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L Y R I C O P E R A O F C H I C A G O
50
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October 6 - 20, 2018
Mr. and Mrs. Jay A. Pritzker
PRITZKER FOUNDATION
The Pritzker Foundation is a leading supporter of
arts and education philanthropies in Chicago. Lyric
Opera of Chicago is truly grateful for the Pritzker
Foundation’s generous support of the Breaking New
Ground Campaign to underwrite the Pritzker Family
Concert Shell, designed by renowned Chicago architect
Jeanne Gang and Studio Gang architects. Lyric is
honored to have Life Member Mrs. Jay A. Pritzker and
M. K. Pritzker serve on its esteemed Women’s Board.
J. CHRISTOPHER and ANNE N. REYES
Anne and Chris Reyes are prominent members of the
Lyric family. A past President of Lyric’s Women’s
Board, Anne was recently elected to serve on Lyric’s
Board of Directors, Executive and Lyric Unlimited
Committees; Chris is an esteemed past member of the
Board of Directors. Together they have made important
contributions to Lyric as cosponsors of several mainstage productions, including last
season’s
Jesus Christ Superstar
. They have staunchly supported the Wine Auction and
are major supporters of the Annual Campaign, Breaking New Ground Campaign,
and Lyric Unlimited.
CANDY AND GARY RIDGWAY
Candy and Gary Ridgway are devoted members of the
Lyric family. They have provided continued support
of the Annual Campaign for many years and made a
significant gift to the Breaking New Ground Campaign.
Candy and Gary recently joined Lyric's Production
Sponsorship family with their sponsorship of Verdi's
Rigoletto
last season. Candy's love for opera came from
her mother, Mary Sue. They shared a mutual love for
their favorite art form here at Lyric. In talking about Candy and Gary's sponsorship
of
Rigoletto
, Candy stated, "this one's for mom."
PATRICK G. RYAN and
SHIRLEY WELSH RYAN
Lyric cherishes the enduring friendship and dedication
of Patrick G. and Shirley Welsh Ryan. Since 1966 when
they first subscribed to Lyric as newlyweds, they have
shared their leadership, talents, vision, and resources
to advance Lyric’s mission. Over the past four decades,
the Ryans have contributed generously to the Annual
Campaign, Wine Auctions (which Mrs. Ryan initiated
in 1988 and was the Honoree in 2018), and the Breaking New Ground Campaign
in support of the Innovation Initiative. In recognition of his leadership role in
the Building on Greatness Capital Campaign, Pat Ryan was a recipient of the
1994 Carol Fox Award. For many seasons, they have sponsored Lyric Opera
Commentaries, underwriting this special project to honor the memory of their
parents. The Ryans are sponsors of the Renée Fleming Initiative and Lyric’s
premier artist development program was renamed The Patrick G. and Shirley W.
Ryan Opera Center in recognition of their extraordinary gift to the Campaign for
Excellence. Pat and Shirley serve as Honorary Co-Chairs of the Ryan Opera Center
Board. A Vice President and a member of the Executive, Nominating/Governance,
and Lyric Labs of Lyric’s Board of Directors and a distinguished former President of
the Women’s Board, Shirley Welsh Ryan was awarded the 2007 Carol Fox Award,
Lyric’s most prestigious honor, in recognition of her many years of devoted service
to the company.
Jack and Catherine Scholl
DR. SCHOLL FOUNDATION
Since 1983, the Dr. Scholl Foundation’s commitment to
children, families and educational enrichment through
the arts has led it to provide essential support for one of
Lyric’s most popular cultural engagement opportunities
available to young Chicagoans, the Student Matinees.
Each year, these widely accessible performances at Lyric
Opera of Chicago reach audiences of junior high and
high school students, many of whom are experiencing opera for the first time. Lyric
Opera is deeply grateful to the Dr. Scholl Foundation for its generous ongoing
support of Student Matinees/Performances for Students, commemorating Catherine
A. and Jack E. Scholl, who championed cultural and institutional education.
Brenda Shapiro
EARL and BRENDA SHAPIRO FOUNDATION
Prominent members of the Lyric family for many seasons, Brenda
Shapiro and her late husband Earl provided vital support to the
Annual Campaign and the Breaking New Ground Campaign.
The Foundation has cosponsored several mainstage productions,
including this season's
Il trovatore.
Lyric is honored to have Brenda
Shapiro serve on the Board of Directors as well as the Executive,
Production Sponsorship, and Lyric Unlimited Committees.
SHURE INCORPORATED
Founded in 1925, Shure Incorporated is widely acknowledged as the world's leading
manufacturer of microphones and audio electronics. Over the years, the Company
has designed and produced many high-quality professional and consumer audio
products that have become legendary for performance, reliability, and value. Shure’s
diverse product line includes world-class wired microphones, wireless microphone
systems, in-ear personal monitoring systems, conferencing and discussion systems,
networked audio systems, award-winning earphones and headphones, and top-
rated phonograph cartridges. Today, Shure products are the first choice whenever
audio performance is a top priority. Lyric is honored to have partnered with Shure
Incorporated for many years. Shure Incorporated generously provided major in-kind
audio support for last season’s Broadway at Lyric
premiere of
Jesus Christ Superstar
and will again for
this season’s premiere of
West Side Story
.
SIDLEY AUSTIN LLP
A leader in the international legal arena, the law firm of Sidley
Austin is a generous corporate contributor to arts and culture in
Chicago. Lyric deeply appreciates Sidley Austin’s cosponsorship
of Lyric’s new productions of
Orfeo ed Euridice
(2005/06),
Lulu
(2008/09),
Hercules
(2010/11),
Werther
(2012/13),
Rusalka
(2013/14),
The Passenger
(2014/15), and
Les Troyens
(2016/17). This season, Sidley Austin LLP generously cosponsors
Lyric’s company premiere of
Ariodante
. Lyric is
proud to have Larry Barden, Chairman of the firm’s
Management Committee, on its Board of Directors
and Compensation Committee.
LIZ STIFFEL
A passionate devotee of opera and loyal subscriber at Lyric, Liz is a
prominent member of Lyric’s Women’s Board and a longstanding
member of the Guild Board of Directors. She has cosponsored
many mainstage productions, most recently last season’s new
production of
Orphée et Eurydice, Faust
and the
Celebrating
100 Years of Bernstein
concert. This season Liz has generously
sponsored the new coproduction of
La bohème
and is a sponsor of
the Renée Fleming 25th Anniversary Concert & Gala. Lyric has named Mezzanine
Box 1 in recognition of her significant gift to the Breaking New Ground Campaign.
Liz Stiffel was awarded the 2017 Carol Fox Award, Lyric’s most prestigious honor,
in recognition of her continuing dedication to Lyric. “I believe that Lyric and all art
forms are beacons of light that shine as examples of the best that mankind has to offer
to our children, our nation, and ourselves.”
Larry Barden