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Lyric Opera of Chicago
Founded in 1954, Lyric Opera of Chicago is the leading Opera company in the US. It was initially called the Lyric Theater of Chicago, with Carol Fox, Nicola Rescigno, and Lawrence Kelly as the founding members. Two years later, in 1956, Carol Fox renamed it the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Carol Fox is the first American women opera impresario. She has studied opera singing for years and is fluent in Italian and French. That said, when she realized that she couldn’t have the desired future in opera as a singer, she established the Lyric Opera of Chicago and got Maria Callas to take up the title role of Norma, which also happened to be her debut American performance as a lead opera singer. This set the stage for Maria Callas to make a name for herself in the country.
Growth and Background Information
Carol Fox was also responsible for Rudolph Nureyev to debut in the US. His first performance was with the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She helped many talented singers perform through the company. In fact, several well-known singers, conductors, directors, and designers have been associated with the opera company over the years.
Illness and refusal to lower the artistic standards led to Carol Fox exiting from Lyric in 1981. Sadly, she passed away after a few months. Ardis Krainik, who was the assistant manager at Lyric for years, took over Fox’s role from 1981 to 1996. Danny Newman was the company’s press agent from its inception in 1954 to 2001-2002. Sylvia Neil became the first woman to chair the board at Lyric in 2020. Anthony Freud is the General Director, President, and CEO. Enrique Mazzola is the music director, and Renée Fleming is the special project advisor.
The Lyric Opera of Chicago performed the standard operatic repertoire and contemporary works. Some of its notable works include The Great Gatsby, Sweeney Todd, A Wedding, Susannah, Doctor Atomic, Bel Canto, etc.
Carl Fox started an artist development program through Lyric Opera Center for American Artists in 1974. It was renamed The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center and continues to be one of the best places to train for opera vocals in the US. Popular singers like Elizabeth Futral, Matthew Polenzani, Harolyn Blackwell, Joseph Kaiser, and others have been trained at this center.