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L Y R I C O P E R A O F C H I C A G O
8
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January 28 - February 24, 2017
TODD ROSENBERG
The 2016-17 season here at Lyric Opera of Chicago is off to a great start, and I predict it will be one of the most exciting
in recent memory. My wife and I are looking forward to every production, and I hope you are, too.
I was particularly excited by the launch of the new
Ring
cycle with
Das Rheingold
. It was truly another example of Lyric
at its best: a profound, transformative experience based on world-class performances from the cast and orchestra and an engaging
and entertaining set design that used every theatrical trick in the book. The fact that
we’re producing a brand-new expression of the
Ring
makes me very proud of the
artistic choices we make at Lyric, and based on the enthusiastic response from both
our audience and from music critics around the world, we have created something
very special.
As was true with both
Das Rheingold
and
Lucia
, it’s likely that the production
you’re enjoying tonight is benefiting from our ambitious stage-improvement project,
the first step of which was implemented over the summer. Three new stage lifts, a
turntable, and 16 new point hoists are fundamental to this season’s new productions
of
Das Rheingold
,
Les Troyens
, and
The Magic Flute
. None of these productions
would have been possible were it not for that initial investment. Over the next two
years we will see the second phase of the project, including additional stage lifts and
point hoists, plus various other crucial capabilities that will ensure our being able
to present future productions exactly as our directors have imagined them, and in
a safe, efficient manner. We’re exceedingly grateful to our Breaking New Ground
campaign donors whose generosity has made this possible.
Many of our longtime contributors and subscribers voice a special fondness –
even a sense of loyalty – for the seats they’ve enjoyed at Lyric for years, seats that
perhaps their parents enjoyed and passed down to them. In many cases they’ve
memorialized their fondness of those seats by naming them, giving a contribution
to Lyric to “claim” that seat, if you will. We have seats throughout the Ardis Krainik
Theatre, from the main floor to the boxes and the upper balcony. We hope you’ll take advantage of our “Name a Seat” program –
it’s a wonderful way to leave your own permanent legacy at Lyric.
It’s not just our longtime audience members, but also those of the next generation, that we cultivate at Lyric. As we all know,
“Millennials” have many more opportunities for entertainment and cultural consumption than ever before. In achieving our goal of
continually attracting and engaging younger audiences, we’ve moved in a big way into media that they’re familiar with. Many of you
who spend time online, particularly in social media, have noticed in the past year many more banner ads for Lyric productions or
mentions and “likes” on Facebook and Twitter, and photos on Instagram. I’m delighted to see social media channels bringing greater
awareness of Lyric and its exciting offerings to a whole new audience.
I use Lyric’s website on a regular basis, whether to provide background information for an upcoming production or to review
the biography of an artist I don’t know. It’s not unusual for me to snap a picture of a current production poster and post it on
my Facebook page! These are some of the ways that I, along with many other fans of Lyric, use media channels to remind us how
valuable and exciting the Lyric experience is.
From the Chairman
David T. Ormesher