Carol Fox was, at the age of 28, the first impresario of the Chicago Lyric Opera and credited with restoring Chicago's pre-Depression operatic glory.

Carol was the only child of a wealthy Chicago furniture manufacturer. Her enthusiasm for opera showed itself when she returned home from study in Europe in 1950. With Lawrence Kelly, also aged 28, a real estate agent and insurance broker, and the conductor Nicola Rescigno

Nicola Rescigno

Nicola Rescigno was an Italian-American conductor, particularly associated with the Italian opera repertory. Opera News said that "Rescigno was a seminal figure in the history of opera in America, a maestro and mentor who shaped the destiny and reputation of two major U.S...

 she organized the rebirth of a resident opera company at the Chicago Civic Opera

Chicago Civic Opera

The Civic Opera Company was a Chicago company that produced seven seasons of grand opera in the Auditorium Theater from 1922 to 1928, and three seasons at its own Civic Opera House from 1929 to 1931 before falling victim to financial difficulties brought on in part by the Great Depression.-...

 building. In 1958 she engaged Pino Donati

Pino Donati

Pino Donati was an Italian composer and for many years artistic director of the Chicago Lyric Opera.From 1936 he was superintendent of the Arena di Verona and then from 1950 the Teatro Comunale of Bologna...

from Italy as her assistant and artistic director - a function in which he continued till his death in 1975. Fox was ousted from the board of the opera in 1981 and died shortly afterwards.