Lyric Opera 2018-2019 Issue 7 La Boheme #2

L Y R I C O P E R A O F C H I C A G O 44 | January 10 - 31, 2019 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, and she is the Co-Chair of the Development Committee. 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. RICHARD O. RYAN A passionate supporter of The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, Lyric's premier artist-development program, Richard cosponsors Ryan Opera Center soprano Ann Toomey and tenor Eric Ferring, as well as the Ryan Opera Center Gala Unprohibited . An ardent opera lover, Richard has been a Lyric subscriber for more than 45 years. He recently made a generous leadership commitment to Lyric's Breaking New Ground Campaign for the stage improvement project. Richard proudly serves as a member of the Ryan Opera Center Board, and was formerly a Guild Board member. Lyric is grateful for the munificent support of Richard Ryan. 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