Lyric Opera 2018-2019 Issue 4 Siegfried

40 | November 3 - 16, 2018 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 Were it not for the Guild Board of Directors at Lyric Opera of Chicago, Jim Staples may have never discovered his passion for opera. Growing up in Chicago with his grandparents, opera and classical music were present in his childhood home, but he didn’t develop his interest in music until much later in life. Upon graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Jim’s finance and business development career propelled him around the world to Bogotá, Miami, New York City, Tokyo, and back to Chicago. The stars seemed to align when Jim reconnected with his acquaintance and then-Guild Board member Joe Starshak. “I met with Joe and he said ‘you’re joining the Guild Board of Directors at Lyric, what do you know about opera?’ And I responded ‘not a lot.’” Though Jim had seen Tosca at the Met in New York and Madama Butterfly in Tokyo, he had not been to Lyric until after he was recruited to the Guild Board. “I think the grandeur of the Lyric Opera House is what first struck me. Just being here; it’s beautiful. Then my knowledge of the art form grew. I was introduced to Maria Callas by my friends. Her voice was so unique, I thought she was so great. I loved listening to Luciano Pavarotti. To this day, I can honestly say I don’t know of another male opera star that I like better. My emotions at performances continue to surprise me.” When Jim first interviewed with Guild Board leaders Sherry Kelley and Jan Jentes back in 1992, he recalls, “I was very intimidated. We were sitting in front of this giant fireplace in Jan’s home, one interviewer on my right and the other on my left, and I’m this little neophyte sitting there talking about my life and my interest in the board. I realized it wasn’t just about money, but who you were.” Shortly after Jim joined the ranks, he started volunteering for the Guild Board’s Premium Backstage tours each spring. “I was the bartender. It was a great way to meet people and I knew how to make drinks.” In time, Jim was summoned to lead tours himself. “I never went back to the bar. I loved the tours.” Jim fondly recalls memories from the Guild Board’s Fantasy of the Opera days, and proudly notes that he did not miss a single gala. “I worked with Jan Largay and her husband Bob on decorations when I was chair of Fantasy. The theme was Carnival. We worked late into the night cutting, putting glitter on things, drinking.” He laughs, “I can’t say the decorations were that professional but with lots of glitter and low lights, it worked out. That is a great memory.” Fantasy of the Opera was retired in 2014 and the Guild Board now collaborates with the Women’s Board to produce the Spring Musical Celebration. Jim embraces the evolution and new partnership. “Not everything should be tradition; we need more outside-the-box thinking.” Last May’s Jesus Christ Superstar Celebration provided the opportunity for just that. Following the epic performance, guests were transported off-site to The Murphy for the After Party hosted by the Guild Board. The late night dance party delivered, with members of the cast attending, dancing, and even posing for selfies. “We didn’t have a big budget. But we thought, how about creating a huge neon cross for the party? It was the centerpiece of the space and ended up being 14 feet tall. It turned out great.” Lyric exceeded the event’s fundraising goal and guests experienced an electrifying evening indeed. Now in his third year as President, strategic thinking on Guild Board growth is top of mind. “I’ve already thought about my succession, the strengths of every officer and what they can bring to bear in their role.” The Guild Board’s directive for the future is clear. “Our goal is to initiate 10 new Guild Board members this year. There’s a multiplier effect and there are always possibilities.” The addition of new Guild Board members will bring more people from their networks to Lyric whether they are opera regulars or not. “They might not know a lot about opera and they might not have a lot of experience, but the more you go, the more you get an addiction to it.” Increasing membership goes hand- in-hand with Jim’s ultimate goal: to see this group of opera aficionados develop into a fundraising powerhouse for Lyric. “We can’t think in the old way anymore, we have to evolve. We are working on diversity, from cultural backgrounds to different industries. We don’t have enough diversity yet. My vision is that the Guild Board grow, and grow, and grow so that we don’t blink an eye at fundraising $2 million dollars a year. I’m thinking out 5 years, from a strategic business development point of view.” In addition to Jim’s dedicated service on the Guild Board, he is a season subscriber and generous donor to Lyric’s annual campaign. Jim has also made arrangements for a gift through his estate to support The Guild Board of Directors Verdi Endowed Chair. When asked what inspired him to make a planned gift, Jim said, “it was the natural thing to do. The beauty of opera is that you are combining so many arts together. It’s really difficult to pull it off. But when you do, it’s amazing. It brings an incredible energy to the audience. That’s showbiz.” — Angela DeStefano Jim Staples: “That’s Showbiz”