Chicago Lyric Opera Balances Books By Tapping Endowment

“Given the ever-rising costs of opera production, the company was forced to draw approximately $3.8 million from its reserve funds to break even for the fiscal year. Lyric had tapped into its Campaign for Excellence Fund to the tune of $4.3 million in fiscal 2011, and $2.7 million the previous year, to balance its books. All three were planned withdrawals.”