions, and revivals, they love it. They’re welcomed, embraced, and made to feel part most recently last season’s Siegfried of a family.” and this season’s Ring cycle.
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 52 THE NEGAUNEE FOUNDATION season’s production of Luisa Miller, and The founder of The Negaunee Foundation has great affection for made a major commitment to the Breaking music, the performing arts, and Mozart. These interests, combined New Ground Campaign. In addition to their with a strong admiration of Lyric, have been instrumental in magnanimous fi nancial support, Mr. and Mrs. bringing operas to Lyric’s mainstage. The Negaunee Foundation Florian and the NIB Foundation gave their has cosponsored many productions, most recently last season’s valuable collection of operatic and other productions of Idomeneo and West Side Story. This season the Sonia Florian vocal recordings to Lyric, making Lyric’s foundation is the lead sponsor of both Don Giovanni and 42nd Educational Library Collection one of the most extensive collections Street. The Negaunee Foundation has also made a generous gift of its kind in the country. Sonia Florian very generously provided to the Breaking New Ground Campaign. Lyric is very fortunate to a naming gift for the Florian Opera Bistro located on the third be among the Chicago cultural institutions benefi ting from The fl oor of the Lyric Opera House. Sonia is a vital member of Lyric’s Negaunee Foundation’s leadership and fi nancial commitment. Board of Directors, Executive Committee, and Lyric is honored to have The Negaunee Foundation’s president Production Sponsorship Committee, and was serve as a member of its Board of Directors and Audit Committee. awarded the Carol Fox Award, Lyric’s most prestigious honor, in 2015 for her outstanding SYLVIA NEIL AND DANIEL FISCHEL commitment to the company. Sylvia and Dan have been loyal Lyric Opera of Chicago subscribers and donors for JOHN D. AND ALEXANDRA many years, and have cosponsored several C. NICHOLS mainstage opera productions, including last Longtime enthusiasts of arts and culture in season’s Elektra and this season’s Madama Chicago, John D. and Alexandra C. Nichols Butterfl y. They made a generous gift to the Breaking New have steadfastly supported the Annual Ground Campaign to help secure Lyric’s future. “It has been very Campaign, and are generous sponsors of the enjoyable to become part of the Lyric family and to give back Renée Fleming Initiative. Lyric is extremely grateful for John and to a place that has given us so much pleasure. There have been Alexandra Nichols’ signifi cant leadership contributions to both many moments for both Dan and me when we have said, tonight the Campaign for Excellence and the Breaking New Ground is incredible, it is one of the memorable performances of our Campaign, establishing the John D. and Alexandra C. Nichols lifetime. Lyric Opera of Chicago is an international star and it is Grand Staircase. They have also provided a generous gift endowing evidenced by the people who choose to be involved here.” Lyric Lyric's Music Director position, the John D. and Alexandra C. Nichols is honored to have Sylvia Neil serve on its Board of Directors, Endowed Chair, currently held by Sir Andrew Davis. Retired Executive, Production Sponsorship, and Lyric Unlimited Chairman and CEO of Illinois Tool Works and Retired Vice Committees. Sylvia also serves as the Chair of the Development Chairman and CEO of The Marmon Group, Inc., John Nichols is Committee and is Lyric's Chair-Elect. also a dedicated National Director of Lyric’s Board of Directors. “Our involvement with the opera company is a deeply rewarding THE NERENBERG FOUNDATION experience for both of us,” John said. In 2019, John and Alexandra During their lifetimes, Jerry and Elaine Nichols were bestowed Lyric's highest honor, the Carol Fox Nerenberg were passionate supporters Award, in recognition of their leadership and dedication to Lyric. of Lyric and subscribed for more than 30 years. They were especially supportive of NORTHERN TRUST The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera A leading global fi nancial services provider, Northern Trust has Jerry and Elaine Center and loved to watch these young artists enjoyed a long-standing and signifi cant relationship with Lyric. Nerenberg perform and grow at Lyric Opera of Chicago. Based in Chicago, the fi rm has played a major role supporting Jerry Nerenberg and his wife Elaine passed away in 2005 and the Annual Campaign and Lyric Unlimited. Northern Trust also 2007, respectively. In their wills, they established The Jerome provides vital leadership contributions to Lyric as presenting and Elaine Nerenberg Foundation, which was funded to make sponsor of the triennial Wine Auction since 2000, and as generous annual grants to Lyric for many years to come. Lyric is cosponsor of the Opera Ball (annually since 1998). In addition, very appreciative of the Nerenbergs’ thoughtfulness Northern Trust has cosponsored several mainstage productions and generosity in creating this planned gift. including last season’s West Side Story. Lyric is honored to have William A. Osborn, Northern Trust’s retired chairman and CEO, NIB FOUNDATION serve as a member of Lyric’s Board of Directors and Executive Founding owners/managers of former radio station WNIB, Sonia Committee. “Being a good corporate citizen is very important," and the late William Florian established the NIB Foundation to extend William Osborn once said. "It allows us to do our part to help their support to many worthwhile arts and environmental causes. keep the City of Chicago strong and Sonia is a devoted member of the Lyric family, having subscribed viable and, in the end, this is benefi cial to Lyric for more than four decades. The NIB Foundation continues to everyone.” to cosponsor many mainstage productions including this
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 53 MR. AND MRS. DAVID T. ORMESHER J. CHRISTOPHER Lyric is sincerely grateful for the devotion of AND ANNE N. REYES David and Sheila Ormesher. David is founder Anne and Chris Reyes are prominent members and CEO of closerlook, inc., a Chicago- of the Lyric family. A past President of Lyric’s based digital marketing agency serving the Women’s Board, Anne also serves on Lyric’s pharmaceutical industry. closerlook has given Board of Directors, Executive and Lyric generously to Lyric for many years, sponsoring Fantasy of the Unlimited Committees; Chris is an esteemed past member of the Opera from 2009 to 2014 and Stars of Lyric Opera at Millennium Board of Directors. Together they have made important contributions Park concert as the lead sponsor for eight consecutive years. Lyric to Lyric as cosponsors of several mainstage productions, including is proud to have David T. Ormesher serving as its Chairman of the the 2017/18 season’s Jesus Christ Superstar. They have staunchly Board of Directors, on the Executive Committee, and on all sub- supported the Wine Auction and are major supporters of the Annual committees of the Board. Campaign, Breaking New Ground Campaign, and Lyric Unlimited.
MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM A. OSBORN PATRICK G. RYAN AND Bill and Cathy Osborn are devoted members SHIRLEY WELSH RYAN of the Lyric Opera family. They have Lyric cherishes the enduring friendship and subscribed to Lyric for over two decades dedication of Patrick G. and Shirley Welsh and enjoy participating in special events Ryan. Since 1966 when they first subscribed to such as Opening Night/Opera Ball and Lyric as newlyweds, they have shared their Wine Auction. The Osborns have generously contributed to the leadership, talents, vision, and resources to advance Lyric’s mission. Annual Campaign and the Breaking New Ground Campaign. Over the past four decades, the Ryans have contributed generously Cathy Osborn, a valued member of Lyric’s Women’s Board, was to the Annual Campaign, Wine Auctions (which Mrs. Ryan initiated Co-Chairman of Lyric’s highly successful Wine Auction 2009, in 1988), and the Breaking New Ground Campaign in support of and Chairman of Opera Ball 2013. William A. Osborn, Northern the Innovation Initiative. In recognition of his leadership role in the Trust’s Retired Chairman and CEO, is a member of Lyric’s Board of Building on Greatness Capital Campaign, Pat Ryan was a recipient Directors and Executive Committee. of the 1994 Carol Fox Award. For many seasons, they have sponsored Lyric Opera Commentaries, underwriting this special PRINCE CHARITABLE TRUSTS project to honor the memory of their parents. The Ryans are The Prince Charitable Trusts support a broad array of programs sponsors of the Renée Fleming Initiative and Lyric’s premier artist in Chicago, Washington, DC, and Rhode Island, and Lyric is development program was renamed The Patrick G. and Shirley fortunate to be among the beneficiaries of the generosity of the W. Ryan Opera Center in recognition of their extraordinary gift to Trusts’ Chicago and Washington, DC branches. Lyric’s esteemed the Campaign for Excellence. Pat and Shirley serve as Honorary Women’s Board includes Diana Prince and Meredith Wood-Prince Co-Chairs of the Ryan Opera Center Board. A Vice President and a as members. The Trusts provided principal support for Lyric’s member of the Executive, Nominating/Governance, Development, world premiere of Bel Canto through their award of the 2013 and Lyric Labs Committees of Lyric’s Board of Directors and a Prince Prize for Commissioning Original Work to composer Jimmy distinguished former President of the Women’s Board, Shirley López, as well as sponsoring the summer Welsh Ryan was awarded the 2007 Carol Fox Award, Lyric’s most 2014 workshop presentation of the piece. prestigious honor, in recognition of her many years of devoted This season, in addition to ongoing general service to the company. operations funding, The Trusts are generously supporting Lyric's new production of Wagner's RICHARD O. RYAN Ring cycle. Lyric is deeply grateful for Richard's passionate support of The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan PRITZKER FOUNDATION Opera Center, Lyric's premier artist-development The Pritzker Foundation is a leading supporter program, through singer cosponsorship of arts and education philanthropies in and last season's Unprohibited fundraiser Chicago. Lyric Opera of Chicago is truly at the Casino Club. An ardent opera lover, Richard has been grateful for the Pritzker Foundation’s a Lyric subscriber for more than 45 years. He recently made a generous support of the Breaking New generous leadership commitment to Lyric's Breaking New Ground Mr. and Mrs. Jay A. Ground Campaign to underwrite the Pritzker Campaign for the stage improvement project. Richard proudly Pritzker Family Concert Shell, designed by renowned serves as a member of the Ryan Opera Center Board, and is a Chicago architect Jeanne Gang and Studio Gang architects. Lyric new member of the Lyric Board of Directors. is honored to have Life Member Mrs. Jay A. Pritzker and M. K. Pritzker serve on its esteemed Women’s Board.
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 54 DR. SCHOLL FOUNDATION LIZ STIFFEL Since 1983, the Dr. Scholl Foundation’s A passionate devotee of opera and loyal commitment to children, families and subscriber at Lyric, Liz is a prominent educational enrichment through the arts has member of Lyric’s Women’s Board and a led it to provide essential support for one of longstanding member of the Guild Board Lyric’s most popular cultural engagement of Directors. She has cosponsored many Jack and opportunities available to young Chicagoans, mainstage productions, most recently last season’s La bohème, Catherine Scholl the Student Matinees. Each year, these widely and she was the lead sponsor of the Renée Fleming 25th accessible performances at Lyric reach audiences of junior high Anniversary Concert & Gala. This season, she cosponsored Barber and high school students, many of whom are experiencing opera of Seville and Luisa Miller. Lyric has named Mezzanine Box 1 in for the first time. Lyric Opera of Chicago is deeply grateful to the recognition of her significant gift to the Breaking New Ground Dr. Scholl Foundation for its very generous ongoing support of Campaign. Liz Stiffel was awarded the 2017 Carol Fox Award, Student Matinees/Performances for Students, commemorating Lyric’s most prestigious honor, in recognition of her continuing Catherine A. and Jack E. Scholl, who championed cultural and dedication to Lyric. “I believe that Lyric and all art forms are institutional education. beacons of light that shine as examples of the best that mankind has to offer to our children, our nation, and ourselves.” SHURE CHARITABLE TRUST Rose and Sydney Shure gave generously DONNA VAN EEKEREN throughout their lifetimes to organizations FOUNDATION that brought them joy. Upon her death in Donna Van Eekeren is a devoted opera fan, 2016, Rose left bequests to several charitable Lyric subscriber, and generous supporter organizations, including Lyric. In addition, of the Ryan Opera Center. She enjoys Rose and Lyric is grateful to receive continued support encouraging talented young artists as Sydney Shure from the Shure Charitable Trust created Donna Van Eekeren Lead Sponsor of Rising Stars in Concert under the Will of Sidney N. Shure who passed away in 1995. and Exclusive Sponsor of its radio rebroadcast on 98.7WFMT. "She truly loved Lyric; it was one of her most revered charities," Reflecting her passion for introducing young people to opera, her niece Barbara Levie says. "They had four subscription seats the Donna Van Eekeren Foundation has supported Lyric’s for every opera, and even after my uncle died, my aunt would Performances for Students, NEXT discount tickets for college invite three people to go with her and take them to dinner in the students, and Opera in the Neighborhoods. The Donna Van Graham Room before the opera." To honor them, the Trust named Eekeren Foundation has cosponsored several mainstage the Shures’ four subscription seats on the main floor of the Ardis productions including last season’s production of La traviata Krainik Theatre with plaques reading, "In Loving Memory of Rose and this season's 42nd Street. Donna also made a leadership gift L. and Sidney N. Shure." to the Breaking New Ground Campaign to help secure Lyric’s future. Donna Van Eekeren is a valued member of Lyric’s Board of SHURE INCORPORATED Directors, serving as Secretary of the Board, on the Executive and Founded in 1925, Shure Incorporated is Finance Committees, and on the Ryan Opera Center Board. widely acknowledged as the world's leading manufacturer of microphones and audio MRS. HERBERT A. VANCE AND MR. electronics. Over the years, the company AND MRS. WILLIAM C. VANCE has designed and produced many high- Lyric Opera appreciates the generosity and Christine Schyvinck quality professional and consumer audio leadership of the Vance Family. The Vances products that have become legendary for performance, reliability, have sponsored/cosponsored several Lyric and value. Shure’s diverse product line includes world-class premieres and new productions, including wired microphones, wireless microphone systems, in-ear Carol and WIlliam this season's Queen of Spades. Mr. and Mrs. personal monitoring systems, conferencing and discussion Vance William C. Vance are generous sponsors of systems, networked audio systems, award-winning earphones the Renée Fleming Initiative. Mr. Vance is Vice President and an and headphones, and top-rated phonograph cartridges. Today, esteemed member of Lyric’s Board of Directors and Executive Shure products are the first choice whenever audio performance Committee. He also serves as a life member of the Ryan Opera is a top priority. Lyric is honored to have partnered with Shure Center Board, of which he is a past President. Bill Vance was Incorporated for many years and is grateful to have Christine awarded the 2016 Carol Fox Award, Lyric’s most prestigious honor. Schyvinck, President and CEO of Shure Incorporated, on its Board of Directors. Shure Incorporated generously provided major in- kind audio support for Lyric's annual spring musical, including this season's 42nd Street.
