Carmen

February 11 - March 25, 2017

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

“When I was five years old, I had to

beg my father to let me take piano

lessons. I had just returned from seeing

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way

to the Forum

in New York City with

my mom, and I had decided that I

wanted to be a musician. It was such

a thrilling night. I’ll never forget the

feeling of it, getting all dressed up, and

the excitement of falling in love with

music and performing. My father was

not for it at first, but I eventually won

the argument.”

Alex Dousmanis-Curtis is

Group Head for U.S. Retail and

Business Banking for BMO Harris

Bank, the eighth-largest bank in

North America. Alex is responsible

for driving strategy, customer loyalty

and customer relationships, and

is honored to represent the bank’s

longstanding partnership with Lyric by

serving on Lyric’s Board of Directors

and Investment Committee. “Being

involved at Lyric keeps me personally

connected with a lifelong passion:

the music itself. I studied piano and oboe

all through grade school, and I planned to

become a concert pianist. In the end, life got

in the way and I ended up in banking, which I

also love, but I’ve always thought that when I

retire I might like to take up the oboe again.”

After studying voice at Westminster

Choir College, Alex’s professional career began

at BMO Harris Bank, and aside from a jaunt

to a competing bank in Canada, she’s been

with the company ever since. “I ended up

marrying a Canadian, so I’ve lived in Toronto

my entire adult life. Even though my family

stayed in Toronto after I was transferred here

two years ago, Chicago is starting to feel like

home now too. Lyric has been a big part of

that for me. Not only has it allowed me to

reconnect with music, but the people are

fantastic. When you’re in a new city, it’s very

helpful to have people who welcome you.

Additionally, my banking background allows

me to approach my time on the Investment

Committee with an energy that is purposeful.

I work to help keep Lyric strong, and I find

real satisfaction in the professional dimension

of my board service.”

Alex’s involvement hasn’t only benefited

her and Lyric – her husband Dave has caught

the opera bug as well. “My husband knew

nothing about opera. He never went with me

in Canada; I would go with my girlfriends. But

for opening night of

The Marriage of Figaro

last year, he got hold of the libretto and a few

recordings, and learned every part. I’m not

kidding, he was singing along to the music

when I came home one night, and I thought, I

can’t believe this has happened, I am so happy!

He did the same thing with

Das Rheingold

We were in the car with our guests on the

way to the Opening Night Gala, and he was

explaining the plot, when Wotan arrives, what

this theme means, and so on. That has been

my favorite side benefit of being involved with

Lyric, that opera has a new fan.”

BMO Harris Bank’s tremendous support

– and that of its predecessors – has spanned

five decades, most recently as exclusive sponsor

of Lyric’s annual star-studded, one-night-only

concerts. Lang Lang, Renée Fleming, Susan

Graham, and Ana María Martínez are among

the featured soloists whose Lyric appearances

have been made possible by BMO Harris

Bank’s sponsorship, and the bank is the

exclusive sponsor of Plácido Domingo’s

triumphant return this season for the

second year in a row. “These concerts

are really special for our clients. They

love the ‘rock star’ moment of getting

to spend time with big-name stars

like Plácido. Sponsoring these concerts

gives us an opportunity to thank them

in a meaningful way.”

Alex also believes that star power

is what keeps Lyric relevant to a

broader audience. “When people who

might not normally be interested in

opera recognize Plácido’s name, it may

increase their perception of Lyric. I

think that’s another reason why BMO

likes the celebrity concerts. It creates a

buzz that is contagious, and makes us

feel proud that Lyric is admired as well

by that kind of world-class talent.”

BMO Harris Bank delivers

services across 600 branches in

eight states, and has almost 14,300

employees. One of BMO’s core values

is giving back to the communities in

which it operates. To that end, Alex

appreciates the diverse audiences Lyric is able

to reach through a variety of programs, ranging

in scope from newly-commissioned operas for

children like

Jason and the Argonauts

to Lyric’s

Backstage Tours. “Diversity is important to us

as a bank, and Lyric brings all kinds of people

together. Looking around in the audience,

you see people you may have never been able

to meet before. Innovative programming can

touch children of all backgrounds and make

them consider learning more about opera.

Giving a peek behind the curtain demystifies

the art form and invites participation. The key

is exposure, and opera is the gift of a lifetime.

“BMO is coming up on a milestone in

2017 as we celebrate our bicentennial as a

company. Two hundred years is a long time.

We have learned a lot about who we are and

what we stand for. Supporting the arts is part

of our community commitment, and the

BMO Harris Bank partnership with Lyric is an

exciting example. We’re all stronger together,

and we are thrilled to have Lyric by our side.”

—

Meaghan Stainback

BMO Harris Bank:

Alexandra Dousmanis-Curtis

Alex Dousmanis-Curtis and Dave Curtis

with Lyric's general director, Anthony Freud