Lyric Opera 2018-2019 Issue 14 West Side Story

A R I A S O C I E T Y S P O T L I G H T | 2 0 1 8 - 2 0 1 9 May 3 - June 2, 2019 | 39 Julius Frankel JULIUS FRANKEL FOUNDATION A founding patron of Lyric eatre (now Lyric Opera of Chicago) and a Lyric Board member at the time of his death in 1982, Julius Frankel devoted his philanthropic giving to making Chicago a great place to live and enjoy life. e Julius Frankel Foundation has sustained this noble legacy under the guidance and longtime dedication of former trustees Nelson Cornelius and John Georgas and current trustee BMOHarris Bank N.A. Lyric’s audiences have bene ted greatly from the Foundation’s major grants for general operating support and production sponsorships. “Mr. Frankel was particularly interested in making Chicago one of the greatest places in the world to live and enjoy life,” Nelson Cornelius once said. “ e foundation’s giving supports things that enhance the reputation of Chicago; which, of course, Lyric does.” Lyric has named Mezzanine Box 25 in honor of Julius Frankel in grateful recognition of the Foundation’s signi cant gift to the Breaking New Ground Campaign. is season, the Julius Frankel Foundation is a generous cosponsor of Lyric's new coproduction of La bohème. ELIZABETH MORSE GENIUS CHARITABLE TRUST One of two trusts established in memory of Elizabeth Morse Genius, daughter of 19th-century industrialist Charles Hosmer Morse, the Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust is a major, and deeply appreciated, leader among Lyric’s contributors. rough the Trust’s support of classical ne arts, Co-Trustees Bank of America, N.A. and James L. Alexander seek to enrich the quality of life in Chicago. In recognition of the Trust’s Building on Greatness Capital Campaign support, Lyric named the distinctive Opera House chimes and music library in honor of Elizabeth Morse Genius. Along with its sister trust, e Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust, the Genius Trust has sponsored many mainstage productions. In addition to production sponsorship, the Trust has helped underwrite Lyric’s ongoing e orts to diversify its various boards and preserve Lyric’s history through support of its Archives project. Most recently, Lyric named one of its key meeting rooms in its executive o ces as the Elizabeth Morse Genius Conference Room in order to show its grateful appreciation for the Trust’s signi cant gift to the Breaking New Ground Campaign, as well as to recognize the Trust’s commitment over many years to helping build the company’s core capacities and institutional infrastructure. BRENT and KATIE GLEDHILL Brent and Katie are proud supporters of numerous causes in Chicago, and they have made a leadership gift to Lyric’s Breaking New Ground Campaign. Last season, Brent and Katie were sponsors of Lyric Unlimited's youth opera, e Scorpion's Sting , and Lyric's 30th Anniversary Wine Auction. Brent Gledhill is the Global Head of Investment Banking at William Blair & Company, and a member of the rm’s Executive Committee. Lyric is honored to have Brent serve on its Board of Directors, Executive Committee, and Audit Committee. WILLIAM and ETHEL GOFEN William and Ethel Gofen have been attending Lyric Opera productions for more than 50 years. ey are generous donors to Lyric’s Annual Campaign, and are members of Lyric's Production Sponsorship family, most recently cosponsoring Lyric’s new production of Faust last season. ey have also made a leadership gift to the Breaking New Ground Campaign. Lyric is thrilled to have Ethel Gofen as a member of the Board of Directors and Lyric Unlimited Committee. HOWARD L. GOTTLIEB and BARBARA G. GREIS Among Lyric’s most devoted subscribers and patrons, Howard Gottlieb and Barbara Greis have generously supported Lyric Opera through major contributions to the Annual Campaign and the Breaking New Ground Campaign. ey have cosponsored many productions, including this season’s production of La bohème . Mr. Gottlieb is the retired chairman of the Glenwood Investment Corporation and an accomplished violinist. In 2018, Mr. Gottlieb was given Lyric's highest honor, the Carol Fox Award, for his many years of generous service. Lyric is honored to have him serve as an active member of Lyric’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee. GRAMMA FISHER FOUNDATION With an unparalleled record as sponsor of more than 28 new Lyric 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. e Gramma Fisher Foundation has made a leadership commitment to cosponsor each of the four operas that make up Wagner’s Ring cycle, continuing with Siegfried this season. Lyric is sincerely grateful for the enduring friendship and leadership of Christine Hunter and other members of the Fisher family. Lyric is fortunate to have Matthew Fisher serve on its Board of Directors and Stephanie Fisher as an esteemed member of the Women’s Board. KAREN Z. GRAY-KREHBIEL and JOHN H. KREHBIEL, JR. Lyric is deeply grateful for the friendship and support of Karen Z. Gray-Krehbiel and John Krehbiel. A devoted member of the Women’s Board, Karen has served on several committees, most recently as the 2016 Board of Directors’ Annual Meeting Chair. In addition, she contributed a very generous gift to the Breaking New Ground Campaign in support of stage renovations. e Krehbiel family plays a prominent role in the continued success of the company. Karen and John joined the production sponsor family with their generous support of Carmen and last season made a leadership gift to Wine Auction 2018. MR. & MRS. DIETRICH M. GROSS Lyric deeply appreciates the enduring friendship and tremendous generosity of Dietrich and Erika Gross. Together, they have sponsored/cosponsored a total of 24 Lyric productions since 1987/88, including last season’s Die Walküre and this season's Siegfried . Lyric is honored to name Mezzanine Box 20 in grateful recognition for their leadership gift to the Breaking New Ground Campaign. Dietrich Gross is an esteemed member of Lyric’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee. In 2009, Lyric recognized the dedicated leadership and vital involvement of Dietrich Gross by granting him the Carol Fox Award, Lyric’s most prestigious honor. JOHN R. HALLIGAN CHARITABLE FUND John R. Halligan was a devoted subscriber and patron of Lyric for many years until his death in 2001. With support from his Charitable Fund under the direction of the Fund’s President, Norman J. Gantz, Mr. Halligan’s philanthropic legacy continues through very generous annual contributions to Lyric. e Halligan Fund is proud to support numerous artistic, cultural, and civic organizations which enhance our lifestyles, preserve our sense of history and heritage, instill knowledge, and advance our appreciation of nature. e fund focuses its attention on organizations based in the Chicago and Honolulu metropolitan areas, being the communities in which Mr. Halligan resided during his lifetime. Elizabeth Morse Genius John R. Halligan