Opera Savvy YOung ProfesSionals
Giving Back and
Getting Opera Smart
Founded in 2010,
Lyric’s Young Professionals
are the next
generation of opera fans. Passionate about Lyric and eager to
expand Lyric’s footprint in the community, they embrace this
important work with zeal.
When Anthony Freud framed Lyric’s Hansel and Gretel plot
in terms of hunger, the leaders of Lyric Young Professionals
group took action. Partnering with the
Greater Chicago Food
Depository
and
Lyric Unlimited
,
they collected groceries
that added up to more than 1200 meals for needy families,
demonstrating Lyric’s commitment to serve its community. “We
were so inspired by this production’s message,” said Minka Bosco,
president of Lyric Young Professionals. “When great art has the
chance to make a different sort of impact, we want to champion
that cause.”
This season, more than 250 professionals attended an LYP
program prior to two Hansel and Gretel performances. “We
are committed to offering a great variety of experiences to our
members that encourage them to expand their opera vocabulary,”
said Patrick Gazley, Lyric Young Professionals membership
officer. “We also want to break down any barriers there might be
to opera, and to make it fun,” he said. And so,
La Triviata,
an
evening of pub-style trivia, took place in March. More than 100
guests attended and with opera star Elizabeth Futral participating
as both emcee and judge, a lively evening of opera trivia ensued. “I
so enjoy the vitality that a young audience brings to a show,” said
Ms. Futral. “This was a great night of fun!”
TheLyric family inaction—
and howyou can participate!
There are many rewarding ways to support Lyric. Elsa Bandi loved attending
performances and being an active participant on the Chapters’ Executive
Board and Lyric’s Northfield Chapter. She also had a special place in her
heart for
The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center
,
and created
a vibrant endowment in her will to support it. When Elsa died suddenly in
2012,
her planned gift sustained her legacy of giving to Lyric. The permanent
fund she created generates earnings every year, which support the Ryan
Opera Center. Hers is the gift that truly keeps on giving.
Creating a named fund at Lyric Opera can benefit the Lyric activity of your
choice. You can support the
Production Endowment Fund
to help cover
the cost of mainstage presentations, including large-scale works such as
Wagner’s Ring cycle.
Elsa Bandi
,
lifelong
opera lover, provided
a living legacy to Lyric.
To join Lyric Young Professionals,
go to
lyricopera.org/young-professionals
Minka Bosco
(
R)
makes a holiday food donation to GCFD at Lyric.
ElizabEth Futral
(
far r)
,
Musetta in La bohème and host of the game,
congratulates the winning team, “Princess Bride.”
For further
information on how
to create your own
named endowment
through a planned
gift to Lyric, call
Jonathan Siner, Director
of Planned Giving, at
(312) 827-5677
or
email him at
planned_
The Gift that Keeps on Giving:
Create your own endowment for Lyric
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