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A R I A S O C I E T Y S P O T L I G H T |
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46
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February 22 - March 19, 2016
ABBOTT FUND
Abbott and the Abbott Fund are leading corporate contributors to
Lyric Opera of Chicago, with a longstanding tradition of dedicated
support. Over the last three decades, Abbott has generously
cosponsored 21 Lyric productions, including the 2015/16 season-
opening production of
The Marriage of Figaro
and last season’s
Don Giovanni
. Abbott has championed Lyric’s achievements as a
contributor to the Great Opera Fund, the Building on Greatness
Capital Campaign, and Wine Auctions, among other efforts, and
made a leadership commitment to the Breaking New
Ground Campaign. Lyric is honored to have Abbott’s
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Miles D. White,
serve on its Board of Directors.
KATHERINE A. ABELSON and
ROBERT J. CORNELL
Kathy Abelson and Robert Cornell are longtime friends
of Lyric Opera. Kathy comes from generations of opera
lovers and is a former singer, having trained with some
of the best voice teachers in the world, including Elvira
de Hidalgo, who taught Maria Callas. Kathy has been a
donor and a season subscriber to Lyric since 1977. Deeply
committed to Lyric Opera’s renowned artist development program, The Patrick G. and
Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, Kathy is a Past President and current member of the
Ryan Opera Center Board, in addition to being a leadership donor to the Ryan Opera
Center for over twenty years. Lyric is also honored to have Kathy Abelson on its Board
of Directors. This season Kathy and Robert are generously cosponsoring Lyric’s revival
of
Nabucco
.
ADA and WHITNEY ADDINGTON
Ada andWhitney Addington are dedicated Lyric subscribers
and donors. For many seasons, they have contributed to the
Annual Campaign, and have generously supported the
Great Opera Fund, the Building on Greatness Capital
Campaign, the Campaign for Excellence, and the Breaking
New Ground Campaign. The Addingtons have also
invested in the company’s future through their planned
gift to Lyric. This season they cosponsor Lyric’s world premiere of
Bel Canto
, having
previously cosponsored
Porgy and Bess
(2008/09) and
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
(2012/13). Lyric is fortunate to have Dr. Whitney Addington as a member of its Board
of Directors and Executive Committee.
JOHN and ANN AMBOIAN
John and Ann Amboian have been staunch supporters
of Lyric Opera for many years. They have contributed
annually to Lyric’s Annual Campaign, and have given
a personal leadership gift to the Breaking New Ground
Campaign. In his role as CEO of Nuveen Investments,
John has championed gifts to support Lyric Unlimited
programs such as last season’s family opera
The Magic
Victrola
, and
The Family Barber
(2013/14). Lyric Opera is proud to have John Amboian
serve on its Board of Directors and as a past longtime member of the Nominating/
Governance Committee.
Franco Tedeschi
AMERICAN AIRLINES
This season we celebrate 34 years of vital corporate partnership with
American Airlines, the Official Airline of Lyric Opera. In recognition
of the company’s significant contribution to the Building on
Greatness Capital Campaign, the mezzanine level of the Civic Opera
House is named the American Airlines Mezzanine. American Airlines
provides important in-kind
support for Lyric’s programs and
special events. Franco Tedeschi,
Vice President of American Airlines, proudly serves
on Lyric’s Board of Directors.
PAUL M. ANGELL FAMILY FOUNDATION
The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation strives to advance society through the
performing arts, conservation of the world’s oceans, and alleviation of poverty. The
Foundation’s namesake, Paul M. Angell, founder of Newly Weds Foods, dedicated
the early part of his life to serving his country and performing as a member of John
Philip Sousa’s U.S. Navy Band during World War I. He believed in hard work, self
reliance, and optimism, and the Foundation is intended to honor him and his ideals.
At Lyric, the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation has been a generous supporter of
Lyric’s Annual Campaign and Lyric Unlimited programming, cosponsoring
The Family
Barber
(2013/14) and
The Magic Victrola
(2014/15).
ANONYMOUS CONTRIBUTORS
Lyric Opera is extremely grateful for Aria Society support received from eight
anonymous contributors during the 2015/16 season.
