Carol Fox

Carol Fox (born June 15, 1926, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.—died July 21, 1981, Chicago) was an American opera lover who cofounded the Lyric Theatre of Chicago (1954; now Lyric Opera of Chicago) and served as its general manager for more than 25 years (1954–80).

After taking voice lessons in Italy under the Italian tenor Giovanni Martinelli, Fox returned to the United States, and with Lawrence V. Kelly and Nicola Rescigno, Fox not only built the company into one of the nation’s most-distinguished opera houses but shaped its international reputation as well. She was responsible for introducing some of the top Italian singers to the Lyric, as well as the Greek soprano Maria Callas, who made her American debut in Vincenzo Bellini’s Norma there in 1954. Fox’s predilection for Italian casts and repertory prompted both critics and supporters alike to dub the Lyric "La Scala West." Partly in response to that criticism, an apprentice program was instituted in 1973 for aspiring American singers.