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 55 ROBERTA L. AND ROBERT J. HELEN AND SAM ZELL WASHLOW Helen and Sam Zell are passionate Roberta and Bob Washlow are cherished supporters of Chicago’s vibrant cultural members of the Lyric family. For more than scene. They are longtime subscribers of four decades, they have enjoyed attending Lyric and have contributed to the Annual Lyric performances and special events, and Campaign for many years. Helen and Sam have generously supported the Annual Campaign. Since 1986, have cosponsored several new productions, most recently all four the Port, Washlow, and Errant families together have sponsored installments of Lyric’s new Ring cycle, including this season's more than 20 Lyric productions. The Washlows made a generous Götterdämmerung. commitment to the Breaking New Ground Campaign to support Lyric Unlimited activities. Roberta and Bob have annually ANN ZIFF remained valued members of the production sponsorship family, Ann Ziff is one of the country’s leading arts and generously cosponsor this season’s production of Dead Man supporters, serving as Chairman of the Walking, their twelfth opera cosponsorship, continuing a beloved Metropolitan Opera, Vice Chair of Lincoln family tradition. Lyric is honored to have Roberta Washlow as an Center for the Performing Arts, and a esteemed member of its Board of Directors and Lyric Unlimited member of the board of the Los Angeles Committee. “Opera has always touched me,” Roberta once Opera and Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Previously said. “I love the drama, passion, music, and excitement of a live at Lyric, Ann sponsored Dmitri Hvorostovsky in Recital, and performance at Lyric. Nothing can replace it, and I hope this in honor of her close friendship with Renée Fleming, Ms. Ziff beautiful art form will continue for generations.” co-sponsored her Lyric appearances in concert with Dmitri Hvorostovsky in 2012 and Jonas Kaufmann in 2014. Last season, she was a Platinum Sponsor of the Renée Fleming 25th Anniversary Concert & Gala. Lyric is a grateful benefi ciary of Ann Ziff’s munifi cent generosity and friendship.
Drink and dine at Lyric
Make your outing even more delicious with some of Lyric’s on-site dining and refreshment options.
Cheers! Champagne bar Florian Opera Bistro Sarah and Peer Pedersen Room
The William B. and Catherine Graham Room Rosenberg Todd
To learn more about enhancing your visit: lyricopera.org/dining.
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 56 Lyric Opera of Chicago | 57 To donate: Visit lyricopera.org/donate Text LYRIC to 41444 Email membership@ lyricopera.org Call 312.827.3500
Opera is... Fun! Support music that moves you. Todd Rosenberg Todd
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 58 Supporting our future— endowments at Lyric
As a perpetual fund, annually distributing a designated portion of earnings and investment income, endowments provide a steady source of funding so Lyric can be a leader in the opera world— now and into the future.
LYRIC ENDOWED CHAIRS LYRIC ENDOWMENT FUNDS Supports Established by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Endowment Chorus Master Howard A. Stotler Sarah and A. Watson Armour III Endowment Concertmaster Mrs. R. Robert Funderburg, Shirley and Benjamin Gould Endowment in honor of Sally Funderburg Costume Designer Richard P. and Susan Kiphart RYAN OPERA CENTER ENDOWMENT FUNDS General Director The Women’s Board, Robert and Ellen Marks Ryan Opera Center in loving memory Vocal Studies Program+ of Ardis Krainik Boyd Edmonston & Edward Warro Endowment+ Lighting Director Mary-Louise and James S. Dr. C. Bekerman Endowment+ Aagaard, in honor Drs. Joan and Russ Zajtchuk Endowment+ of Duane Schuler James K. Genden and Alma Koppedraijer Endowment+ Music Director John D. and Alexandra C. Joanne Silver Endowment+ Nichols Lois B. Siegel Endowment+ Production and Technical Director+ Allan and Elaine Muchin Thomas Doran Endowment+ Wigmaster and Makeup Designer+ Marlys Beider, in loving memory of Harold Beider Ryan Opera Center Music Director Edgar D. Jannotta Family LEARNING AND CREATIVE ENGAGEMENT Ryan Opera Center Director Multiple donors ENDOWMENT FUNDS Katherine A. Abelson Education Endowment The Chapters’ Education Endowment, in memory of Alfred Glasser LYRIC PRODUCTION ENDOWMENT FUNDS George F. and Linda L. Brusky Youth Education Endowment Supports Established by James K. Genden and Alma Koppedraijer Endowment+ American Operas+ Robert and Ellen Marks Dr. C. Bekerman Endowment* Baroque Operas Anonymous Bel Canto Operas+ Mr. and Mrs. William H. This list includes endowments that have received partial Redfi eld funding and endowments that will be funded with a future French Operas W. James and Maxine P. commitment—to learn more about contributing to an existing Farrell endowment or establishing your own endowment please German Operas+ Irma Parker contact Lyric’s Gift Planning Offi ce at 312.827.5654 Italian Operas NIB Foundation or email [email protected]. Mozart Operas Regenstein Foundation, in honor of Ruth Regenstein Puccini Operas+ Mary Patricia Gannon Verdi Operas Guild Board Wagner Operas Anonymous
+ Future Planned Gift
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 59 Faces of Lyric Robert Kusel Kyle Flubacker
Mr. and Mrs. Lester Crown Mr. and Mrs. Patrick G. Ryan Opening Night Opera Ball 2018 Opening Night Opera Ball 2018 Robert Kusel Jaclyn Simpson Dan Rest
Greg and Mamie Case Mr. and Mrs. E. Scott Santi Liz Stiffel with Danielle de Niese Opening Night Opera Ball 2018 Opening Night Opera Ball 2018 Opening Night Opera Ball 2018
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 60 Kyle Flubacker Dan Rest
Howard L. Gottlieb and Barbara G. Greis Women’s Board Co-Chairs Mrs. Alejandro Silva and Erica L. Sandner Opening Night Opera Ball 2018 Opening Night Opera Ball 2018 Dan Rest Kyle Flubacker
Scott Marr, Wardrobe, wigs, make-up director Donelle De Niese Vita Tzykon, Set, costume, designer ChiArts students Dan Rest Rosenberg Todd Kyle Flubacker
Pam Williams, Mezzo | Vince Wallace, Bass Guests enjoying Stars of Lyric at Millennium Park Donelle De Niese Lyric Opera Chorus ChiArts students
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 61 “With 100 years of Lyric attendance between us, we have indelible memories of brilliant voices, moving dramas, and stagecraft of the highest order. Because it has so enriched our lives, the future of opera matters to us. That's why we've named Lyric in our wills.
George Paterson & Allen Frantzen
PASSION... Pass it on. The Overture Society
To learn more about The Overture Society and leaving a lasting legacy at Lyric please contact Mike Biver, Director of Gift Plannnig [email protected] | 312-827-5655 Kyle Flubacker
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 62 Gift planning at Lyric
The Overture Society | This group consists of dedicated supporters who have designated a special gift, through bequests, trusts or other planned giving arrangements, to benefit Lyric into the future. Lyric is honored to acknowledge these members of the Overture Society and the other additional levels of support provided by many of its members.
ARIA BENEFACTORS La and Philip Engel SOCIETY MEMBERS Mr. and Mrs. William S. Dillon Lyric deeply appreciates the Mr. and Mrs. James D. Ericson Anonymous (48) Catherine R. DiNapoli extraordinary support of the following Marilyn D. Ezri, M.D. Valerie and Joseph Abel Dr. and Mrs. Bernard J. Dobroski individuals who have made significant Dr. and Mrs. Paul Y Feng Carol Abrioux Thomas M. Dolan leadership gifts and who comprise Jack M. and Marsha S. Firestone Ginny Alberts-Johnson Mary Louise Duhamel the Aria Benefactors of The Overture Amanda and Matthew Fox and Lance Johnson Kathy Dunn Society. Lyric is grateful to all of Maurice J. and Patricia Frank Judy L. Allen Richard L. Eastline them for their generous support. Rhoda and Henry Frank Catherine Aranyi Carol A. Eastman Anonymous (2) Family Foundation L. Robert Artoe Lowell and Judy Eckberg Paul and Mary Anderson Family Richard J. Franke Richard N. Bailey Lucy A. Elam, in memory Foundation James R. Grimes David Gerard Baker of Elizabeth Elam Marlys A. Beider Mr. and Mrs. Thomas C. Heagy Susann Ball Mr. and Mrs. Don Elleman Dr. C. Bekerman Concordia Hoffmann Lorraine L. and Randolph C. Barba Cherelynn A. Elliott Christopher Carlo and Robert Chaney Edgar D. Jannotta Margaret Basch Terrence M. W. Ellsworth David and Orit Carpenter Ronald B. Johnson Mrs. Bill Beaton Dr. James A. Eng James W. Chamberlain Wayne S. and Lenore M. Kaplan Martha Bell Martha L. Faulhaber Robert F. Finke and Carol Keenan Kerma and John Karoly Lynn Bennett Nadine Ferguson Mary Patricia Gannon Laura and LeRoy Klemt Julie Anne Benson Felicia Finkelman James K. Genden and Dr. William R. Lawrence Charles E. and Nancy T. Berg Mr. and Mrs. John C. Forbes Alma Koppedraijer Jennifer Malpass, O.D. Joan I. Berger Barbara Gail Franch Bruce A. Gober, M.D. Daniel T. Manoogian Barbara Bermudez James Victor Franch and Donald H. Ratner Mr. and Mrs. Richard P. Mayer Kyle and Marge Bevers Ms. Susan Frankel Howard Gottlieb Nancy Lauter McDougal Patrick J. Bitterman Thomas H. Franks, Ph.D. Sue and Melvin Gray Bill Melamed M. J. Black and Mr. C. Lancy Allen J. Frantzen James C. Kemmerer Margaret and Craig Milkint Dr. Debra Zahay Blatz Penny and John E. Freund Dr. Petra B. Krauledat Susan M. Miller D. Jeffrey and Joan H. Blumenthal Dr. Paul Froeschl and Dr. W. Peter Hansen David and Justine K. Mintzer Ned and Raynette Boshell Marie and Gregory Fugiel Philip G. Lumpkin Dr. Elaine Moor David Boyce Sheilah Purcell Garcia, Lady Witton Robert C. Marks Allan and Elaine Muchin Robert and Phyllis Brauer George and Mary Ann Gardner John Nigh David J. and Dolores D. Nelson Daniel and Leona Bronstein Mrs. John Wilburn Garland Irma Parker John H. Nelson Carol & Alan Brookes Scott P. George Julia Pernet David and Sheila Ormesher Kathryn Y. Brown Lyle Gillman Lyn and Bill Redfield Drs. Alan and Carol Pohl Richard M. and Andrea J. Brown John F. Gilmore Richard Ryan Nathaniel W. Pusey Jacqueline Brumlik Michael Goldberger Dr. Robert G. Zadylak Dr. Sondra C. Rabin Mr. and Mrs. Edward H. Bruske III John A. Goldstein Drs. Russ and Joan Zajtchuk Charles and Marilynn Rivkin George F. and Linda L. Brusky Dr. J. Brian Greis Anne Zenzer Chatka Ruggiero Steven and Helen Buchanan Patricia Grogan Lois B. Siegel Lisa Bury Carolyn Hallman BEL CANTO BENEFACTORS Ilene Simmons Robert J. Callahan Carl J. Halperin In addition to their Overture Society Larry G. Simpson Carla Carstens and Theodore Herr Ms. Geraldine Haracz membership earned through making Craig Sirles Patrick Vincent Casali Andrew Hatchell a major planned gift to Lyric, these Joan M. Solbeck Esther Charbit William P. Hauworth members also make a generous Ms. Gay K. Stanek Jeffrey K. Chase, J.D. Dr. and Mrs. David J. Hayden annual gift. Lyric is grateful to all Lisbeth Cherniack Stiffel Ramona Choos Mrs. Thomas D. Heath of them for their generous support. Mr. and Mrs. James P. Stirling J. Salvatore L. Cianciolo Mrs. John C. Hedley Anonymous (4) Mary Stowell Heinke Clark Josephine E. Heindel Mrs. James S. Aagaard L. Kristofer Thomsen Robert and Margery Coen Mary Mako Helbert Louise Abrahams Carla M. Thorpe Peter and Beverly Conroy Stephanie and Allen Hochfelder Dr. Whitney Addington Virginia Tobiason Sharon Conway Mrs. Marion Hoffman Karen G. Andreae Paula Turner Sarah J. Cooney Mary and Jim Houston Mr. and Mrs. Ron Beata Robert and Gloria Turner Dr. W. Gene Corley Family H. Eileen Howard and Alvin R. Beatty Mrs. Elizabeth Upjohn Mason Joseph E. Corrigan Marshall Weinberg Merrill and Judy Blau David J. Varnerin Mr. and Mrs. Paul T. Cottey Kenneth N. Hughes Ann Blickensderfer Albert Walavich Morton and Una Creditor Michael Huskey Danolda (Dea) Brennan Mrs. Robert G. Weiss Barbara L. Dean Cpt. Bernardo Iorgulescu, USMC Dr. Gerald and Mrs. Linda Budzik Claudia Winkler Phyllis Diamond Memorial Fund Amy and Paul Carbone Florence Winters Roger and Linelle Dickinson J. Jeffrey Jaglois Thomas Doran Ms. Janet E. Diehl Dr. and Mrs. Todd and Peggy Janus
