We hit our goal! A letter from Anthony Freud, General Director, President & CEO

Dear Lyric Donors,

I am extremely pleased to announce that Lyric Opera of Chicago has exceeded the $31.25 million goal for the 2016/17 season thanks to the generosity of the Lyric family! In addition, I’m delighted to report that we’ll be ending this year with a balanced budget. This accomplishment is due to the great effort of every single one of our outstanding donors. I’m very proud of what we achieved this season, not only through the eight memorable opera productions, but also through our Lyric Unlimited programs and The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center.

Some of the highlights from this season include:

Elevating and expanding the notion of what is possible on stage. Lyric presented monumental new productions of Wagner’s Das Rheingold, Berlioz’s LesTroyens, and Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Each featured thrilling stage magic made possible by newly-purchased stage equipment funded by our Breaking New Ground campaign.

Presenting our Chicago Voices concert, which featured a variety of performers celebrating Chicago’s vibrant and diverse vocal music culture.

Opening the door to the magic of opera for more than 100,000 Chicago residents annually through our Lyric Unlimited education and community engagement programs.

Providing world-class instruction and performance opportunities to 15 burgeoning opera artists through The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center training program.

With the sustained engagement we’ve witnessed over the past year, our continued willingness to ask ourselves tough questions, and our determination to find imaginative, creative and, at times, radical solutions, I’m confident that Lyric will triumph in the coming seasons and continue to deliver the kinds of life-changing artistic experiences that our audiences have come to expect. Our donor base continues to grow annually, and everyone here at Lyric thanks you for being a part of it.

Best regards,

Anthony Freud
General Director, President & CEO