Lyric Opera 2018-2019 Issue 11 La Traviata II

P A T R O N S A L U T E | L Y R I C O P E R A O F C H I C A G O 52 | February 16 - March 22, 2019 For many opera fans, the excitement and thrill of a live per- formance is electric. Experiencing a connec- tion with singers’ voices as they navigate the superhuman demands of operatic repertoire can be intoxicating for the audience. It is truly something that only live opera can deliver as the vibrations of the music travel through the opera house, inter- twining with the emotions of the human spirit, and resonating in the hearts of those who are lucky enough to take it all in. For Candy and Gary Ridgway, this resonance with an operatic experience is infectious. As Gary describes his first time seeing his favorite opera, Verdi’s Nabucco , with a tear in his eye as he talks about the chorus singing “Va, pensiero,” or as Candy excitedly shares her love for Lyric and the moments she has enjoyed in the Lyric Opera House, one truly understands their passion for this art form. Candy says heart- feltly, “Opera just gets all in amongst me.” e experience of live opera was a gift for Candy and Gary from Candy’s late beloved mother, Mary Sue. Early in the couple’s relationship, a Christmas gift of tickets to Mozart’s Abduction from the Seraglio at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., began a tradition that the couple has kept for years. Candy’s newfound love of live opera was something that she could also share with her mother, creating a very special bond between them. “My mother instilled in my siblings and me a love of storytelling, theater, and music through opera,” Candy fondly recalls. “It was important to her that we were exposed to the cultural gems that she loved so dearly. I remember her listening to the Met Opera broadcasts, filling the house with music every Saturday after- noon. She would often pull from her collection of recordings, and she even made her selections to match the weather, playing Gounod’s Faust during a storm outside, with flashes of lightning electrify- ing the drama of the music.” As the family was often stationed in remote places with the Coast Guard, Mary Sue was not able to take her children to see the shows she loved, but she shared what she could with them – in Candy’s case, imparting a love of opera. Candy shared much with her mother in return, including trips to Chicago to see performances at Lyric. Candy and Gary began traveling to places like the Metropolitan Opera in New York and Lyric Opera of Chicago. ey visited Lyric first in 2005 with Candy’s mother to see Samuel Ramey perform Scarpia in Tosca , an experience the couple says, “we’ll never forget.” ey have been coming to Lyric since then and have been subscribers since 2009, often leaving their home in Washington, D.C., for a performance at Lyric. What started as just a subscription to a few operas became a full 8-opera sub- scription, including a tradition of coming to the opening night of each Lyric season with Candy’s sister. Candy says, “Lyric feels like home. ere’s a sense of family here.” Candy and Gary’s love for Lyric has grown so much that they recently became members of Lyric’s Production Sponsor family by sponsoring last season’s Rigoletto . When asked what inspired them to take this step, they said, “We love Lyric so much, we just wanted to do more.” On the opening night of Rigoletto , Candy and Gary shared their experience with their family, and the emotion was palpable during intermission having just heard a thrilling performance of “Caro nome” by star soprano Rosa Feola. As the vibrations of Gilda’s aria circled around the opera house, the love of opera that Mary Sue had imparted to her children all those years ago and the memories that Candy and her sister share of her were relived and reinvigorated in that moment. Lyric is honored to provide a platform for moments like these and is immensely grateful for the support of Candy and Gary Ridgway which makes it all possible. At the end of the evening, with tears in her eyes, Candy said, “this one’s for mom.” — Zachary Vanderburg Candy and Gary Ridgway: is One's for Mom (Left to right) Gary Ridgway, soprano Rosa Feola, baritone Quinn Kelsey, and Candy Ridgway, after opening night of Rigoletto (2017/18 season). DAN REST