Looking Up

Lyric’s Women’s Board is bringing back Lyric Under the Stars, a signature gala making its much-anticipated return to one of Chicago’s most spectacular settings.

This fall, Lyric Under the Stars returns to Two North Riverside Plaza, where guests will gather directly across the Chicago River from the opera house for an evening of music, dining, and celebration in support of Lyric. This year’s gala will also honor Sylvia Neil, who recently completed her seven-year tenure as Chair of Lyric’s Board of Directors.

The spectacular setting debuted in 2021, just one week after Lyric returned to live performance following the pandemic. There, the Women’s Board welcomed guests to its first-ever Lyric Under the Stars.

With pandemic precautions still in place, the Women’s Board made the innovative decision to move the celebration outdoors and across the river from the opera house. What began as a creative response to unusual circumstances became something much more: a dazzling evening in a uniquely Chicago setting — and the beginning of what will become a signature Lyric event.

“It was the first time we had undertaken an event of this scale in this setting, so there was an enormous amount to consider,” remembers Women’s Board President Karen Gray-Krehbiel, who chaired the event. “We had to think through every detail, from the structural and technical requirements of installing the tent on the plaza to determining how best to bring the projections to life on the Opera House’s back wall. It was a wonderful challenge, and one that required a great deal of collaboration and thoughtful planning.”

The results were “beautifully done,” Gray-Krehbiel says — a sentiment echoed by all who attended. “We were very fortunate to have a perfect night. The skyline of the city was glowing. It just all came together. And our thinking is that, with this perfect, unique location, it will be something we can own and truly make our signature event.”

“I cannot imagine having a better predecessor than Sylvia,” says Craig Martin, who succeeded Sylvia Neil as Board Chair. “Over the years, we have become good friends, and we share a deep belief in Lyric and a strong sense of where it has been, where it is today, and where it can go in the future. Sylvia led Lyric through a period of extraordinary challenge and change, and she did so with tremendous commitment, thoughtfulness, and resilience. Lyric emerged stronger because of her leadership, and I’m honored to build on the foundation she created.”

“Sylvia led with a graceful strength,” says Anne Edwards, Chair of this year’s Lyric Under the Stars and a member of both the Women’s Board and Board of Directors. “She guided Lyric through one of the most challenging periods in its history, leading with remarkable steadiness, vision, and determination. She helped position Lyric for its next chapter and leave the organization stronger for the future. She is a rock star — well, an opera star.”

“She’s amazing, and truly one of the most delightful people to work with,” adds Gray-Krehbiel. “She was there for the very first Lyric Under the Stars, and for years she has encouraged us to bring it back. To now have her return as our honoree feels especially meaningful. It’s a wonderful full-circle moment.”

Neil’s commitment to Lyric and the arts is acknowledged far and wide. The company's first female Board Chair, Neil and her husband, Dan Fischel, are longtime Lyric subscribers and donors, and have cosponsored multiple mainstage opera productions. She has supported the Art Institute of Chicago and sits on the boards of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Brandeis University, where she also chairs the Board of Fellows. In July, Opera America awarded her a Trustee Recognition Award, which will be celebrated in New York next year.

Being honored by the Women’s Board is a meaningful way to mark Sylvia Neil’s years of leadership at Lyric. But Neil is quick to turn the focus away from herself and toward the organization she has championed for so many years. “I’m honored to be honored. I’m flattered,” she says. “I’m delighted Craig has taken the reins. And I am extraordinarily grateful to Karen and Anne for their leadership and vision. But there has been no greater honor for me — and I mean this from the bottom of my heart — than to support Lyric and be part of its journey. It’s one of the great causes of my life.”

Lyric Under the Stars is shaping up to be the city’s most glittering gala of the year. Before sunset, guests will gather for cocktails before enjoying dinner beneath a clear-roofed tent, allowing the skyline and stars to shine through. Across the river, the iconic 1929 Graham, Anderson, Probst & White opera house will become an enormous canvas for an ever-changing projection show.

The evening will also feature performances by tenor Lawrence Brownlee and mezzo-soprano Zoie Reams, both favorites of Lyric audiences. Brownlee, who will appear in Lyric’s season-opening Don Giovanni, earned rare encores during the recent run of The Daughter of the Regiment. Reams, who will sing in Omar later this autumn, most recently appeared as a soloist in An Evening of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness.

With extraordinary artists, a one-of-a-kind setting, and a celebration of a remarkable Lyric leader, the stars are aligning for a very special evening.

Lyric Under the Stars will be held on October 3, 2026. To reserve your seat, email [email protected] or call 312.827.5676.