Donor Spotlight: Grace Roth

Longtime Lyric Opera of Chicago subscriber and donor Grace Roth grew up with a strong passion for music. Grace was raised in Chicago and attended Pulaski School where she was deeply influenced by her music teacher, Miss Burhop. Grace’s first introduction to opera came from her elementary school classroom, cementing what would become a long-lasting relationship and love of the art form. 

Grace didn’t see her first opera until the premiere season of Lyric Opera of Chicago in 1954. She attended with her then-fiancée, Charlie Roth, and saw Giuseppe Verdi’s ever-popular La Traviata, starring the legendary Maria Callas. Grace immediately fell in love with this incredible art form. She recalls her first experience like it was yesterday: “When I heard Callas sing the finale and death scene—full of emotion and passion— acting with deep feeling and singing with grief and sorrow, I was moved to tears. I will never forget that first opera; I have been hooked ever since.” Grace didn’t know at the time that she was starting a family tradition of frequenting Lyric that would follow for three generations. 

Grace and Charlie were married in 1955 and raised six wonderful children together on the south side of Chicago. While Grace and Charlie were busy raising their family, they didn’t have as much time to spend frequenting Lyric. Once their children were older, the couple was finally able to regularly attend opera and eventually invest in a subscription. It was important to Grace and Charlie that their children, and eventually grandchildren, were all exposed to music, and more specifically, to opera. Lyric had become a significant part of their relationship and they wanted to ensure that their passion for the art form was passed along for many generations to come. One way the couple was able to carry on this tradition was by offering each of their adult children and their spouses a pair of tickets to Lyric for Christmas each year. 

Grace understands how far-reaching opera can be and knows the incredible importance it holds in our community. “Opera portrays the story of life: good and evil, love and rejection, joy and sorrow, sacrifice and greed. And it does so with music, voice, drama, dance, art, and comedy. Opera covers every story and emotion known to people. It makes one think, question and wonder. It opens one to a world that is both beautiful and harsh and begs a response. What could be better than that?” Grace and Charlie soon became avid donors to Lyric. Understanding the importance opera has in our community, Grace wants to ensure that opera continues to be accessible for Chicagoans. Grace also notes that many of her favorite experiences include attending Lyric’s donor dress rehearsals, especially when she gets to share that experience with her daughter and granddaughter. “The best moment is when the curtain goes up and the orchestra begins.” 

With immense pride, Grace shared that all 12 of her grandchildren play musical instruments and her great-grandchildren are beginning to play as well. As Grace has gotten older, her daughter Margaret and her husband John have assumed Grace’s season tickets, while continuing to share the experience with her. Margaret’s daughter Mary, Grace’s granddaughter, also attends the opera regularly. Grace notes, “Mary loves the opera more than any of us and bought her own season tickets, inviting friends to join her. She is a real advocate for opera.” It is clear that opera has been extremely influential for Grace’s entire family. Lyric has been able to transform their lives and inspire their family for three generations, and hopefully many more to come. 

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