Chicago City Wire

Lyric Opera of Chicago, a tax-exempt nonprofit that receives significant public funding to perform services also offered by the state, was approved to receive a $31,251 grant in FY2024, according to passed legislation data extracted from the Illinois General Assembly’s FY2024 budget (Public Act 102-6 0698).

This appropriation represents state-level funding authorized by lawmakers, reflecting what was approved in the budget, not necessarily disbursed. The funds cover only State of Illinois support and exclude federal, local, or other public sources.

Founded in 1954 by Carol Fox, Lawrence V. Kelly, and Nicola Rescigno, Lyric Opera of Chicago states that its mission is: “To marshalling all the artistic disciplines of opera to engage Chicagoans of all ages and backgrounds from across the city in innovative learning opportunities and artistic creation.”

You can learn more about the organization at its website.

In its most recent IRS Form 990 filing filing for tax year 2024, the organization reported $59,745,800 in total revenue. Of that, $2,096,270 came from government grants including federal, state, or local sources, making up 3.5% of total revenue.

The nonprofit listed $33,366,100 in contributions overall. It also reported $2,491,420 in non-cash contributions, such as donated goods or services, and $28,174,600 categorized under other contributions, which may include restricted donations, pledges, or bequests.

At the beginning of 2024, Lyric Opera of Chicago had $283,616,000 in assets. By the end of 2024, that figure had changed to $269,847,000, indicating a 4.9% decline in overall holdings.

According to its filing, public funding to Lyric Opera of Chicago declined in the last year, falling from $10,184,200 in 2023 to $2,096,270 in 2024—a decrease of 79.4% year-over-year.

However, a Chicago City Wire analysis found that IRS filings frequently contain discrepancies when compared with publicly disclosed government grant reports and budgets.

Lyric Opera of Chicago is one of hundreds of nonprofits across Illinois that receive substantial support from state taxpayers while also fundraising privately.

In 2025, Illinois lawmakers introduced House Bill 1266, also known as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Act. The proposal would create a new oversight body within the Office of the Auditor General tasked with identifying cost-saving measures, reviewing agency performance, and advising on audit priorities. If passed, DOGE could bring additional scrutiny and performance evaluation to taxpayer-funded organizations.

According to ProPublica, Illinois has more than 78,000 active tax-exempt organizations, including nearly 60,000 classified as charitable nonprofits. In their most recent IRS filings, these groups reported a combined revenue exceeding $156 billion.

