Krainik, Ardis Joan

▪ 1998

      American arts executive (b. March 8, 1929, Manitowoc, Wis.—d. Jan. 18, 1997, Chicago, Ill.), was the general director of the Lyric Opera of Chicago for 15 years. Only the second person to hold that position, she guided the company out of financial difficulty and into worldwide renown. Krainik was educated at Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill. (B.S., 1951), taught drama and public speaking in Wisconsin (1951-53), and returned to Northwestern for postgraduate studies before joining (1954) the fledgling Lyric Theatre as secretary to the company's founder, Carol Fox, and as a singer. She performed in supporting roles in some 11 operas, but in 1960, having become assistant manager of what was by then the Lyric Opera, she chose to concentrate on administration and gave up her stage career. She was named artistic administrator in 1975. By 1980, however, the Lyric had become seriously unstable financially, and Krainik saw her future there as uncertain. When she was offered the leadership of the Australian Opera in Sydney, she made plans to take that position. Fox left the Lyric in early 1981, though, and Krainik agreed to stay on and take her place. She quickly returned the company to financial health and went on to raise enough money to renovate the Civic Opera House, the company's home. Krainik also made her mark artistically, presenting contemporary works, commissioning new works, and instituting a composer-in-residence program. In addition she staged (1996) the company's first complete Wagner Ring cycle. Krainik made headlines in 1989 when she announced that because of his numerous cancellations Luciano Pavarotti was no longer welcome at the Lyric. In June 1996 she announced her impending retirement because of deteriorating health. The Civic's main auditorium was named the Ardis Krainik Theatre.

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