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L Y R I C O P E R A O F C H I C A G O
February 2 - 22, 2019
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Lawrence DelPilar, senior director, development, with Lyric Board of
Directors member Sylvia Neil.
of the company.
“Each event, whether a gala or a
master class by Renée Fleming,
provides special access to the com-
pany,” says Kate Later, senior direc-
tor of special events and Women’s
Board. ere are important occa-
sions spearheaded by the company’s
Women’s Board, including the
Opening Night Opera Ball, the
Spring Musical Gala, the triennial
Wine Auction, and numerous stew-
ardship events. For example, “at the
musical gala, patrons dine in the box tier of the Lyric Opera House,
which is a unique experience. After enjoying the performance, they
dance onstage with the cast. at has happened at every musical
since
e Sound of Music
in 2014. e exception was last season’s
Jesus Christ Superstar
: the gala wasn’t onstage – it was at e Murphy,
and Jesus himself came to the after-party!”
It’s not just the chance to mingle with artists that make these
events so important. Many of
Lyric’s most high-profile events are
also successful fundraisers. “ e
Wine Auction is one of our most
significant fundraising events,” notes
Later. “ is is the only event where
patrons can eat dinner onstage. Our
production team works their amaz-
ing magic on the décor for the
evening, so it is a true company-
wide effort.” is year the Women’s
Board is hosting a gala following the
concert celebrating the 25th anni-
versary of Renée Fleming’s Lyric debut. Tickets are available now,
and Later declares, “you don’t want to miss your chance to celebrate
Renée in an intimate setting on March 23!”
Gift planning (which includes naming Lyric in estate plans,
insurance policies, IRAs, or trusts) is exceptionally vital at Lyric.
“We rely on planned gifts as an important element to be able to plan
for the company’s future,” explains Jon Siner, senior director of gift
DAN REST
“You don’t want to miss your
chance to celebrate Renée Fleming in
an intimate setting on March 23!”
— Kate Later
Kate Later, senior director of special events and Women's Board, with
Women's Board member Caroline Huebner.
DAN REST