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Oscar Tatosian:
A Storied Leader
For long time Lyric patron and newly-elected President of the Guild Board
of Directors, Oscar Tatosian’s journey to becoming an opera lover started
as a social engagement. “I credit the young professionals group for getting
me involved at Lyric Opera. We would get together at a local restaurant
before the performance, have a meal, and maybe learn a little bit about
opera, too.” He speaks of the Auxiliary Board (now known as Lyric Young
Professionals), which was formed in the late 1990s by a group of likeminded
young adults who assembled their friends for opera-focused gatherings
aimed at engaging the next generation of Lyric supporters. “What was
great about that group was that the members would educate themselves
on a subject and give pre-opera lec-
tures for their peers.” He also fondly
remembers the “crazy nights” out-
side of the traditional opera outings:
Lyric Lounge Nights, a fundraising
project of the Auxiliary Board, and
board-hosted tables at the Opera
Ball, which were the place to be for
young twenty-somethings looking
to have a good time and support a
worthy cause.
All of those social get-togethers
eventually got Oscar completely
hooked on opera. “From the begin-
ning, I was taken by the stories of the
operas. They’re very basic, but they
had a lot of meaning for me – boy
loves girl, and her daddy says no, or
rich boy marries dancer; all of these
family issues. They’re so simple, but
so timeless. Now I focus on the
voices more, but the stories are what
captured me. We’re human, and it’s
very natural to connect with other
people’s life experiences.”
It wasn’t long before Oscar
became an active member of Lyric’s
leadership, joining the Guild Board
of Directors in 2006 and serving
as
Fantasy of the Opera
Chairman
before being elected President in
2014. When asked about his goals for
the Board during his tenure, he says he wants “to build an energized, cohe-
sive team of dedicated members serving Lyric.” Oscar’s presidency comes
at a time of great opportunity for the Guild Board to grow as advocates for
Lyric Opera of Chicago. He hopes to tap into the unique aspects of Lyric’s
framework which originally engaged him with the company: “If I go back to
my earliest days [on the Auxiliary Board], it was learning about the operas
themselves, the stories, the creation, the context – if we can do that, it’s a
shortcut to success.” Oscar would also like to see the Guild Board support
Lyric’s wider mission to be more relevant and diverse. He lauds Anthony
Freud’s leadership and the efforts of Lyric Unlimited in reaching out to new
audiences and communities, citing
The Second City Guide to the Opera
and the recent and upcoming mariachi operas – and their accompanying
community partnerships – as essential to the livelihood of the company.
“That’s exactly the right effort; now the Boards should embrace and imple-
ment initiatives such as these.”
A first-generation Armenian-American born and raised in Wilmette,
Oscar and his brother run the family business, Oscar Isberian Rugs, found-
ed by Oscar’s grandfather in 1920 as Chicagoland’s premier Oriental Rug
retailer. With a strong company history of integrity and an appreciation for
beautiful things, old and new, it was
only natural that Oscar found grand
opera appealing. “I’ve come to the
realization that in almost any sig-
nificant milestone in one’s life, some-
how music is involved. Whether it’s
a wedding, a funeral, graduations,
any type of festive occasion, there’s
music; it allows you to get out of
your mind and into your soul.” He
distinctly remembers other musical
influences marking his early years,
such as a visit by famed Armenian-
Russian composer and conduc-
tor Aram Khachaturian, whom his
grandparents hosted in their home
during a culturally significant United
States concert tour in 1968. Oscar
himself, who is active in the national
Armenian community, has con-
tinued to show interest in classical
musicians visiting from his home
country, organizing an outing to
support Armenian conductor Alain
Altinoglu when he was performing
Carmen
at Lyric in 2010.
As an advocate for Lyric, Oscar
loves to bring new people to the
Civic Opera House. “One of my
favorite things is taking a friend to
the opera and seeing the magic
happen; to see them really awed.
Some of the best moments come when I’m being an ambassador for
Lyric, because I know it impacts my guests, and sharing that with others
is really special. It’s like a great little world within this world. I’m privileged
to be associated with Lyric Opera.” And we are honored to count Oscar
Tatosian as one of Lyric’s staunchest supporters, sharing its vision of being
a diverse, relevant, and culturally significant contributor to our great city.
Lyric Opera of Chicago’s story is richer because of him.
—
Meaghan Stainback