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 63 Barbara Joabson George Pepper, M.D. Ultmann Family Charitable Joseph Ender Diane and Alan Johnson Elizabeth Anne Peters Remainder Unitrust Regina C. Fain John Arthur Johnson Susanne P. Petersson Marlene A. Van Skike Roy Fisher Larry Johnson Genevieve M. Phelps Nancy Johnson Vazzano Darlene and Kenneth Fiske Roy A. and Sarah C. Johnson Frances Pietch Raita Vilnins Lynette Flowers Barbara Mair Jones Karen and Dick Pigott Malcolm V. Vye, MD Robert B. Fordham Janet Jones Ms. Lois Polakoff Darcy Lynn Walker Richard Foster Moreen C. Jordan Martilias A. Porreca, CFP Gary T. Walther Elaine S. Frank Dr. Anne Juhasz Kenneth Porrello and Sherry McFall Albert Wang Henry Frank Mr. Theodore Kalogeresis D. Elizabeth Price Barbara M. Wanke Thomas Frisch Kenneth Kelling Mrs. Edward S. Price Louella Krueger Ward Doris Graber Chuck and Kathy Killman Mary Raffetto-Robins Boyd Edmonston & Edward Warro Evelyn Greene Diana Hunt King Roberta Lyn Anderson Rains Endowment Fund Ann B. Grimes Neil King Linda Raschke Karl Wechter Joseph M. Kacena Esther G. Klatz Sherrie Kahn Reddick Patricia M. Wees Stuart Kane R. William Klein, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Keith A. Reed Mrs. Richard H. Wehman Robert and Jeanne Kapoun J. Peter Kline Michael and Susan "Holly" Reiter Claude M. Weil Kip Kelley Helen Kohr Evelyn R. Richer Eric Weimer and Edwin Hanlon Paul R. Keske Susan Kryl Jennie M. Righeimer Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Weinberg Nancy W. Knowles Mary S. Kurz Gerald L. Ritholz Joanna L. Weiss Ruth L. Labitzke Larry Lapidus Jadwiga Roguska-Kyts, M.D., Joan and Marco Weiss Sarrah and Sadie Lapinsky Angela Larson and Bamshad Mobasher in memory of Robert Kyts Mrs. Melville W. Wendell Ernest Lester Thomas and Lise Lawson Sylvie Romanowski Sandra Wenner Arthur B. Logan Henrietta Leary James and Janet Rosenbaum Caroline C. Wheeler Doris C. Lorz Dr. and Mrs. Andrew O. Lewicky Joseph C. Russo Jane B. White Dr. Alexis W Maier Trust Carole F. Liebson Dennis Ryan Dr. and Mrs. Peter Willson Dr. Bill Moor Carol L. Linne Louise M. Ryssmann Nora Winsberg Mario A. Munoz Candace Broecker Loftus Eugene Rzym, in memory Christine S. Winter Massie MD & Jerome and Elaine Nerenberg James C. and Suzette M. Mahneke of Adaline Rzym James G. Massie Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Malatesta David Sachs Brien and Cathy Wloch Herbert and Brigitte Neuhaus Jeanne Randall Malkin Suzanne and William Samuels Mrs. William Wunder John and Maynette Neundorf Ann Chassin Mallow Mary T. Schafer Daniel R. Zillmann Mrs. Oliver Nickels Dr. and Mrs. Karl Lee Manders Douglas M. Schmidt Venrice R. Palmer Mrs. John Jay Markham Franklin R. Schmidt ESTATE GIFTS Richard Pearlman Charitable Daniel F. Marselle Martha P. Schneider The following estates have Trust Fund for Music Michael M. and Diane Mazurczak Donald Seibert generously provided gifts of Helen Petersen James G. and Laura G. McCormick Sherie Coren Shapiro bequests and other planned gifts George T. Rhodes Gia and Paul McDermott Charles Chris Shaw to Lyric. Due to space limitations, Joan Richards William F. McHugh Mr. and Mrs. Gordon M. Shaw listings include only planned Merlin and Gladys Rostad Florence D. McMillan David Shayne bequests received in the past three Pierrete E. Sauvat Leoni Z. and J. William McVey David Sherman years. With deepest regards, Lyric Lois Schmidt Martina M. Mead Jared Shlaes commemorates and remembers Edwin and Margaret W. Seeboeck Mr. and Mrs. Leland V. Meader Joanne Silver those departed Lyric patrons who Rose L. Shure and Sidney N. Shure Dr. and Mrs. Jack L. Melamed Andrew Barry Simmons and have honored us with these most Joan M. Skepnek Mr. and Mrs. Peter M. Mesrobian Mitchell Loewenthal-Grassini profound commitments. Barry Sullivan Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Meyers Margles Singleton and Clay Young James S. Aagaard Phil Turner Barbara Terman Michaels Dr. Ira Singer Sara P. Anastaplo Edmund J. Valonis Marilyn E. Miller Thomas G. Sinkovic Nancy D. Anderson Amanda Veazley Michael Miller and Sheila Naughten Norman and Mirella Smith Mrs. Roger A. Anderson Paul and Virginia Wilcox Edward S. and Barbara L. Mills Mary Soleiman Walter Bandi Joseph Yashon Vlasta A. "Vee" Minarich Elaine Soter Constance and Liduina Barbantini Ed Zasadil BettyAnn Mocek and Adam R. Walker Mrs. Jay Spaulding Dr. Gregory L. Boshart Audrey A. Zywicki Robert and Lois Moeller James Staples Donna Brunsma Dr. Virginia Saft Mond Sherie B. Stein Dr. Mary Louise Hirsch Burger and Julia G. Munoz J. Allyson Stern Mr. William Burger Mr. and Mrs. Michael E. Murphy Carol A. Stitzer Terry J. Burgeson Mr. Oliver Nickels Daniel and Norene W. Stucka Muriel A. Burnet Edward and Gayla Nieminen Mr. and Mrs. Glenn L. Stuffers Mrs. Campbell de Frise Florence C. Norstrom Emily J. Su Ellen Clasen Patricia A. Noska Peggy Sullivan Ellen Cole Charitable Remainder Trust Linda Moses Novak Mr. and Mrs. John C. Telander Robert P. Cooke Mr. and Mrs. Paul W. Oliver, Jr. Cheryl L. Thaxton Nelson D. Cornelius Dr. and Mrs. Frederick Olson Dr. David Thurn Barbara Coussement Stephen S. Orphanos Karen Hletko Tiersky Kathryn Cunningham Jonathan Orser Myron Tiersky Marianne Deson-Herstein Trust Joan Pantsios Jacqueline Tilles in memory of Samuel and Sarah Robert W. Parsons, M.D. Lawrence E. Timmins Trust Deson George R. Paterson Mrs. William C. Tippens Estelle Edlis Dr. Joan E. Patterson Paul and Judith Tuszynski Edward Elisberg
More information about becoming an Overture Society member and the related levels and benefits associated with that generous support is available through Lyric’s Gift Planning Office at 312-827-5654 or [email protected].
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 64 Lyric Opera of Chicago | 65 Corporate partnership
Lyric appreciates the generosity of its corporate partners.
ARIA SOCIETY $100,000 and above
PLATINUM GRAND BENEFACTOR $50,000 to $99,999
GOLDEN GRAND BENEFACTOR $25,000 to $49,999
To learn more about corporate partnership opportunities, please contact Daniel Moss, Lyric’s Senior Director of Institutional Partnerships at 312-827-5693 or [email protected].
Listings include donors whose gifts or pledges where received by July 29, 2019.
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 66 SILVER GRAND ADVOCATE ITW Foundation IN KIND GIFTS BENEFACTOR $2,000 to $2,999 JPMorgan Chase Foundation American Airlines, Inc. $10,000 to $24,999 Enterprise Holdings KPMG Booth One Alexander & Alexander, Foundation John D. and Catherine T. CH Distillery Attorneys at Law Millennium Advisors MacArthur Foundation Coco Pazzo Baird Old Republic International Morgan Stanley CS Magazine Crowe LLP Corporation Motorola Foundation HMS Media Deloitte Olson & Cepuritis, Ltd. PepsiCo Foundation M•A•C COSMETICS Envestnet Pfizer Foundation Shure Incorporated Evans Food Group FRIEND Polk Bros. Foundation Vibes Molex Incorporated $1,000 to $1,999 The Prudential Foundation Morgan Stanley BC International Group, Inc. The Rhoades Foundation This performance is partially Reed Smith LLP Concierge Unlimited State Farm Companies sponsored by a grant from Stepan Company International Foundation the Illinois Arts Council, Draper and Kramer, Texas Instruments Foundation a state agency. PREMIER BENEFACTOR Incorporated United Way Metro Chicago $7,500 to $9,999 GRAFF William Blair and Company Lyric Opera of Chicago is a Amsted Industries Foundation Kinder Morgan Foundation Foundation member of OPERA America. Chicago Title and Trust L. Miller And Son Lumber William Wrigley, Jr. Company Company Foundation Midwest Cargo Systems, Inc. Foundation Chicago White Metal Wainwright Investment YourCause Charitable Foundation Council Michuda Construction, Inc. SPECIAL THANKS MATCHING GIFTS American Airlines for its 38 BENEFACTOR AbbVie year partnership as the Official $5,000 to $7,499 Aetna Foundation, Inc. Airline of Lyric Opera of BNSF Railway Foundation Allstate Giving Program Chicago. Italian Village Restaurants Aon Foundation Sahara Enterprises, Inc. Bank of America Foundation CORT Furniture Rentals for William Blair Benevity Community Impact its generous conference room Fund furniture partnership. DEVOTEE BMO Harris Bank Foundation $3,000 to $4,999 Bright Star Foundation Jenner & Block and Craig C. American Agricultural Helen Brach Foundation Martin, Partner, for the firm’s Insurance Company Caterpillar Foundation, Inc. pro bono legal services Corporate Suites Network Elizabeth F. Cheney throughout the year. Howard & Howard Attorneys Foundation PLLC Ernst And Young Foundation Warner Classics as the Official United Way Metro Chicago GE Foundation Education and Promotion HSBC-North America Music Provider. IBM Corporation
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 67 Annual individual and foundation support
Lyric recognizes and appreciates the gift to its annual campaign made by generous individuals, foundations, and government organizations. Their continued support is vital.
