Living & Giving | Feb. 2026
BY MOONLIGHT
By Dustin O’Regan
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACLYN SIMPSON
John Mangum, Sylvia Neil, Billy Corgan, Karen Z. Gray-Krehbiel
After the much-anticipated world premiere of A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness — the orchestral and operatic reimagining of The Smashing Pumpkins’ iconic 1995 double album — Chicago’s foremost community leaders and esteemed philanthropists gathered at Lyric Opera of Chicago for “By Moonlight,” an exclusive celebration. The night began with a lively pre-show reception featuring cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on the American Airlines Mezzanine before attendees took their seats for the historic performance. After the final notes sounded, guests packed the Rice Grand Foyer for a glamorous post-concert event hosted by the Lyric Women’s Board, where they were immersed in atmospheric décor created by J&L and artistic scenic elements inspired by the Mellon Collie universe, including one-of-a-kind custom paintings created by renowned artist Jeff Ritchie. lyricopera.org
Karen Z. Gray-Krehbiel
Karen Z. Gray-Krehbiel, Gilles Mendel
