Lyric Opera 2024-2025 Issue 7 - La bohème

13 | Lyric Opera of Chicago The future of opera is an all-too-common topic in houses great and small all over the world. Ideas about how to guarantee the art form’s longevity come from everywhere — and its demise has been announced more than once. But for a bright ray of hope, look no further than the Lyric Young Professionals, a group of like-minded fans, ranging in age from 21 to 45, who give their time, money and, most importantly perhaps, their ongoing attention and attendance to Lyric productions of every sort. “One of the interesting things about our group is that it ranges from people who have never seen an opera before in their life, and they’re just curious about it, to people who studied voice in college,” says Neil Dewan, a CPA who became the group’s board president this past summer. “There is a wide range of knowledge and experience, and no one is precious about it. Some people really love the history, some love the culture or the languages. But having a group filled with different levels of experience and different interests — you get interesting perspectives. That’s really rewarding for our members.” The group’s activities are rewarding for Lyric, as well. Funds raised by the group (from membership fees, events, and other activities) primarily go to the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center — a “natural connection,” Dewan notes. “Members of the Ensemble are obviously professionals in their own field. We attend their events and it’s nice to meet people who are our peers and get a little peek into the world of training as an opera singer. I think a lot of people don’t realize how rigorous that is, and how long it takes to really develop as a performer.” The group’s continuing growth, in the wake of the pandemic — its membership numbers close to 150 today, with a board of 16 — may be the surest sign that opera of the highest caliber will be on offer in Chicago for generations to come. For a number of years, its biggest event of the year took place around Halloween, with members and their guests filling up the opera house’s Grand Foyer with a stellar array of costumes at a sparkling, lively bash. But the past few years have brought some evolution. There’s plenty of fun – but more opera. “Halloween was lovely, but we found that we wanted to invest in more consistent and substantive — more Lyric-centric — touch points with members throughout the year,” says Mandy Hatfield, Lyric’s Director of Volunteer Boards and Special Events. Perhaps the organization’s signature offering today is the Medley subscription, an initiative that offers affordable packages of good seats. “For at least one performance of most of our operas, we have a Medley Night where people come and meet on the mezzanine,” Hatfield adds. “They gather and discuss and chat during intermission.” Throughout the year, the members attend casual offsite “LYP on Tap” gatherings at various locations around the city. (An early event this season at City Winery featured wine and cheese pairings.) Those typically occur on the fourth Wednesday of the month, though there are special holiday gatherings as well, and even group outings to other events around the city. For the popular annual Rising Stars in Concert at Millennium Park, the unofficial start to the city’s cultural season, the young professionals show up in force and lend their enthusiasm in remarkable ways. A major highlight this season was the recent Moonlight Social , held on the first night of Sondra Radvanovsky in Concert: The Puccini Heroines . More than 120 guests mingled on the mezzanine before the performance, then gathered backstage afterwards in a rehearsal room bedecked with Lyric set pieces, the functional space transformed into a magical, moonlit garden party. Several Ryan Opera Center Ensemble singers attended. Even Radvanovsky, and Music Director Enrique Mazzola, fresh off a triumphant program, joined in the fun. “The event was very much a collaboration,” Hatfield notes. “The board had a very active hand in reaching out to local restaurants, breweries, and businesses for support. The donated food and beverages were delicious and everyone had a blast with the photo booth and dancing.” “This was widely representative of the direction we’re moving in — creating the right kinds of invitations to new audiences,” adds Jonah Levi-Paesky, Associate in the Volunteer Boards office. “We’re trying to rethink what a young professional group is capable of. And we’re just now hitting our stride.” “We’ve got doctors and lawyers, teachers and writers and engineers. You don’t have to speak Italian. It’s about sharing the experience.”