ARIA SOCIETY Jerome and Elaine Nerenberg Lloyd A. Fry Foundation GOLDEN GRAND $100,000 and above Foundation Sue and Melvin Gray BENEFACTOR Anonymous (4) NIB Foundation Walter E. Heller Foundation $25,000 to $34,999 Whitney and Ada Addington John D. and Alexandra Eric and Deb Hirschfield Anonymous (2) Paul M. Angell Family Foundation C. Nichols Rebecca and Lester Knight Ken and Amy Aldridge Julie and Roger Baskes Sheila and David Ormesher The Knowles Foundation Paul and Mary Anderson Marlys Beider Mr. and Mrs. William Chauncey and Marion D. Robert and Isabelle Bass Randy L. and Melvin R. Berlin A. Osborn McCormick Family Foundation Foundation, Inc. Henry M. and Gilda R. Prince Charitable Trusts Polk Bros. Foundation Silvia Beltrametti Krehbiel Buchbinder Foundation Pritzker Foundation Candy and Gary Ridgway and Jay Krehbiel The Butler Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. J. Christopher Reyes Lois B. Siegel Heidi Heutel Bohn Marion A. Cameron Patrick G. and Shirley Welsh Ryan Mary Stowell Dr. and Mrs. Mark Bowen Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation Richard O. Ryan Pam Szokol Dr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Broadie Mrs. John V. Crowe Dr. Scholl Foundation Mrs. Linda Wolfson Ms. Kathryn Y. Brown The Crown Family Shure Charitable Trust Amy and Paul Carbone The Davee Foundation Lisbeth Stiffel TITANIUM GRAND David and Orit Carpenter Stefan T. Edlis and Gael Neeson Donna Van Eekeren Foundation BENEFACTOR Greg and Mamie Case Julius Frankel Foundation Mrs. Herbert A. Vance $35,000 to $49,999 Cellmer/Neal Foundation Fund Elizabeth Morse Genius Mr. and Mrs. William C. Vance Anonymous (3) Mr. and Mrs. Michael P. Cole Charitable Trust Roberta L. Washlow and The Barker Welfare Foundation Crain-Maling Foundation Ethel and William Gofen Robert J. Washlow James N. and Laurie V. Bay Nancy Dehmlow Howard L. Gottlieb and Barbara Helen and Sam Zell Phyllis H. Brissenden Cate and Jim Denny G. Greis Ann Ziff Eisen Family Foundation Ann M. Drake The Grainger Foundation James and Deborah Fellowes Drs. George and Sally Dunea Gramma Fisher Foundation of PALLADIUM GRAND Ruth Ann M. Gillis and Donald and Anne Edwards Marshalltown, Iowa BENEFACTOR Michael J. McGuinnis Dan J. Epstein, Judy Guitelman Karen Z. Gray-Krehbiel and John H. $75,000 to $99,999 Martha A. Hesse and the Dan J. Epstein Family Krehbiel, Jr. Anonymous (1) The Richard P. and Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Dietrich M. Gross Berggruen Institute Susan Kiphart Family Mr. and Mrs. Eugene F. Fama John R. Halligan Charitable Fund Drs. Young, Byong Uk, and Mrs. Robert and Evelyn McCullen Mr. and Mrs. W. James Farrell The Harris Family Foundation Myung Soon Chung Susan M. Miller Sally and Michael Feder Patricia A. Kenney and James and Deborah Fellowes Mr. and Mrs. Todd D. Mitchell Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. Franke Gregory J. O'Leary Illinois Arts Council OPERA America Mary Patricia Gannon Nancy W. Knowles Julian Family Foundation Segal Family Foundation Virginia and Gary Gerst Mr. and Mrs. Sanfred Koltun Ellen and Jim Stirling Mr. and Mrs. Alejandro Silva Brent and Katie Gledhill Mr. and Mrs. Fred Krehbiel Thierer Family Foundation Dan and Caroline Grossman Josef and Margot Lakonishok PLATINUM GRAND Mrs. J. W. Van Gorkom Mary Ellen Hennessy Nix Lauridsen and Virginia BENEFACTOR Walter Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Wayne J. Holman III Croskery Lauridsen $50,000 to $74,999 Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Weiss J. Thomas Hurvis and John D. and Catherine T. Anonymous (3) Ann Andersen MacArthur Foundation Katherine A. Abelson Mazza Foundation Robin Angly Lauter McDougal Charitable Fund The Beaubien Family The Monument Trust (UK) David Q. and Mary A. Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Morrison Bell Foundation “Lyric is exceptional in providing The Elizabeth Morse Mr. and Mrs. Edward O. Boshell, Jr. Charitable Trust The Brinson Foundation outstanding opportunities for Allan and Elaine Muchin The Cozad Family National Endowment for the Arts Maurice and Patricia Frank members of the community to The Negaunee Foundation Rhoda and Henry Frank Family Sylvia Neil and Daniel Fischel Foundation expand on their love of opera.
Anne Megan D.
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 68 Komarek-Hyde-McQueen Susan J. Garner Mr. and Mrs. Charles Huebner Louis and Nellie Sieg Fund Foundation/Patricia Hyde Judy and Bill Goldberg Capt. Bernardo Iorgulescu, Dr. Cynthia V. Stauffacher The Edgar D. Jannotta Family Mr. and Mrs. Richard Gray USMC Memorial Fund Mr. and Mrs. Roger Stone The Jobs Initiative Chicago Maria C. Green and Laurie and Michael Jaffe Dr. and Mrs. Arnold Tatar Mr. and Mrs. George E. Johnson Oswald G. Lewis Mr. and Mrs. William R. Jentes Tully Family Foundation Stephen Kohl and Mark Tilton James and Brenda Grusecki Stephen A. Kaplan Mr. and Mrs. Henry Underwood Mr. Herbert Kohler, Jr. Heinz Family Foundation Elizabeth Khalil and Elizabeth Upjohn Mason and Ms. Natalie Black Mr. and Mrs. Roger B. Hull Peter Belytschko Mr. and Mrs. Peter Van Nice Victoria M. Kohn Annie and Greg K. Jones Albert and Rita Lacher Ms. Lucinda Wakeman Mr. and Mrs. Donald Levinson Mr. and Mrs. L. D. Jorndt Marc Lacher Dan and Patty Walsh Mr. Thomas V. Linguanti Mike and Lindy Keiser Lemont Fund Mr. and Mrs. Richard G. Weinberg and Ms. Olivia Tyrrell Mr. and Mrs. Keith Kizziah Michael A. Leppen Michael Welsh and Linda Brummer Philip G. Lumpkin Dr. and Mrs. Mark F. Kozloff Jeanne Randall Malkin Kim and Miles D. White Jim and Kay Mabie Robert C. Marks Family Foundation Mrs. John A. Wing Daniel and Deborah Manoogian Blythe Jaski McGarvie Mr. and Mrs. Richard P. Mayer Mr. and Ms. Benjamin Wolf Mr. and Mrs. Andrew J. McKenna Jean McLaren and John Nitschke Frank B. Modruson Phyllis Neiman and Lynne C. Shigley Drs. Funmi and Sola Olopade Linda K. and Dennis M. Myers Marian Phelps Pawlick Kenneth R. Norgan Rosy and Jose Luis Prado “We know that if enough people Martha C. Nussbaum Mr. and Mrs. Lee Oberlander SILVER GRAND BENEFACTOR contribute to Lyric each and every Matt and Carrie Parr $10,000 to $14,999 Ingrid Peters Anonymous (7) year, collectively, we will keep this The C. G. Pinnell Family John and Ann Amboian J. B. and M. K. Pritzker Dr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Atkinson, Jr. extraordinary art form thriving. Family Foundation Paul and Robert Barker Foundation Angie F. and Takashi N. Sandra and Earl Rusnak, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Ron Beata Mr. and Mrs. Scott Santi C. Bekerman, M.D. Barbara and Barre Seid Foundation Ross and Patricia D. Bender Shari Mayes Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Wood II Charles and M.R. Shapiro Patrick J. Bitterman Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey S. McCreary Debbie K. Wright Foundation, Inc. Jim Blinder Judith W. McCue and Anne Zenzer and Dominick DeLuca Morris Silverman and Mr. and Mrs. John Jay Borland Howard M. McCue III Lori Ann Komisar Helen Brach Foundation Erma S. Medgyesy PREMIER BENEFACTOR Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Stark John and Rosemary Brown Terry J. Medhurst $7,500 to $9,999 Michael Steinberg and Family Foundation Helen Melchior Anonymous (7) Salme Harju Steinberg Mr. and Mrs. Duane L. Burnham Jim and Vicki Mills/Jon Kelley and Susan Anderson Penelope and Robert Steiner Marie Campbell and Lois Mills Ms. Ronelle D. Ashby Robert L. Turner Mr. and Mrs. John Canning, Jr. Martha A. Mills Ms. Elizabeth Bakwin Dr. David H. Whitney Joyce E. Chelberg Mr. and Mrs. Steven Molo Robert S. Bartolone and Dr. Juliana Chyu Lawrence Christensen Charles Morcom Mr. and Mrs. William H. Drs. Joan and Russ Zajtchuk Sharon Conway David J. and Dolores D. Nelson Baumgartner, Jr. Tamara Conway Margo and Michael Lieselotte N. Betterman MERCURY GRAND Lynd W. Corley Oberman and Family Norman and Virginia Bobins/ BENEFACTOR Winnie and Bob Crawford The Bruno and Sallie The Robert Thomas Bobins $15,000 to $24,999 Dr. and Mrs. Tapas K. Das Gupta Pasquinelli Foundation Foundation Anonymous (2) Shawn M. Donnelley and Mrs. Vernon J. Pellouchoud Winston and Lally Brown Mrs. James S. Aagaard Christopher M. Kelly Seymour H. Persky Joy Buddig Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Applebaum Fred L. Drucker and Hon. Charitable Trust Mrs. Warren M. Choos Dr. and Mrs. Robert Arensman Rhoda Sweeney Drucker Laurie and Michael Petersen Thomas A. Clancy Judith Barnard and Michael Fain M. Stephen Dunbar Maya Polsky and Dana I. Green Mr. and Mrs. Merrill E. Blau Marilyn D. Ezri, M.D. Andra and Irwin Press Mr. and Mrs. J. William Cuncannan Betty Bradshaw Timothy R. Farrell D. Elizabeth Price Mr. and Mrs. Avrum H. Dannen Buehler Family Foundation The Ferguson-Yntema Bonnie Pritchard Decyk Charitable Foundation Rosemarie and Dean L. Family Charitable Trust Jennifer N. Pritzker Mrs. Sheila Dulin Buntrock Sonja and Conrad Fischer Penny Pritzker and Bryan Traubert Paul Dykstra and Susan E. Cremin Margarita Chavez Mr. and Mrs. Jack Forsythe Hon. S. Louis Rathje and John Edelman and Suzanne Krohn Ann and Reed Coleman David S. Fox Maria Rosa Costanzo Richard B. Egen Francie Comer Ms. Elisabeth O. Geraghty Dr. Petra and Mr. Randy O. Rissman Mr. and Mrs. Richard Elden Lawrence O. Corry Andrea and Jim Gordon/ Ms. Brenda Robinson Mary Etherington Sir Andrew Davis and Lady The Edgewater Funds Rocco and Cheryl Romano Robert F. Finke Gianna Rolandi Davis Mrs. Mary Winton Green Joseph O. Rubinelli, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Philip Friedmann Anne Megan Davis Joan M. Hall Susan and David Ruder Mr. and Mrs. J. Jeffrey Geldermann Mr. and Mrs. Allan Drebin Dr. James and Mrs. Susan Rodd M. Schreiber Bruce A. Gober, M.D. Roger and Chaz Ebert Foundation Hannigan and Susan Hassan Mr. and Mrs. Stanford Goldblatt Miss Gay Elfline Irving Harris Foundation Eric and Jana Schreuder Mr. and Mrs. Rodney L. Goldstein Sondra Berman Epstein Joan W. Harris Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. L. Senior Mr. and Mrs. William Erika E. Erich John Hart and Carol Prins Mary Beth Shea M. Goodyear, Jr. Mira Frohnmayer Mrs. John C. Hedley Elizabeth S. Sheppard Mr. Gerald and Dr. Colette Gordon and Sandra Sweet Dr. Judith and Mr. Mark C. Hibbard The Shubert Foundation Phillip and Norma Gordon
