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November 1 - 30, 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
For Dorothy Kuechl, vocal
music is the epitome of beauty, and
nothing shows off the voice quite like
opera. She grew up listening to various
classical records from her father’s
collection – which included opera
– and credits her music education
in school for solidifying her passion.
“From grammar school through high
school, music played a big part in the
classroom. My teachers had so much
finesse in bringing home the lessons
in a fun way. It really encouraged me
to enjoy all kinds of music.”
A lifelong Chicagoan, Dorothy
attended St. Benedict Catholic School
in the North Center neighborhood.
Fast forward through college and the
start of a successful career to when a
friend invited her to her first opera:
“When she asked me to come with
her, I thought, well, I’ve always liked
singing, so I might as well give this a
try. Fortunately, we saw
The Barber of
Seville
at Lyric, and a fan was born!”
She began attending performances
occasionally with her husband, and they soon
bought a short subscription. Over time, the
length of the subscription package grew,
and so did Dorothy’s dedication. Although
her husband enjoyed attending with her,
his passion for the art form nowhere nearly
matched hers, and she yearned for deeper
engagement. “One day it dawned on me: if
anyone can help me find people who love
opera, it would be Lyric. So I called the office
and was directed to the Northwest Chapter. I
went to an event and really enjoyed the people,
so I joined the group. That was the beginning
of a wonderful journey with Lyric.”
Since initiating her membership in 2003,
Dorothy has been actively involved in the
Northwest Chapter, serving as Membership
Chair since 2006, and as chapter president
from 2007-2009. She was asked to join the
Chapters’ Executive Board in 2006, and
served as its president from 2011-2013; she
is now a sustaining member of the Chapter
community’s governing group. In 2010
and 2011, Dorothy served as co-chair of
Operathon, the Chapters’ annual radio
fundraiser broadcast on 98.7WFMT.
“What I love about Operathon is that you
get to work and socialize with other Chapter
members, and you also have an opportunity to
meet the great staff who work for Lyric, and to
learn more about what Lyric actually does. Of
course, I love getting the opportunity to meet
stars at Operathon, too. Thomas Hampson is
so charming, and he makes a point of speaking
with everyone. Christine Goerke was fantastic
as well, and David Cangelosi is so great
because he introduces himself to everyone
saying, ‘Hello, I’m David Cangelosi,’ as if we
didn’t know who he was!”
Dorothy also began volunteering at the
Guild Board Backstage Tours, where she met
longtime Guild Board member Joan Solbeck,
who encouraged her to join. She did so
in 2016, and currently serves as secretary.
“The Guild Board’s role in Lyric’s future is
developing a donor base. I think we’re poised
to do that. Our president Jim Staples has
presented a plan he calls cross-fertilization
which is strongly supported. We had an event
at the Union League Club for the Lumniarts
vocal competition where our members got to
meet members of the Luminarts board. I think
relationship building is the strength of the
Guild Board and I see that moving forward in
a positive way.”
An ardent fan of The Patrick G. and
Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, Dorothy
appreciates the lifelong learning and dedication
to the art form embodied by members
of the Ensemble. Although she does
not envy the tough decisions facing the
panel of judges, she enjoys attending
the Final Auditions to see future opera
stars get their start. “I greatly admire
these young people with so much
talent and openness to pursuing this art
form. It’s phenomenal to follow them
from their audition to their first role
onstage, seeing them do so well and
watching them grow as artists through
their tenure. It’s a very special thing to
witness.”
The driving force behind
Dorothy’s many hours of volunteer
service to Lyric is, of course, the art
form itself. “I’m moved to tears by
nearly every opera. The emotion in the
voices, the production, the development
of the characters…it makes opera the
complete package.” Most of all, she
loves listening to the human voice.
“I truly enjoy all kinds of music.
The first voice I remember really loving
was Elvis Presley’s. To a great misfortune, the
albums I had were destroyed in a flood. It just
crushed me. So I went some time without
hearing his voice. Then I went to a music
store and found some of his CDs. When
I was finally listening again, I found I still
appreciated his singing. I think when you have
such a passion for something, it carries through
to adulthood. Just like when you hear a song
on the radio that you haven’t heard for awhile
and you find you remember all the lyrics, it
transports you back to the time in your life
when that song meant something to you. That
is the power of music.
“On Thomas Hampson’s Hampsong
Foundation website, he sums up what I think
music is all about. He defines song as ‘a
metaphor of the imagination; poetic thought
encapsulated in music. Poetry is driven by the
basic instinct to tell the story of existence.’
I think that is what makes vocal music in
particular so meaningful. If you listen to his
Song of America album, you really begin to
understand American development throughout
the years. If you explore the music of different
cultures, it helps you to understand them too.
You just have to open your heart and ears and
listen to it.”
—
Meaghan Stainback
Dorothy Kuechl:
Volunteerism Exemplified
Baritone Thomas Hampson and Dorothy Kuechl
during Operathon 2012.
SHERIE SHAPIRO