Lyric Opera 2018-2019 Issue 8 Elektra

L Y R I C O P E R A O F C H I C A G O 14 | February 2 - 22, 2019 Joining The Lyric Family ere’s no getting around it – opera is a very expensive business. You might be surprised to learn that ticket sales cover less than 50 per- cent of the operating costs for Lyric Opera of Chicago. e rest must be raised through contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Lyric’s fundraising is managed by its development department, recognized in Chicago and, indeed, throughout the national performing-arts scene, as one of the leaders in the field. e department’s extraordinary track record was maintained for 22 years by former chief development officer Mary Ladish Selander. While under her leadership, Lyric completed three very successful capital campaigns and tripled its endowment, but it is an ongoing effort to secure Lyric's future. e department has been headed since March 2018 by chief development officer Elizabeth Hurley. She arrived at Lyric after a thirty-year career in American philanthropy, following key positions at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Grant Park Music Festival, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Metropolitan Opera, and most recently as vice president of development and public affairs for e Juilliard School in New York. Although there have been changes in leadership in the develop- ment department, one thing that remains the same is Lyric’s admiration for and gratitude towards its donors. “Philanthropy is a uniquely American pastime,” says Hurley. “Citizens come together to create the organizations and services that make our communities vibrant places to raise families and do business. Great institutions are created by and for the communities they serve. ” Lyric is very much a reflection of this American philanthropic drive and was founded because “people in the Chicago community Lyric music director Sir Andrew Davis with donors at a Ryan Opera Center master class. DAN REST “People in the Chicago community and in this region want access to grand opera ... they believe a great city deserves a great opera company.” — Elizabeth Hurley By Roger Pines