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 69 Chester A. Gougis The Solti Foundation U.S. Regina Janes Mr. and Mrs. O. J. Heestand, Jr. and Shelley Ochab Doris F. Sternberg Dr. Carolyn and Dr. Paul Jarvis Mr. and Mrs. Milan Hornik Graber Family Foundation Dr. and Mrs. Peter W. Stonebraker Howard E. Jessen Dr. and Mrs. Todd and Peggy Janus David and Elizabeth Graham Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Struthers Mary Ann Karris Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy C. Klemt Mrs. Rita Grunwald Angela Tenta, M.D. Tyrus L. Kaufman Thomas A. Kmetko and Rafael Leon Mrs. John M. Hartigan Mr. O. Thomas Thomas and Eldon and Patricia Kreider Pamela Forbes Lieberman Mr. and Mrs. Julian W. Harvey Mrs. Sandra Inara Thomas Lannan Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Craig R. Milkint Mrs. Thomas D. Heath Dr. David Thurn Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Lans Pat and Lara Pappas Midge and Frank Heurich Mrs. Theodore D. Tieken Dr. William R. Lawrence Bill and Harlan Shropshire Anne P. Hokin Mr. Michael Tobin, M.D. Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Lennard Dr. and Mrs. R. John Solaro Mrs. Richard S. Holson, Jr. Howard and Paula Leslie Fund, Inc. Glenn and Ardath Solsrud James and Mary Houston Trienens Foundation Dr. and Mrs. Edmund Lewis James A. Staples Judith Z. and Steven W. Mr. and Mrs. Richard P. Toft Lewis Family Mr. Menno Vermeulen Anne and Craig Linn Dr. Catherine L. Webb Louis and Kristin Margaglione Louis Weber “Opera, as presented in Chicago by Thomas J. McCormick Sarah R. Wolff and Joel L. Florence D. McMillan Handelman Lyric, is the sublime marriage of music, Lois Melvoin Pamela G. Meyer DEVOTEE story, acting, and art. Mary Lou and Jack Miller $3,000 to $3,999 Carol "Mickey" Norton Anonymous (2) Renate P. Norum Mrs. John H. Andersen Daggett H. Mr. and Mrs. James J. O'Connor Eric A. Anderson Jean Perkins and Leland Susann Ball James Huntington Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Turner Hutchinson Bastian Voice Institute Ronald B. Johnson Ksenia A. and Peter Turula Mr. and Mrs. Norman Perman Geoffrey Bauer and Anna Lam Jared Kaplan and Lori L. and John R. Twombly Mr. Jeffry Pickus and Diane and Michael Beemer Maridee Quanbeck Scott D. Vandermyde Ms. Mary C. Downie Prudence and Francis Beidler Nancy Rita Kaz and Julie T. Emerick Mrs. Jay Pritzker John Blosser Kate T. Kestnbaum David J. Varnerin R. Crusoe & Son Mr. Henry Clark and Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. King Marilee and Richard Wehman Merle Reskin Mrs. Elizabeth Simon Jean Klingenstein Hilary and Barry Weinstein Mr. and Mrs. William Revelle Mr. and Mrs. Gerry V. Curciarello Dr. Katherine Knight Family Foundation Charles and Marilynn Rivkin Dr. and Mrs. Richard Davison MaryBeth Kretz and Robert Baum Dr. and Mrs. Peter Willson Maggie Rock and Rod Adams Robert O. Delaney Frederic S. Lane Stephen R. Winters Curt G. Schmitt Mr. and Mrs. Charles G. Denison Bernard and Averill Leviton Mr. Charles Yoder The Schroeder Foundation Mr. and Mrs. John DeWolf Mrs. Paul Lieberman Donna and Phillip Zarcone Ilene and Michael Shaw Bernard J. and Sally Dobroski Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Charitable Trust Kenneth Douglas Foundation and Sandra E. Marjan BENEFACTOR Craig Sirles Richard and Ingrid Dubberke Mr. and Mrs. James A. McClung $5,000 to $7,499 Mr. and Mrs. Eric S. Smith Deane Ellis Drs. Bill and Elaine Moor Anonymous (8) Joan M. Solbeck Jim and Elizabeth Fanuzzi Craig Morris Peter and Lucy Ascoli Family Fund Mary Soleiman Adrian Foster Mr. and Mrs. Michael O'Malley Minka and Matt Bosco Ms. Julie Staley Mr. and Mrs. James V. Franch Julian Oettinger Danolda (Dea) Brennan Dusan Stefoski and Craig Savage Dr. Maija Freimanis Mr. and Mrs. Donald Patterson Drs. Walter and Anne-Marie Andrea and Mark Taylor and David Marshall Harvey R. and Bruyninckx Carl and Marilynn Thoma Mr. and Mrs. David L. Grumman Madeleine P. Plonsker Ms. Shelly Challans L. Kristofer Thomsen Dr. Mona J. Hagyard Dr. and Mrs. Leonard Potempa Mr. and Mrs. Stanley D. Lawrence E. Timmins Trust Dr. and Mrs. Arthur L. Herbst Irene D. Pritzker Christianson Tony Valukas and Cathy Beres Sandra Hoffman John and Betsey Puth Jane B. and John C. Colman David and Linda Wesselink Mr. and Mrs. Peter Huizenga Dr. Sondra C. Rabin Hal Coon Howard S. White Michael and Leigh Huston James T. and Karen C. Reid Patricia O. Cox Claudia Winkler Dr. and Mrs. Joseph W. Jarabak The Retirement Research Marsha Cruzan Marsha and David Woodhouse Mr. and Mrs. John A. Karoly Foundation Ms. Elaine Cue Judith L. Kaufman Daryl and James Riley The Dancing Skies Foundation PARTNER Neil and Diana King Edgar Rose Ms. Sarah Demet $4,000 to $4,999 Marian Kinney J. Kenneth and Susan T. Rosko Mr. and Mrs. Harry Dennis Karen and Herand Abcarian J. Peter Kline and Julio Padin, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Rouse La Ferrenn and Philip Engel Allison Alexander Dr. and Mrs. Sung-Tao Ko Norman Sackar Dr. and Mrs. James O. Ertle Mr. and Mrs. George Bayly John and Mary Kohlmeier George and Terry Rose Saunders Amanda Fox Priscilla and Anthony Beadell Mr. Craig Lancaster and Raymond and Inez Saunders Sasha Gerritson and Eugene Jarvis Alvin R. Beatty Ms. Charlene T. Handler Mr. and Mrs. Michael T. Sawyier Melinda Gibson Mark and Judy Bednar Dr. M. S.W. Lee George and Joan Segal John F. Gilmore Astrid K. Birke Dr. and Mrs. Alan Leff Mary and Stanley Seidler James R. Grimes Bolton Sullivan Fund Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Levin Dr. S. P. Shah Daniel Groteke and Patricia Taplick Mr. and Mrs. James Bramsen Dr. and Mrs. Andrew O. Lewicky Ilene Simmons Donna Gustafsson Jon W. DeMoss Bob and Doretta Marwin The Siragusa Family Foundation Glen and Claire Hackmann Dr. and Mrs. Anthony DiGianfilippo Marilyn and Myron Maurer Mr. and Mrs. John R. Siragusa The Blanny A. Hagenah Family Fund James K. Genden and Alma Mrs. David McCandless Patricia Arrington Smythe Mr. and Mrs. Thomas C. Heagy Koppedraijer Dr. John J. McGrath Del Snow Hoellen Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Heinz Grob and Ms. Tola Porter
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 70 David E. McNeel Dr. and Mrs. Boone Brackett Dr. Judith Lichtenstein Nancy Schmitt Mr. and Mrs. Gregory L. Melchor Mr. and Mrs. Eric Dr. and Mrs. Philip R. Liebson Mr. and Mrs. John B. Simon Ms. Britt M. Miller Brandfonbrener Lloyd R. Loback Larry G. Simpson Steven Montner and Scott Brown Alice C. Brunner Craig and Jane Love Dr. Ross Slotten and Mr. Ted Grady Mr. and Mrs. Brendan M. Mulshine Ms. Sheila Burke Carlotta and Ronald Lucchesi Carole and Bob Sorensen Chris and Eileen Murphy Christopher Carlo Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Mages Carol D. Stein and James Sterling John H. Nelson and Robert Chaney Robert Mann and Dr. and Mrs. Ralph W. Stoll Zehava L. Noah Don Carruthers Kathryn Voland-Mann Pam and Russ Strobel Jonathan F. Orser James W. Chamberlain Liz and Arsen Manugian Geraldine L. Szymanski Mr. and Mrs. Bruce L. Ottley Katherine Cheng Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Martin Oscar Tatosian, Jr. Drs. Sarunas and Jolanta Peckus Lauren and David Clark William Mason and Diana Davis Gayle and Glenn R. Tilles Jim and Polly Pierce Dr. Edward A. Cole and Dr. Marilyn McCoy and The Trillium Foundation Karen and Richard Pigott Christine A. Rydel Charles R. Thomas Dulcie L. Truitt Dr. Joe Piszczor Elaine Collina Mrs. John H. McDermott Raita Vilnins Mary and Joseph Plauche Mr. Colin Cosgrove Martina M. Mead Suzanne L. Wagner Mr. Tim Pontarelli Michael J. Cushing and Michael T. Gorey Albert R. Walavich Dr. Lincoln and Ms. Danijela Dedic Ricco Sheila and Harvey Medvin Dr. Richard Warnecke Dr. Carolyn Ramirez Mr. and Mrs. Steven F. Deli Bill Melamed and Jamey Lundblad Pam and David Waud Edward and Leah Reicin Mr. and Mrs. Eben Dorros Mrs. Pamela E. Miles David Wetherbee Chatka and Anthony Ruggiero Bernard T. Dunkel Mr. and Mrs. William A. Miller Heide Wetzel Dr. Cynthia J. Sanders and Kathy Dunn Barry and Sharon Millman Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence W. Wick Mr. Otis Sanders Drs. Walter Dziki and Emily Miao Robert and Lois Moeller F. C. Winters Erica L. Sandner Susanna and Helmut Epp Ms. Helen H. Morrison Christopher and Julie Wood David Schiffman Firestone Family Foundation John S. Mrowiec and Chip and Jean Wood Thomas and Judy Scorza James Fitzgerald Dr. Karen L. Granda Priscilla T. Yu Dr. Phyllis W. Shafron Marvin Fletcher Dr. John S. and Nan D. Munn and Mr. Ethan Lathan Anita D. Flournoy Rosemary Murgas FRIEND Sherie Coren Shapiro Arthur L. Frank Jeffrey Nichols $1,000 to $1,999 Mr. and Mrs. Charles Shea Jerry Freedman and Carol M. Nigro Anonymous (19) MinSook Suh Elizabeth Sacks Janis Wellin Notz Mr. Steve Abbey and Mr. Ken Terao Fred Freitag and Lynn Stegner and John K. Notz, Jr. Ms. Pamela Brick Ms. Carla M. Thorpe Dr. Lucy Freund Marjory M. Oliker Louise Abrahams Phil and Paula Turner Patricia H. Gates Dr. and Mrs. Frederick Olson Richard Abram and Paul Chandler Elizabeth K. Twede Generations Fund Mr. Joe Pacetti Mr. and Mrs. Sherwin D. Abrams Mr. and Mrs. Todd Vieregg Debbie Gillaspie and Fred Sturm Luis A. Pagan-Carlo, M.D. Ann Acker Mrs. William N. Weaver, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Lionel Go John and Dawn Palmer Duffie A. Adelson Mr. and Mrs. Brien Wloch Dr. and Mrs. Marshall Goldin George R. Paterson Susan S. Adler Mr. and Mrs. Michael Woolever Alfred G. Goldstein and Allen J. Frantzen Judith A. Akers Owen and Linda Youngman Gordon and Nancy Goodman Barbara and Jerry Pearlman Ginny Alberts-Johnson Jerry Goodman Sandra and Michael Perlow and Lance Johnson ADVOCATE Dr. Ruth Grant and Karen Petitte Dr. and Mrs. Carl H. Albright $2,000 to $2,999 Dr. Howard Schwartz Mrs. Zen Petkus Mr. Charles Alcaraz Anonymous (8) Greene Family Foundation Ms. Lyneta Grap Piela Lou Aledort and Natasha Kavanagh Mr. and Mrs. Richard Aaron Solomon Gutstein Mr. David R. Adler Mirja and Ted Haffner Family Fund Mrs. Judy Allen Janice H. Halpern Mary C. Allen Ms. Elizabeth Hoffman Ms. Joanne B. Alter Concordia Hoffmann “ Alison Avery Cynthia and Ron Holmberg When I attend a really good Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Baldwin Joel and Carol Honigberg Fund Mr. and Mrs. Peter J. Barack Robert and Sandra Ireland performance (and there have been William and Marjorie Bardeen Ms. Marina B. Jacks James and Martha Barrett John G. and Betty C. Jacobs many over the years), I see how my Sandra Bass Charlene Jacobsen Ron and Queta Bauer Mel and Mary Ann Jiganti contributions directly help Lyric thrive. Jennifer Bellini Jerry and Judy Johansen David V. Meta S. and Ronald Berger Drs. Perry and Elena Kamel Family Foundation Dr. and Dr. Yan Katsnelson Jacquie Berlin Mr. Robert Kemp Dr. and Mrs. Alan Pohl Dr. and Mrs. Todd D. Alexander Dr. Leonard and Phyllis Berlin Jennifer A. Kiefer Charles B. Preacher Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Allen Mrs. Arthur Billings Mr. and Mrs. Joe King Nathaniel W. Pusey Peri M. Altan Richard and Heather Black Frank and Alice Kleinman Mrs. Elke Rehbock Dr. and Mrs. Ronald F. Altman Mrs. John R. Blair Ms. Merrillyn Kosier and Carol Roberts Sheila and James Amend Dr. Debra Zahay Blatz Mr. James F. Kinoshita Elaine G. Rosen Ken and Mary Andersen Ann Blickensderfer Dr. and Mrs. Ken N. Kuo Saul and Sarah Rosen Doris W. Angell Mr. and Mrs. Andrew K. Block Jeanne LaDuke Lynn Hauser and Neil Ross Mychal P. Angelos Leslie Bluhm Peter N. Lagges, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Norman J. Rubash Daniel J. Anzia Ms. Virginia Boehme Eleanor Leichenko Susan B. Rubnitz Drs. Vijayalakshmi Marcus Boggs Mr. and Mrs. Thomas M. Leopold Dr. Natalia Saprykina and Bapu Arekapudi Mrs. Fred Bosselman Dr. and Mrs. Peter Letarte Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Sarnoff Yuri Z. Aronov Richard Boyum and Louie Chua Gregory M. Lewis and Mary E. Strek Dr. and Mrs. Anthony J. Schaeffer