BAKER TILLY VIRCHOW KRAUSE LLP
Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP
is a nationally recognized, full-
service accounting and advisory firm whose specialized professionals
connect with clients with candor and clear industry insight. As an
independent member of Baker Tilly International, the world’s eighth
largest network of accounting firms, Baker Tilly brings you access
to market-specific knowledge in 125 countries. Lyric Opera Board
member Timothy Christen is Baker Tilly’s chairman and CEO, and
is Vice Chairman of the Civic Engagement Committee. In October,
Tim becomes the Chairman of the American Institute of CPAs, the largest professional
association in the profession, representing 400,000 members in 145 countries. Baker Tilly
cosponsored Lyric’s successful Wine Auctions in 2012 and 2015, and has cosponsored
the Stars of Lyric Opera at Millennium
Park
concert for three consecutive years. Lyric
is also grateful for Baker Tilly’s generous gift to
the Breaking New Ground Campaign.
THE BARKER WELFARE FOUNDATION
Lyric Opera is grateful for the more than four decades of support from The Barker
Welfare Foundation. Dedicated to improving the quality of life for families and
children, the Foundation has staunchly and generously contributed to Lyric Opera’s
education and community engagement programs for many years. Lyric is the honored
beneficiary of gifts to the Breaking New Ground Campaign and the Building on
Greatness Capital Campaign from The Barker Welfare Foundation.
JULIE and ROGER BASKES
Lyric treasures the exemplary leadership and dedication of
Julie and Roger Baskes. Subscribers for more than three
decades, they have generously supported Lyric’s Ryan
Opera Center activities as cosponsors of Rising Stars in
Concert, and sponsors of the Ryan Opera Center Recital
Series on 98.7WFMT. They have cosponsored numerous
productions including, most recently,
La Clemenza di Tito
(2013/14),
Il Trovatore
(2014/15), and this season’s
Romeo and Juliet
. They also made
a leadership commitment to the Breaking New Ground Campaign to help safeguard
the future of Lyric Opera. Lyric is honored to have Julie Baskes serve on its Board of
Directors, Executive, and Production Sponsorship Committees, and as immediate past
President of the Ryan Opera Center Board.
JAMES N. and LAURIE V. BAY
Jim and Laurie Bay are passionate supporters of the arts in
Chicago and have been members of the Lyric Opera family
for more than three decades. They have previously contrib-
uted to Lyric’s Wine Auction, 60th Anniversary Concert
and Diamond Ball, Stars of Lyric Opera at Millennium
Park, the Annual Campaign, and education programs.
They also cosponsored
Madama Butterfly
(2013/14) and
have made a leadership gift to the Breaking New Ground Campaign. Lyric is honored
to have Jim Bay, a principal of Bays Corporation, serve on its Board of Directors and
Compensation Committee.
MARLYS A. BEIDER
As an aficionada of Lyric for more than 30 years, Marlys has con-
tributed to the Annual Campaign and is a Bel Canto Benefactor
of the planned giving Overture Society. Her planned gift commit-
ment created the Marlys Beider Wigmaster and Makeup Designer
Endowed Chair in memory of her late husband, Harold Beider.
Marlys Beider cosponsored several productions including
Elektra
(2012/13),
Parsifal
(2013/14) and
Tosca
(2014/15)
.
Marlys has also
made a leadership commitment to cosponsor Lyric’s new productions of
Das Rheingold
(2016/17) and
Götterdämmerung
(2019/20), part of Lyric’s new
Ring
Cycle
.
This sea-
son, Marlys generously cosponsors the Stars of Lyric Opera at Millennium Park concert.
RANDY L. and MELVIN R. BERLIN
Devoted fans of opera education and the arts, Melvin
and Randy Berlin are vital members of the Lyric Opera
family. They have contributed significantly to the Annual
Campaign and were Diamond Sponsors of the 60th
Anniversary Concert and Diamond Ball last season. Melvin
and Randy have made a leadership gift to the Breaking
New Ground Campaign, and have cosponsored several
productions such as last season’s new production of
Don Giovanni
. This season they
generously cosponsor Lyric’s new production of
The Marriage of Figaro.
Lyric is
honored to have Melvin Berlin serve on its Board of Directors.
Miles D. White
Tim Christen