Although I am a daily Chicago Tribune reader, this short article escaped my notice. Double bassist Jerry Fuller brought it to my attention, and I’m glad he did, because it really highlights the priorities a donor may have in choosing an organization for their philanthropy. Much of what is discussed below the quote comes from my conversation with Jerry.
The article states:
Nancy Knowles has been a big fan of opera since childhood. Now, opera is a big fan of hers.
The former chairwoman of Itasca-based Knowles Electronics Inc. said she has inked in her will a bequest of $10 million to the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The Lyric said it would be the largest single donation in its 53-year history.
[…]
“I love the Lyric,” she said. “I think it is a very classy organization. I think it is well run. I think they do a fabulous job of fundraising — they don’t leave an extra nickel in your pocket. I’ve been to other opera houses, but the Lyric, it’s just gorgeous.”
Let’s examine these quotes a little more closely. Why has she picked the Lyric for this financial gift?
- Classy organization
- Well-run
- They do a fabulous job of fundraising
- It’s gorgeous—other opera houses don’t compare
Again, this is the largest single donation in Lyric’s 53 year history, and look at the factors that influenced Ms. Knowles’ decision:
- Classy organization –> Administration
- Well-run –> Administration
- Fabulous fundraising –> Administration
- Gorgeous building –> long-dead architects
It is instructive to note that this gift was given as a result of Ms. Knowles’ perception of the Lyric’s administration—not the singers, repertoire, conductor, or (perish the thought) the orchestra. No, the administration, with early 20th century architecture running a distant second, is responsible for this gift.
It makes you wonder what audiences really take away from a typical musical performance. Do they remember the orchestra? Probably not—they are dimly aware, if at all, that there are living, breathing musicians hidden down in the inky blackness of the pit. How about the conductor? Usually not. What about the singers? Outside of a rarefied few, probably not them either. Heck, my high school students often can’t remember the name of the opera they saw on their annual concert going field trip, let alone details like composer or performers.
Honestly, most audience members take in an overall experience, with dinner, wine, the hall, and conversations between their fellow companions intermingling with the music to create a pleasant evening of entertainment.
And who’s to judge if that’s right or wrong? If people’s fondest memories of a concert are architecture and administration, who’s to say that it’s an incorrect or improper means of enjoyment?
Not me, certainly. After all, you won’t be seeing me donating $10 million dollars to anything any time soon! And if one person’s enjoyment of this organization leads to this kind of gift (and all of the additional ventures made possible by such a contribution), fantastic!
Still, this kind of news gives performers like me, grinding away obsessively on tricky passages, a reality check regarding their overall importance in the world of music. Maybe I’ll think about this the next time I get discouraged while practicing.
To 99.99% of the population, these licks don’t amount to a hill of beans!
Related Posts:
- Follow-up to post about blogging bassists – great comments from Jerry Fuller
- Free = Worthless?
- New York Philharmonic cellist quits to become paramedic
- Ravinia squeezes out the Chicago Symphony (slowly)
- Who’s raking in the bread? Orchestra compensation reports from Adaptistration
subscribe to the blog – subscribe to the podcast
Bass News Right To Your Inbox!
Subscribe to get our weekly newsletter covering the double bass world.
Couldn’t read the original article – requires subscription.
But let me point out that the “[g]orgeous building –> long-dead architects” remark might be not completely accurate. Although undoubtedly the donor said “building” she may have also been referring to the interior space, which was renovated some time in the last 12 years. Some of those architects — at the time associated with Stein & Company (now Mesirow Stein) — may still be alive.
The reasons for her donation seem rather thin based on her quote in the article. However, why do you attribute “classy” to the administration? Certainly the people in Admin responsible for PR and advertising work have a great impact in how an organization is perceived. I would interpret her “classy” remark as an indication of being impressed with the Lyric as a whole; singers, crew, musicians, and administration.
Also, she states that:
“I’ve been to other opera houses, but the Lyric, it’s just gorgeous”
She could be talking about the actual structure that the Lyric occupies, or she could also be talking about the productions, which would include singers and musicians… It would seem a bit weird to donate $10 million because the Lyric occupies a pretty building.
That said, an individual making a donation, especially a large one, had better have a great deal of confidence in the administrative staff! When was the last time someone came down to the back of the bass section and asked how to balance the budget? It speaks highly of Ms. Knowles judgment in taking the competence of the fiscal abilities of the Lyric into account (not a good idea to give money to an organization that is not “well-run” – why not just throw it away). And it also speaks very highly of the staff responsible for fundraising and the fiscal health of the organization that a donor would list their competence as a primary reason for giving.
And while many audience members may not be able to fully appreciate the work that goes into an opera production, not least the life-long efforts of pit musicians, I do believe they would know immediately if something were wrong – i.e. musicians who couldn’t play the licks, or even worse, no orchestra at all…
I hope I wasn’t a student who forgot the name of the opera I saw.
Rosencavalier (sp?) is the only production I have seen thus far. I really enjoy the orchestra there, and working in a high school production myself, there are tons of things you even left out of the list. Stage tech, crew members, janitors, all the people who have to work day in and day out to keep that place in perfect shape.
But yes, I really enjoyed this post and find it extremely funny what people actually see in the opera.
I think you might be jumping to conclusions here! Assuming the quotes she gave to a reporter represent her true and sole reasons – already kind of improbable – I think that “classy” and “gorgeous” have a lot to do with the musicians on stage and in the pit. No matter how slick the development staff, how grand the house – the performers are the public face, the essential style and class of the organization. After all, there are a lot of other gorgeous buildings in Chicago which won’t be cashing any of Ms. Knowles’ checks!
Clearly the administration matters – you wouldn’t donate to a poorly managed organization, no matter how worthy the cause, because that money would be wasted. But I have no doubt that musical quality and a great love of music inspired this gift. In the same piece the reporter writes:
The household was filled with classical music from [Ms. Knowles’ father’s] large record collection, and the family would make long treks to Des Moines to see operas.
I would guess that family was more decisive than fundraisers in influencing Ms. Knowles – and when she says “I love the Lyric,” she means the whole thing!
It’s great to hear all the feedback on this article. I was being really nitpicky about these quotes-she could certainly have been referring to the musicians when mentioning a “classy organization”, and her family’s treks to Des Moines to see the opera (I played bass in the company she was referencing for a few seasons, BTW) points to a long-term committment to the art form.
Still, the fact that there wasn’t a more explicit mention of the music in this blurb is very interesting to me. Good food for thought, and I really appreciate the responses that this generated–that’s what one hopes for on a blog!