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 71 Margaret Atherton Margery and Robert Coen Mr. John Furrer Mr. and Ms. Gary Huff and Robert Schwarz Maryclaire Collins John A. Gable Humanist Fund Shirley M. Ballak Dr. Frank F. Conlon Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Gaile Cleveland and Phyllis Hunt Leslie and Patrick Ballard Stevie Conlon and Sue Skau Ms. Lili Gaubin Dr. Kamal Ibrahim Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Barkei Dr. Peter and Beverly Stephen and Elizabeth Geer Dr. Peter Ivanovich Michael A. Barna Ann Conroy Carolyn and Stephen Geldermann Mr. and Mrs. Paul A. James Richard and Shirley Baron Daniel Corrigan Mr. Scott P. George Ms. Cynthia J. Jameson Mr. and Mrs. Martin Barrett Ms. Jennifer Cox Mr. and Mrs. John E. Gepson Mrs. Judith H. Janowiak Barbara Barzansky Katherine Hutter Coyner Nancy S. Gerrie Dr. Nora Jaskowiak and Ron Bauer and Michael Spencer Evelyn Crews Sharon L. Gibson Mr. Matthew Hinerfield Patricia Bayerlein Gary Crosby Mr. and Mrs. Ronald J. Gidwitz Carl Johnson's Gallery and Michael Hoffman Karen and John Crotty Mr. Robert Gienko, Jr. in Galena W.C. Beatty Pamela Crutchfield Ms. Robyn R. Gilliom and Maryl R. Johnson, M.D. Roger B. Beck and Ann F. Beck Robert Curley Mr. Richard Friedman Dr. Peter H. Jones and Seth Beckman Barbara Flynn Currie Gay L. Girolami Marian M. Pearcy Mr. and Mrs. Brian D. Beggerow Matthew Curtin and Richard Tepp David L. Gitomer Mr. Edward T. Joyce Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Benesh Czarkowski Family Roy C. Bergstrom James and Marie Damion Joan Berman Mr. Timothy Daniels Mr. R. Stephen Berry Jason Dantico Mr. and Mrs. Turney P. Berry Rathin Datta “Lyric gives to me more than I give to it. Kyle and Marge Bevers Ms. Vindya Dayananda Mr. and Mrs. William E. Bible Ms. Lisa DeAngelis I am grateful for that. Jerry and Kathy Biederman Patty Litton Delony Margaret C. Bisberg and Rosanne Diamond Raymond C. Richard VanMetre Mr. and Mrs. Terry Diamond Cynthia L. Bixel Lyn Dickey Mr. John J. Glier JS Charitable Trust M. J. Black and Mr. Clancy Robert and Anne Diffendal Barbara and Norman Gold Judith Jump Louis and Catherine Bland Dr. Elton Dixon Mr. and Mrs. Samuel D. Golden Olivier C. Junod & Dan Dwir Elaine and Harold Blatt Mariclaire and Lowell Dixon Robert and Marcia Goltermann Dr. and Mrs. James J. Kane Ms. Elizabeth Blinderman Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey B. Donnell Arla Gomberg Mrs. Myrna Kaplan Mr. and Mrs. Albert H. Bloom Mr. Fred M. Donner Drs. Margaret and Richard Gore Wayne S. and Lenore M. Kaplan E. M. Bluhm Thomas Doran Motoko Goto Thomas R. Kasdorf D. Jeffrey and Joan H. Blumenthal Dr. and Mrs. Peter E. Doris Ann Gottlieb Dr. and Mrs. Robert Katz Frima H. Blumenthal Ms. Jill Dougherty Dr. Steven A. Gould Ms. Andrea Katzenstein Fran Bly and Charles Hample Tom Draski Annemarie H. Gramm Mrs. Helen Kedo Terence and Mary Jeanne Bolger Ms. Susan A. Duda Mr. Edward A. Grant Larry M. Keer, M.D. Robert and Anne Bolz Ronald B. Duke Miss Martha Grant Dr. E. Kefallonitis, Ph.D. Charitable Trust Ms. Kathleen H. Ebbott Greene Family Mrs. Philip E. Kelley Donald F. Bouseman Kimberly A. Eberlein Rochelle and Michael Greenfield Anne and John Kern Dr. Gilbert W. Bowen Barbara and John Eckel Tim and Joyce Greening Mr. and Mrs. John E. Kirkpatrick William Bradt Hugh and Jackie Edfors John R. Grimes Mr. and Mrs. Richard Kirsch Giovanna and Joseph Breu James W. Edmondson Robert Grist Ms. Marian Klaus Nicholas Bridges and Mrs. Marlene Eisen Patricia Grogan Elaine H. Klemen Margaret McGirr Ms. Alexis Ellington Devora Grynspan and Sam Stupp Diane F. Klotnia Candace B. Broecker Ms. Marjorie Elliott Donald Haavind Mary Klyasheff Ms. Myrna Bromley Mr. and Mrs. James G. Ellis Mr. Allen Hager Emily and Christopher Knight Jerry and Gisela Brosnan Peter Emery Mr. and Mrs. Paul Hallisy, Sr. Lionel and Jackie Knight Ms. Suzanne W. Brown Mr. and Mrs. Paul Epner Mary E. Hallman Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Knuth Warren and Patricia Buckler Jim and Pati Ericson Lucy Hammerberg Emil J. and Marie D. Kochton Dr. and Mrs. Gerald P. Budzik Dr. Thelma M. Evans Mr. and Mrs. M. Hill Hammock Foundation Howard and Moira Buhse Ms. Elizabeth M. Fadell Agnes Hamos Edward and Adrienne Kolb Mr. and Mrs. Allan Bulley, III Mr. and Mrs. John H. Faulhaber Michael G. Hansen Martin and Patricia Koldyke Bumper Lanes Marketing Joan and Robert Feitler and Nancy E. Randa Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Konczal Susan Burkhardt Geraldine K. Fiedler Charles Hanusin William Konczyk and George J. Burrows Prof. Carter V. Findley Betty Ann Hauser Stanley Conlon Wiley and Jo Caldwell Penny Friedman Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Hawver Stephen Kraft Dr. and Mrs. William C. Carithers Suja Finnerty Sheila Ann Hegy Richard Kron and Fairbank and Lynne Carpenter Elizabeth W. Fischer Mr. and Ms. Ross Heim Deborah Bekken Stephen H. Carr and Virginia Susan Fisher-Yellen Dr. Allen W. Heinemann Ms. Nataskia S. Lampe Mc Millan Carr William A. Fleig and Dr. William Borden Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Patrick V. Casali Abbie Fleming Kimberlee S. Herold Langrehr Mr. Mario Cervantes Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Flint Dr. and Mrs. Charles W. High Eileen Leiderman and Mr. Charles Todd Nona C. Flores Mr. and Mrs. Thomas H. Hodges and Ben L. Brener Mrs. Clarissa Chandler Paul Fong Jackie and James Holland Dominique Leonardi Mrs. Beatrice Chapman Mr. Lance Fortnow Jim and Wanda Hollensteiner Mrs. Chase C. Levey Jeffrey K. Chase, Esq. Eloise C. Foster Stephen D. Holmes Mrs. Nancy Levi Mr. Casimer Chlebek Mr. and Mrs. John Freund George R. Honig, M.D. David Levinson and Mr. Michael Christie Diane Tkach and James Freundt and Olga Weiss Kathy Kirn Heinke K. Clark Priscilla and Henry Frisch Larry and Ann Hossack Caroline P. Lippert Jean M. Cocozza Samuel and Adriana Front Michael and Beverly Huckman Melvin R. Loeb
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 72 Sherry and Mel Lopata Mr. Bohdan O. Pauk and Mr. Dr. and Mrs. Emanuel Semerad Kay and Craig Tuber Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Lucas Donald R. Carnahan Mr. and Mrs. Valentine Seng Mr. James W. Tucker Wayne R. Lueders Michael W. Payette John and Floria Serpico Jean Morman Unsworth Lutz Family Foundation Mrs. Mona L. Penner David Shayne Manuel S. Valderrama Charlene and Gary MacDougal Mr. and Mrs. John Pepe Mr. and Mrs. James F. Shea Mrs. Murray J. Vale William and Karen Mack Lorna and Ellard Pfaelzer David Sherman Dr. Thuong Van Ha Daniel Carroll Madden Shirley Pfenning and Ms. Shannon Shin Frances and Peter Vandervoort and Tuny Mokrauer Robert J. Wilczek Ms. Fay Shong and Mr. Tracy Mehr Dr. Eladio A. Vargas Jeffrey and Paula Malak Dr. Martha Heineman Pieper Carolyn M. Short A & T Vavasis Philanthropic Fund Jennifer Malpass Mr. and Mrs. Robert Polenzani Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth I. Siegel Rosalba Villanueva Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence Margolies Mrs. Carol Pollock Nancy Silberman John N. Vinci Mr. and Mrs. Warren W. Mark William V. Porter Adele and John Simmons Ms. Lidia B. Vitello Ms. Andrea R. Markowicz Dorothy M. Press Linda Simon Robert and Camille Von Dreele Mr. Dennis A. Marks Mr. Dan E. Prindle Mr. and Mrs. Frank M. Sims John and Kathleen Vondran Mr. and Mrs. Miles Marsh Drs. Joseph and Kimberly Pyle Paul and Ann Singer Dr. Malcolm V. Vye Ann and Philip May Mr. David Quell Margles Singleton and Clay Young Jane Warner Dr. and Mrs. John E. Mazuski Mr. Willie Rand Barbara Smith and Benjamin Wasmuth Maureen and Michael McCabe Dr. and Mrs. Don Randel Timothy Burroughs Mr. and Mrs. Virgil L. Watts, Jr. Ms. Michelle McCarthy Jeffrey Rappin and Penny Brown Louise K. Smith Richard and Karen Weiland Dr. W. and Dr. M.J. McCulloch Christina Rashid Mary Ann Smith Mr. and Mrs. Richard Welcome Julie and Herb McDowell Ms. Mary Ravid Melissa and Chuck Smith Mr. and Mrs. Melville W. Wendell Bonnie McGrath Mr. and Mrs. Brent Ray Mr. and Mrs. Robert Smolen Manfred Wendt Therissa McKelvey Mrs. Mary Read and Mr. Ross Read Mr. and Mrs. Paul A. Snopko Donald R. Wertz Zarin and Carmen Mehta William H. Redfield Susan Somers and Ray Cocco Dr. and Mrs. Robert D. Wertz Claretta Meier Roseanne Zank Rega The Sondheimer Family Patricia and William Wheeler Dawn G. Meiners Dennis C. Regan Charitable Foundation Charles A. Whitver Dr. Janis Mendelsohn Sandra and Ken Reid Larry and Marge Sondler James L. Wilson Jim and Ginger Meyer John Reppy Carol Sonnenschein Sadow Dr. Wendall W. Wilson Mr. Joseph Michalak Alicia and Myron Resnick Phil and Sylvia Spertus Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Witkowski Mr. and Mrs. Edward S. Mills Evelyn Richer Michael Sprinker Charles B. Wolf Vee Minarich Mrs. Mary K. Ring Joyce L. Steffel Ted and Peggy Wolff Mr. and Mrs. David Mintzer Jerry and Carole Ringer Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Stein D.P. Wood and R.L. Sufit William Mondi Jared C. Robins Mr. and Mrs. Ira N. Stone Paul Wood and The Honorable Charles Moore Mr. and Mrs. Ronald A. Rolighed Walter and Caroline Sueske Corinne Wood Lloyd Morgan Dr. Ashley S. Rose and Charitable Trust Woodland Foundation David and Linda Moscow Charlotte Puppel-Rose Ms. Jan Munagian Roberta Rosell Mr. George Murphy Dr. Karen and Mr. Samuel Dr. Belverd Needles and Rosenberg Dr. Marian Powers Babette Rosenthal “There are moments in opera Nancy A. Nichols Lorelei Rosenthal Gayla and Ed Nieminen Marsha and Robert Rosner performances that touch John Nigh Mr. George Ruhana Daniel S. Novak Drs. Cynthia and Gary Ruoff and humanize us. and Dean Ricker Louise M. Ryssmann Dr. W. E. Null Eugene W. Rzym Michael H. and Nancy R. Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Nusinow David Sachs Jim and Gladys Nutt Dr. Hans Sachse Mr. Michael J. O'Connell Mr. and Mrs. Frank R. Safford Mr. and Mrs. James Swartchild Mark Woodworth and Gail O'Gorman John Sagos Anne Taft Randi Ravitts Woodworth Abby O'Neil and Carroll Joynes Mr. and Mrs. Gary Sagui Ms. Claudine Tambuatco Dr. Robert G. Zadylak Mrs. Virginia A. O'Neill Sharon Salveter and Stephan Meyer Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Tarcov and James C. Kemmerer Penny J. Obenshain Robert and Mary Ann Savard Mr. Charles A. Tausche Michael and Judy Zeddies Mr. and Mrs. Keith Olson Mary T. Schafer Mr. and Mrs. Terrence Taylor Barbara Zeleny Mrs. Richard C. Oughton Patricia Schaefer Mr. Jonathon Thierer Marianne and Ted Zelewsky Gerald L. Padbury Dr. Michelle Schultz Linda and Ronald Thisted Richard E. Ziegler Evelyn E. Padorr Julie Schwertfeger and Myron and Karen Hletko Tiersky Camille J. Zientek Ms. Lynne L. Pantalena Alexander Zajczenko Mr. and Mrs. Michael Tirpak Mr. Marvin Zonis and Alap Patel Jim and Joan Sears Mr. and Mrs. Harold B. Tobin Ms. Lucy L. Salenger Kevin Patti Dr. Itai Seggev and Joanne Tremulis Dr. Dara Goldman
Lyric is very grateful to the thousands of donors who give gifts of less than $1,000 to our annual campaign. Due to space limitations, we are unable to list the names of these donors, but their generosity is greatly appreciated.
