Lyric Opera 2025-2026 Issue 1 - Medea

13 | Lyric Opera of Chicago You’ve spoken before about falling in love with opera when you were in Rome as a college student. How did that come about? I was at Mundelein College, which eventually became part of Loyola. I had been accepted at other colleges that I couldn’t afford, so I went to a city school so I could work and save money. I had decided when I was about 11 or 12 years old — and nobody did it at that time — that I wanted to go to school in Europe. That was my fantasy, but achievable; at the conclusion of my freshman year, I applied and was accepted at the Sorbonne. In Paris, I would have had to live with a family. That was not part of my plan; with further research I discovered that Loyola University had just opened a student program in Rome where attendees lived in a dormitory. That’s rather bold for the ’60s, isn’t it? I had worked hard, going to summer school, and was academically a year ahead of myself; in Rome, the unknown beckoned. I thought, I’m free. I’m going to savor everything Italian. I took history of art and studied its iconic masters — Michelangelo, da Vinci, Titian; my love of literature (especially Shakespeare) led to other literary giants — Primo Levi, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Umberto Eco. Opera, an unknown entity, but sung by every taxi driver, had to be tasted, with a group of friends, sitting in the highest rafters of the Rome Opera House. I went, and it changed my life. And that was La Bohème . My first opera. My friend [and Lyric Board chair] Sylvia Neil and I talk about it. She saw Pavarotti as Rodolfo. I haven’t the faintest idea who sang the role for me. There were no titles, just pure unadulterated glory. I thought, This is the greatest art form, bar none. I still feel that way. And you have been trying to pass that along. My children don’t have much interest. I do have a little bit of hope because my youngest grandson, who turned two in September, came to Explore Your Lyric day back in April. He was on his mom’s lap watching Frida Kahlo and the Bravest Girl in the World . He sat there, transfixed. He did not want to leave. So I thought, Maybe… maybe it skipped a generation . But — and this is putting it mildly — you’re very interested in the future of the art form. Well, this is part of the reason for my gift. My donation will last longer than I will. A few years ago, I hosted a dinner with Enrique Mazzola and the leadership of Lyric. As we were all talking, I had an epiphany. I thought, We have the perfect concoction . We have everything that we need to be the greatest opera house in the world — except for money. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if these people could actualize their dreams without worrying about a budget or cutting things down or whatever? The next day, I called Enrique, and I gave a major contribution. Nothing like I did recently, but I still feel this way. I’m very happy with what’s been happening at Lyric. It’s a wonderful family. We’ve been at the forefront of breaking down the barriers; to me it’s been monumental. Bohème makes for a good start, clearly. Did you become a Puccini fan? I love Puccini. I love Verdi, too, and because of Enrique, have a deeper appreciation of Verdi’s prodigiousness. I love Wagner. I love Beethoven’s one opera, and [Lyric Chief Artistic Officer] Matthew Ozawa’s Fidelio was completely brilliant, and his Butterfly defies conventions. Donizetti’s operas — they’re easy on the ear. But I am totally non-discriminatory. When I came back to Chicago and was still in school, a friend who is Italian and I subscribed, at the lowest level, to Lyric; I have never missed a season since the late ‘70s. You really like everything? I recently got back from a trip to Aix-en-Provence, for their opera festival, and we saw five operas, including an edgy Don Giovanni which I admired. A couple of them I know I will never, ever see again. But we also saw Ian Rucker, a recent graduate of the Ryan Opera Center, starring in a new Billy Budd . Benjamin Britten must have conjured Ian as the ultimate Billy Budd. Ian was thrilled with his fans from the Ryan Opera Center, cheering his overwhelming and powerful interpretation. So there are high points always mixed in. I have to say, I often like the operas where everyone else has left. I like anything that’s innovative and different. I never leave, even when others have exited; my addiction is certifiable! Kyle Flubacker