Term	Name	Title
2024-2024	Roberta Mary Lane	Asst Treasurer/Cfao

Year	Name	Title	Compensation
2016	David Kim		-
2016	Nicholas J Hull		-
2015	Jane DiRenzo Pigott	Trustee, Executive, Chair Of Idea (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity And Access) Steering Committee	-
2015	Matthew C Reilly		-
2015	Michael A Bowman		-
2014	Anelle Eorio		-
2014	Betty A Gray		-
2014	Bradley Long		-
2014	Michael J Mcpartlin		-
2014	Sasan Harant		-
2014	Veronica Guadalupe		-
2013	Jeffrey Streichhirsch		-
2013	Leah Kahn		-
2011	Daniel R Dibennardi		-
2010	Andrew W Green		-
2010	Francis Taylor		-
2010	Joyce Didonato		-
2009	Joseph C Dockweiler		-
2009	Michael J Barker		-
2008	Amy R Johnson		-
2007	Pauli Ewing		-
2006	Gregory F Russell		-
2006	Michael W O'Donnell		-
2005	Glenn Haack		-
2005	Robert Morissey		-
2003	Christoper Perricelli		-
2003	Christopher S Perricelli		-
2003	Daniel Novak		-
2002	Annette Pellegrino		-
2002	Bruce A Wallace		-
2002	Yolanda M Benedetti		-
2001	Ed Monahan		-
2001	Michael W Reilly		-
2000	Guillermo Leyva		-
2000	Richard Meyer		-
1998	Richard G Tyriver		-
1997	James W Boinski		-
1997	John C Streichhirsch		-
1997	Richard J Wren		-
1995	Esther Mott		-
1995	Jess Brodnax		-
1992	Timothy J Daly		-
1991	Frank Fournier		-
1990	Terrance J Vandriska		-
1989	William A Reilly		-
1988	Paul Michael Jacobsen		-
1984	David A Sears		-
1984	Thomas W Boucher		-
1983	Edward R Heise		-
1983	Joseph La Placa		-
1983	William L Kehoe		-
1982	Michael P Maloney		-
-	Alexandra Dousmanis-Curtis	Director	-
-	Allan B Muchin	Chairman, Emeritus	-
-	Allan E Bulley	Director	-
-	Andrew J. Mckenna Sr.	Director	-
-	Andrew Davis	Director	-
-	Andrew Davis	Vice President	-
-	Ann M Drake	Director	-
-	Anne N. Reyes	Director	-
-	Anthony Freud	General Director, President, Ceo	-
-	Anthony Peter Freud	Chief Operating Officer	-
-	Avrum Mr Gray	Director	-
-	Blythe J. Mcgarvie	Director	-
-	Brenda M Shapiro	Director	-
-	Brent W Gledhill	Director	-
-	Bruce V Rauner	Honorary Chairman Of The Board	-
-	Carrie J. Hightman	Director	-
-	Cherryl T Thomas	Director	-
-	Claudia M. Saran	Director	-
-	Collin Edward Roche	Director	-
-	Craig C Martin	Director	-
-	David T Ormesher	President & Ceo	-
-	David W Carpenter	Director	-
-	Dietrich M. Gross	Director	-
-	Don M. Randel	Director	-
-	Donna J Van Eekeren	Director	-
-	Edgar D. Jannotta	Co-Chairmen Emeritus	-
-	Edgar Foster Daniels	Life Director	-
-	Edward B Rouse	Director	-
-	Elliott Hirsch	Director	-
-	Eric Sean Smith	Director	-
-	Eric L. Hirschfield	Director	-
-	Ethel C. Gofen	Director	-
-	Franco Tedeschi	Director	-
-	Frank W. Considine	Life Director	-
-	Frank B. Modrudson	Director	-
-	Fred A Krehbiel	Director	-
-	George E. Johnson	Life Director	-
-	Gerald Dorros	Director	-
-	Gilda R Buchbinder	Director	-
-	Gordon I Segal	Life Director	-
-	Gordon P. Getty	Director	-
-	Gregory K. Jones	Director	-
-	J. Christopher Reyes	Director	-
-	James J. O'Connor	Life Director	-
-	James W Mabie	Director	-
-	James L. Alexander	Director	-
-	James N. Bay Jr.	Director	-
-	Jana R. Schreuder	Director	-
-	Jane Direnzo Pigott	Director	-
-	Jeffrey C. Neal	Director	-
-	John D. Nichols	Director	-
-	John W. Jordan, Ii	Director	-
-	John V Crowe	Director	-
-	John F Sandner	Director	-
-	John D. Edelman	Director	-
-	John W. Oleniczak	Director	-
-	John P Amboian	Director	-
-	Josef Mr. Lakonishok	Director	-
-	Joseph O Rubinelli	Director	-
-	J. Thomas Hurvis	Director	-
-	Julie Baskes	Director	-
-	Katherine A. Abelson	Director	-
-	Kelly Kelley, Ii	Director	-
-	Kenneth R. Norgan	Director	-
-	Larry A Barden	Director	-
-	Lester Crown	Director	-
-	Linda K Myers	Director	-
-	Lois Eisen	Director	-
-	Maria C Green	Director	-
-	Marion A. Cameron	Director	-
-	Mark E. Ferguson	Director	-
-	Mark Wagner	Director	-
-	Mark A. Thierer	Director	-
-	Marsha Serlin	Director	-
-	Marsha A Cruzan	Director	-
-	Mary Pat Hay	Director	-
-	Matthew J. Parr	Director	-
-	Mauraann E Mcbreen	Director	-
-	Melvin Gray	Director	-
-	Melvin R Berlin	Director	-
-	Michael W Ferro	Trustee	-
-	Michael P. Cole	Director	-
-	Miles D White	Trustee	-
-	Nancy W. Knowles	Director	-
-	Olofunmilayo Olopade	Director	-
-	Pam F. Szokol	Director	-
-	Paul John Carbone	Director	-
-	Paul F. Anderson	Director	-
-	Renee Fleming	Director	-
-	Ricardo Rosenkranz	Director	-
-	Richard J. Franke	Life Director	-
-	Richard P Kiphart	Chairman Of The Board	-
-	Richard Whiting Colburn	Director	-
-	Richard A Levy	Director	-
-	Rick Fezell	Director	-
-	Robert W. Lane	Director	-
-	Robert J Mccullen	Director	-
-	Robert S. Morrison	Director	-
-	Robert E. Wood, Ii	Life Director	-
-	Robert H Malott	Life Director	-
-	Roberta L. Washlow	Director	-
-	Rodd M Schreiber	Director	-
-	Ron Gidwitz	Director	-
-	Russell W Fisher	Director	-
-	Ruth Ann G Mcguinnis	Director	-
-	Sarah Billinghurst-Solomon	Director	-
-	Sharon F. Oberlander	Director	-
-	Sheri Eichelberger	Director	-
-	Shirley A Ryan	Director	-
-	Sonia Florian	Director	-
-	Stefan T Edlis	Director	-
-	Stephen A. Kaplan	Director	-
-	Sylvia M Neil	Director	-
-	Thomas A. Reynolds Iii	Director	-
-	Timothy L. Christen	Director	-
-	Vinay Couto	Director	-
-	W J Farrell	Director	-
-	Whitney W Addington	Director	-
-	William C. Vance	Director	-
-	William C. Richardson	Director	-
-	William A Osborn	Director	-