The following includes donors whose gifts or pledges where received by July 29, 2019.
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 73 Commemorative gifts
Gifts of $1,000 and above contributed in the name of a friend, loved one or colleague are a unique expression of thoughtfulness.
IN MEMORY OF Hugo Melvoin, from the IN HONOR OF Elizabeth Hurley, from Marlene John R. Blair, from Barbara Blair Melvoin Foundation Julie and Roger Baskes, from Dubas, Mark Ferguson Alison Campbell de Frise, from Virginia Byrne Mooney, Michael and Sally Feder, Sylvia and Elizabeth Yntema Richard and Clementina Durkes, from Kathleen Vondran Neil and Daniel Fischel, Burton Margot and Josef Lakonishok, Elise Paschen, Liz Stiffel Dorothy Nopar, from her and Sheli Rosenberg, Peter from Arsen and Elizabeth Lois Dunn, from Kathleen Dunn many friends and family Wender Manugian Anne Gross, from her many Peer and Sarah Pedersen, Mrs. Lester Crown, from Charles Phil Lumpkin, from Pamela friends and family from Leslie Bertholdt, James and Caroline Huebner, John and Crutchfi eld Jack and Helen Halpern, and Elizabeth Bramsen Claire Siragusa, Frederick and Sue Niemi, from BCLLP Foundation, from Janice Halpern Ken Pigott, from the Tully Family Catherine Waddell Marlene Dubas Angela Holtzman, Foundation, Mariclaire and Stephen Dunbar, from Thomas David Pountney, from Lou Aledort from Marjory Oliker Lowell Dixon and Diane Cleary Regan Rohde Friedmann, William Laird Kleine-Ahlbrandt, Joan L. Richards, from Craig Sirles Anne Edwards, from Joel from Kay and Craig Tuber from Sheila Hegy Shirley Ryan’s parents, from Patrick and Arla Gomberg David S. Ruder, from Robert Barbara Lieber, from her many G. and Shirley Welsh Ryan Renée Fleming, from Cynthia and Gloria Turner friends and family Nancy Wald, from The Vahlkamp and Robert Kenyon Erica Sandner, from Mirja Dixie Lim Go, from her many Humanist Fund Anthony Freud, from Franci Crane, and Ted Haffner friends and family Dr. William Warren, from Edward Grant Nancy Searle, from Carol Gwyneth Lyon, from Kathryn Marshall and Joann Goldin Ruth Ann Gillis, from Sam Townline and James Pollock Voland-Mann and Robert Mann Margery S. Wolf, from Benjamin Development, Inc., Liz Stiffel Liz Stiffel, from Ruth Ann Alexandra Lyons Cooney, from and Donna Wolf Marilyn Hayman, from Robert Gillis and Michael McGuinnis the Woodland Foundation and Gloria Turner
Take your place in Lyric history
We hope Lyric holds a permanent place in your hear, and we’d like to offer you a permanent place at Lyric.
Name a seat in the Ardis Krainik Theatre with a personalized brass plaque at the seat of your choosing. It’s the perfect way to celebrate an event, remember a loved one, or simply commemorate your love of Lyric.
Learn more at lyricopera.org/nameseat or call 312.827.5685. Todd Rosenberg Todd
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 74 Lyric Opera of Chicago | 75 Artistic roster
SOPRANOS TENORS Adam Plachetka Leonard Foglia Sarah Cambidge Ben Bliss Sir Bryn Terfel Michael Grandage Jennifer Check Lawrence Brownlee Wayne Tigges Richard Jones Yelena Dyachek Robert Brubaker Christian Van Horn Louisa Muller Mathilda Edge Bille Bruley David Weigel Matthew Ozawa Ying Fang Jonathan Burton Samuel Youn David Pountney Christine Goerke Joseph Calleja Francesca Zambello Raquel Gonzalez Dominick Chenes BASSES Lianna Haroutounian Matthew DiBattista Ildar Abdrazakov ASSOCIATE Alexandra LoBianco Eric Ferring Krzysztof Baczyk DIRECTORS Amanda Majeski Burkhard Fritz Julian Close Katrina Bachus Ana María Martínez Allan Glassman Soloman Howard Jodi Gage Whitney Morrison Clay Hilley Mika Kares Rob Kearley Diana Newman Brian Jagde Stephen Milling Toni Marie Palmertree Brandon Jovanovich Anthony Reed PUPPETRY Emily Pogorelc Matthias Klink Matthew Rose DIRECTOR Patricia Racette Ian Koziara Henning von Schulman Chris Pirie Sondra Radvanovsky Stefan Margita Krassimira Stoyanova Dominic Rescigno ACTORS CHORUS MASTER Talise Trevigne Mario Rojas Jon Beal Michael Black Laura Wilde Rodell Rosel Miles Borchard Mary Elizabeth Williams Issachah Savage Ari Kraiman CHOREOGRAPHERS Rachel Willis-Sørensen Kyle van Schoonhoven Wilbur Pauley AND MOVEMENT Ethan Warren Tyler Sapp DIRECTORS MEZZO-SOPRANOS Kali Skatchke Linda Dobell Lindsay Ammann BARITONES Anjali Mehra Tanja Ariane Baumgartner Alessandro Corbelli PUPPETEERS Denni Sayers Marianne Crebassa Anthony Clark Evans Taylor Bibat August Tye Kayleigh Decker Gordon Hawkins Sean Garratt Elizabeth DeShong Levi Hernandez Tom Lee FIGHT Kathleen Felty Quinn Kelsey Chris Pirie CHOREOGRAPHERS Susan Graham Christopher Kenney Amy Rose Chuck Coyl Jill Grove Davide Luciano Michele Stine Nick Sandys Jane Henschel Andrew Manea Alisa Kolosova Ryan McKinny CONDUCTORS Catherine Martin Lucas Meachem Sir Andrew Davis Deanne Meek Brian Mulligan Riccardo Frizza Ronnita Miller Edward Parks James Gaffigan Deborah Nansteel Ricardo José Rivera Enrique Mazzola The American Guild of Musical Nina Yoshida Nelsen Hugh Russell Henrik Nánási Artists, AFL-CIO (AGMA), is the union that represents the singers, dancers, Taylor Raven Daniel Sutin Nicole Paiement actors, and staging personnel at Annie Rosen Ethan Vincent Stefano Sarzani Lyric Opera of Chicago. Grant Youngblood CONTRALTO DIRECTORS Lauren Decker BASS-BARITONES Rob Ashford Brandon Cedel Benjamin Davis Philip Horst Tara Faircloth Eric Owens Robert Falls
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 76 Lyric Opera of Chicago | 77 Lyric staff
LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO DEVELOPMENT FINANCE LaRob Payton, Lyric Learning Anthony Freud, OBE, Elizabeth Hurley, Chief Roberta Lane, Chief Financial & Creative Engagement General Director, President Development Officer and Administrative Officer Coordinator & CEO, The Women’s Board Marisa Lerman,Executive Assistant Whitney Bercek, Controller Endowed Chair to the Chief Development Officer Vincente F. Milianti, Senior Director, MARKETING AND Sir Andrew Davis, Music Director Omar Mulero, Development Assistant Financial Planning and Analysis COMMUNICATIONS John D. and Alexandra C. Nichols Patrick Nugent, Vice President for Nicky Chaybasarskaya, Senior Accountant Lisa Middleton, Vice President, Endowed Chair Individual and Organizational Giving Ana Joyce, Senior Accountant Marketing and Communications Renée Fleming, Creative Consultant Daniel Moss, Senior Director of Nancy Ko, Accounting Manager Shelby Homiston, Marketing and Drew Landmesser, Deputy Institutional Partnerships Tom Pels, Payroll Manager Public Relations Coordinator General Director and Chief Mike Biver, Director of Gift Planning Dan Seekman, Senior Staff Accountant Laura E. Burgos, Senior Director, Operating Officer Adriane Fink, Director of Rosemary Ryan, Digital and Analytics Elizabeth Hurley, Chief Institutional Partnerships Accounts Payable Associate Valerie Bromann, Manager of Development Officer Angela Larson, Director of Annual Meg Van Dyk, Payroll Associate Digital Content and Analysis Roberta Lane, Chief Financial Giving Gwenetta Almon, Payroll Coordinator Michael Musick, and Administrative Officer Libby Rosenfeld, Philanthropy Officer E-Commerce Manager Cayenne Harris, Vice President, Jonathan P. Siner, Senior Director HUMAN RESOURCES Amanda Reitenbach, Learning & Creative Engagment, of Gift Planning Elizabeth Landon, Vice President, Social Media Associate The Chapters' Endowed Chair Angela DeStefano, Philanthropy Officer Human Resources Holly H. Gilson, Senior Director, for Education Scott Podraza, Associate Director of Stephanie Strong, Director Communications Elizabeth Landon, Vice President, Annual Giving of Compensation, Benefits Magda Krance, Human Resources Sarah Sapperstein, Associate and HR Operations Director of Media Relations Nicholas Ivor Martin, Director of Development Content Charity Franco, Roger Pines, Dramaturg Vice President, Artistic Kristen Bigham, Gift Planning Associate Human Resources Associate Mari Moroz, Operations and Labor Strategy Dan Meyer, Institutional Sharai Bohannon, Office Coordinator Public Relations Manager Andreas Melinat, Vice President, Partnerships Associate Mosadi Goodman, Human Andrew Cioffi, Artistic Planning Karoline Reynolds, Digital Resources Coordinator Digital Content Producer Lisa Middleton, Vice President, Fundraising Associate Tracy Galligher Young, Marketing and Communications Kelli Dawson, Institutional INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Senior Director, Marketing Dan Novak, Vice President and Partnerships Assistant Will Raj, Vice President, and Audience Development Director, Ryan Opera Center Anna VanDeKerchove, Donor Information Technology Jennifer Colgan, Director of Sales The Ryan Opera Center Board Engagement and Stewardship Eric Hayes, Director of IT Operations and Advertising Endowed Chair Coordinator Rita Parida, Director of Data Services Brittany Gonzalez, Will Raj, Vice President, Kate Sheehan, Vice President Jessica Keener, Systems Analyst Director of Group Sales Information Technology for Principal Gifts Sean Lennon, Systems Administrator Daniel Crespo, Graphic Designer Rich Regan, Vice President and Lawrence DelPilar, Senior Director, Bob Helmuth, Technology LeiLynn Farmer, General Manager, Presentations Development Support Associate Group Sales Associate and Events Meaghan Stainback, Philanthropy Coleman Dieffenbach, Technology Margaret Kellas, Lyric Learning & Michael Smallwood, Officer Support Specialist Creative Engagement Marketing Vice President and Technical Kate Later, Senior Director of Board Associate Director, Allan and Elaine Management and Special Events LYRIC LABS Stefany Phillips, Creative Project Muchin Endowed Chair Deborah Hare, Director of Special STRATEGIC PROJECTS Associate Events Christopher Ainsley, Lyric Labs Lindsey Raker, Marketing Associate, OFFICE OF THE Leah Bobbey, Boards Manager Strategic Projects, Office Director Advertising and Promotions GENERAL DIRECTOR Sarah Geocaris, Guild Board and Kara Riopelle, Lyric Labs Project Sarah Sabet, Marketing Associate, Anthony Freud, General Director, Chapters Associate Manager Special Programs President & CEO, The Women’s Rachel Peterson, Special Events Board Endowed Chair Associate LEARNING & CREATIVE TICKET DEPARTMENT/ Linda Nguyen, Manager, Andrea Rubens, Individual Giving ENGAGEMENT AUDIENCE SERVICES Office of the General Director and Lyric Young Professionals Cayenne Harris, Vice President, Susan Harrison Niemi, Michelle Hoehne, Assistant, Office Associate Lyric Learning & Creative Director of Audience Services of the General Director Paul D. Sprecher, Special Events Engagement, The Chapters' Alex Chatziapostolou-Demas, Associate Endowed Chair for Education Sales Manager OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY Devin Bopp, Board of Directors Crystal Coats, Director John Renfroe, Tessitura Manager GENERAL DIRECTOR and Women’s Board Coordinator of Community Programs Laura Waters, Customer Service Drew Landmesser, Deputy Amy Tinucci, Director of Todd Snead, Director and Call Center Manager General Director and Development Operations of Learning Programs Leigh Folta, VIP Ticketing Associate Chief Operating Officer Kelly E. Cronin, Manager of Will Biby, Manager of Julia Acquistapace Operations and Data Analytics Audience Programs Julie Anderson ARTISTIC Stephanie Lillie, Donor Records and Drew Smith, Learning Programs Marnie Baylouny Andreas Melinat, Vice President, Reporting Associate Manager Achilles Bezanis Artistic Planning Erin Johnson, Donor Records Cameron Murdock, Benjamin Burney Cory Lippiello, Artistic Administrator Coordinator Backstage Tours Coordinator Alex Carey Evamaria Wieser, Casting Consultant Emily Crisp Erik Dohner
