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A R I A S O C I E T Y S P O T L I G H T |
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October 6 - 20, 2018
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Julius Frankel
JULIUS FRANKEL FOUNDATION
A founding patron of Lyric Theatre (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. The 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
benefited 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. “The 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 significant gift to the Breaking New Ground Campaign. This season,
the Julius Frankel Foundation is a generous cosponsor of Lyric's new coproduction
of
La bohème.
Elizabeth Morse Genius
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.
Through the Trust’s support of classical fine 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, The 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 efforts 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 offices as the Elizabeth Morse
Genius Conference Room in order to show its grateful appreciation for the Trust’s
significant 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,
The 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
firm’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. They 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. They 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. They 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. The 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. The 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
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. The 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. The 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.