Lyric Opera of Chicago Names New Board Chair
By David SalazarLyric Opera of Chicago has announced that Craig C. Martin, Chair-Elect and a longtime business and philanthropic leader in Chicago, will be its new Board Chair.
He was elected during a meeting of Lyric’s Board of Directors on Oct. 15, 2025, and will assume the position of Board Chair at Lyric’s Annual Meeting on May 20, 2026.
Martin, Chairman, Americas at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, has been a member of Lyric’s Board since 2006 and on its Executive Committee since 2008. He has also served as Vice Chair and Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee since 2009. He also serves on the boards of the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, the Chicago Urban League, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and the Aspen Institute, among others.
“I am passionate about preserving and strengthening the vitality of Chicago’s great institutions, businesses, and citizens,” said Martin per an official press release. “I look forward to continuing to work closely with Lyric as we chart the next century of outstanding art.”
He takes over for Sylvia Neil, who will step down in May 2026 after six years in the role. Neil, who has led the company since September 2020, will become Chair of the Board’s Executive Committee in July 2026. Under her leadership, she led the search for General Director John Mangum, oversaw five-year labor agreements, spearheaded significant improvements to the Lyric Opera House, and was at the forefront of two key artistic appointments including that of Music Director Enrique Mazzola in 2021 and General Director, President & CEO John Mangum in 2024.
She also founded The Heroes’ Fund and raised $10 million to offset pandemic losses, while aiding in the procurement of a record $25 million gift from longtime Lyric supporter Penelope Steiner. Other achievements include extending the Joffrey Ballet’s residency through 2032 and supporting new artistic ventures such as an upcoming collaboration with Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve and champion Lyric, a wonderful gem that stands uniquely in Chicago’s arts community and as a beacon to the field of opera around the world,” Neil said in an official press release. “There are few organizations quite like Lyric — in the city and the country — and I am proud of the new precedents the Company is setting in bold opera programming and new artistic partnerships. At a time when arts leadership is critically important, I believe that Craig will be an excellent steward for the organization. His leadership, along with the incomparable John Mangum, our General Director, President & CEO, will guide the organization well as Lyric embarks on a bright future as vibrant and secure as ever.”
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