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 78 Ashlyn Elliot John W. Coleman Chris Barker Maureen Reilly, Costume Claire French Rachel C. Henneberry Robert Hull, Jr. Director, The Richard Andrew Groble Rachel A. Tobias Rigging/Automation Assistants P. and Susan Kiphart Shelagh Haney Stage Managers Mark Shanabrough, Endowed Chair Erin Hogan Alaina Bartkowiak Head Shop Carpenter Lucy Lindquist, Karen Hunt Rachel C. Henneberry Brian Grenda, Layout Carpenter Wardrobe Mistress Caitlyn Johnson Daniel Sokalski Drew Trusk, Head Shop Welder Louie Barrios Kerri Killeen Peggy Stenger Bruce Woodruff, Layout Welder Molly Herman Eve Krueger Amy C. Thompson Richard “Doc” Wren, Robert Hilliard Steve Landsman Rachel A. Tobias Warehouse Coordinator Kate Keefe Madison Lawry Bill Walters Dan DiBennardi, Assistant Cecylia Kinder Ian Maryfield Sandra Zamora Warehouse Coordinator Krystina Lowe Amy Munroe Assistant Stage Managers Dan Donahue Talia Newton Jessica Reinhart Ben Bell Bern, Rehearsal Justin Hull Kathy Rubel Adam Stubitsch Department Manager Ryan McGovern Toni Rubino Emily Thornton Kevin Krasinski, Assistant Carpenters Joanna Rzepka Marisa von Drasek Artist Services Manager Anthony Bernardy Marguerite Scott Ciera Williams Marina Vecci, Connor Ingersoll Rebecca Shouse Angela Yu, Ticket Staff Rehearsal Associate John Ingersoll Ewa Szylak Emily Crisp, Lyric Concierge Jeffrey Jauch Aiden McGovern Barbara Szyllo Representative Danielle Krispin Johnny Rivers Carolina Tuazon Rehearsal Assistants Chase Torringa Isaac Turner OPERATIONS Carpenters Maggie Zabierowski Nicholas Ivor Martin, RYAN OPERA CENTER Michael C. Reynolds, Wardrobe Staff President, Artistic Operations Dan Novak, Vice President and Master Electrician Samantha Holmes, and Labor Strategy Director, Ryan Opera Center Soren Ersbak, Board Operator Wardrobe Crew Head Wendy Skoczen, Chief Librarian The Ryan Opera Center Board John Clarke, Jr. Kristine Anderson Tabitha Boorsma, Operations Associate Endowed Chair Anthony Coia Scott Barker Stephanie Karr, Senior Director Craig Terry, Music Director, The Thomas Hull Lauren Crotty of Music Administration Jannotta Family Endowed Chair Robert Reynolds Dawn Marie Hamilton Michael Calderone, Music Julia Faulkner, Director of Vocal Assistant Electricians David Hough Administration Associate, Studies, Elizabeth F. Cheney Jason Combs Charlie Junke Orchestra and Ballet Foundation Thomas Fernandez Kim Kostera Sarah Cohn, Music Administration Emma Scherer, Associate Gary Grenda Wendy McCay Associate, Chorus Brian Hobbs Moira O’Neil TECHNICAL Daniel Kuh Dulce Santillan PRESENTATIONS AND EVENTS Michael Smallwood Asiel Simpson Lynn Sparber Rich Regan, Vice President and Vice President and Technical Jose Villalpando Chris Valente General Manager, Presentations Director, The Allan and Elaine Electricians Roger Weir and Events Muchin Endowed Chair Joe Schofield Kristi Wood Geri LaGiglio, Director of Front of Scott Marr, Wardrobe, Wigs, Head Audio Technician Samantha Yonan, Dressers House Operations and Makeup Director Nick Charlan Sarah Hatten, Wigmaster and Sharon Lomasney, Director of April Busch, Technical Matt Eble Makeup Designer, The Marlys Presentations and Events Operations Director Kelvin Ingram Beider Endowed Chair Megan St. John, Director of Facility Michael Schoenig, Technical Audio Technicians Allison Burkholder, Operations Finance Director Charles Reilly, Department Coordinator Erica Kempe, Facilities Coordinator Scott Wolfson, Associate Property Master Bridget Ryzmski, Maya Stallworth, Presentations and Technical Director Michael McPartlin, Wig Crew Head Events Coordinator Madeleine Borg, Production Properties Crew Head Necole Bluhm Gregg Brody, Box Office Manager Manager – Learning & Phil Marcotte, Prop Carpenter DeShawn Bowman Patrick Dowling, Patron Services Community Engagement Bob Ladd, Armorer Martha Contreras Manager and Ryan Opera Center Rachel Boultinghouse, Brittany Perez Crinson Stephen Dunford, Chief Engineer Maria DeFabo Akin, Properties Upholsterer Eric Daniels David Jaworski, Porter and Scenic Design Director Robert Hartge Lillian Dion Tiffany Kane, Restaurant Manager Chris Maravich, Lighting Director, Michael O’Donnell, Jr. June Gearon Briette Madrid, Stage Door Mary-Louise and James S. Richard Tyriver David Grant Supervisor Aargard Lighting Director Assistant Properties Chantelle Marie Johnson Sheila Matthews, Front of House Endowed Chair Michael Buerger Lynn Koroulis Manager Lea Branyan Joseph Collins Robert Kuper Lena Reynolds-Sneed, Assistant Technical Production Coordinator Adam Gorsky Briette Madrid House Manager Sarah Riffle Gordon Granger Lana McKinnon Charles Tucker, Front of House Bridget Williams Joe Mathesius Claire Moores Manager Assistant Lighting Designers Kevin McPartlin Megan Pirtle Joe Dockweiler, Luigi Trupiano Jada Richardson PRODUCTION Master Carpenter Properties Lela Rosenberg Cameron Arens, Mike Reilly, Head Flyman/ Brian Traynor Rick Salazar Senior Director, Production Automation Charge Artist Rachel Stiles Katrina Bachus Jeffrey Streichhirsch, Tim Morrison Kacy Tatus Jordan Lee Braun Automation Assistant Michael Murtaugh Pat Tomlinson David Carl Toulson Scenic Artists Emily Young Assistant Stage Directors Wig and Makeup Staff
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 79 Backstage life: John Clarke
WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AT LYRIC, AND HOW LONG WHAT’S THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT HAVE YOU HELD THE POSITION? OF YOUR JOB? Broad stroke, I’m a stagehand, and specifically the assistant The most challenging thing is interpreting whatever the director electrician. I don’t know when I became an assistant! I’ve been or designer’s idea is into something that doesn’t exist yet. Example? here since ‘86—initially as an apprentice. Back then we had two “I picture the floor bleeding,” both for Elektra and for Bel Canto. apprentices in each department, and every seven weeks you’d After the shootings at the end, characters fell and were supposed switch departments so you’d learn a little of everything. I started to bleed from their heads, and we had the blood come up through as a carpenter, when I was done being an apprentice—that was the floor. Another favorite was the “dancing” water fountain in about five years—then the electricians asked me to join their crew. the most recent Mikado, with the spurts of water synchronized to I did, and I’ve stayed there ever since! the music. That’s the most challenging part—they say, “I want the water to dance with the music!” and they go away and I’ve gotta WHAT LED YOU TO WORK AT LYRIC? make it work. I have to give my father credit because he was a stagehand here for 45 years, but he didn’t want me to work here! He had higher WHAT KEEPS YOU COMMITTED TO THE WORK aspirations for me, but I’d been coming to work with him since YOU DO? I was a little kid and thought it was the coolest thing. He’s John It’s the only job I know of where you get to do cool stuff like that! Clarke, too. The opportunity came up and I took it. I was 19, What really keeps me committed is the opportunity with every maybe just turned 20. production to take an abstract idea and build it from scratch. I get to be as creative as I can and invent things no one has ever seen WHAT’S A TYPICAL DAY LIKE FOR YOU? before. A truly unique way to contribute to an experience that A typical day is anything but typical! It usually starts with a plan hopefully touches the lives of nearly 3,600 people. And it’s fun! laid the day before that goes completely off the rails. Half my job is working on productions and half my job is keeping a 90-year- WHAT’S SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR JOB old building from falling apart. I get here at 7:30 a.m. every day, THAT PEOPLE MIGHT NOT KNOW? and honestly sort of hold my breath when I walk in. I start turning Probably that there are places in this building that no one left lights on and start looking for whatever went wrong last night. alive has been in. I’ve been in every ceiling, wall, and floor space The plan is to strike whatever the show was last night, but more there is within the theater and backstage. There’s usually a often than it should be there’s something that doesn’t work or tiny little knee-shaped hole in the brick…I’ve had to chisel into a water leak somewhere or someone came up with an idea time capsules left by the guys who built the building. We still at midnight and it’s now an emergency! If there’s a show or have places with original wiring and piping that needs to be rehearsal to set up onstage, the main thing I have to do is maintained…and the installation of new equipment, too. Like our whatever lighting effects, water effects, bleeding floors, etc. video wall down there that we hung from a space no one knew needs to be set up—and it’s different for every production. existed, over the Opera Club stairs.
A FAVORITE LYRIC MOMENT? That would have to be when I rode the mountain out for the old Magic Flute—August Everding’s production, which put me three feet away from the Queen of the Night during her big aria. That’s the first time I really appreciated opera—it made the hair on my neck stand up! I’d been here a couple of years and had never liked opera, because I didn’t realize what people could do with their voices. I’ve gotten to like a lot of it. I’m more of a Verdi, Puccini, Rossini kind of guy, and a lot of the other stuff I like, too.
BEYOND OPERA, WHAT ARE YOUR OTHER PASSIONS? Whiskey and motorcycles! Whiskey across the board, motorcycles specifically Harley Davidson!
Lyric Opera of Chicago | 80 Lyric Opera of Chicago | 3 Lyric Opera of Chicago | 4 LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO THE BARBER OF SEVILLE 2019/20 SEASON