Ardis Krainik was born in Manitowoc,
Wisconsin and earned a degree from Northwestern’s School of
Speech in 1951. She joined the Lyric Opera of Chicago as executive
secretary in 1954. As a mezzo-soprano, she performed for five years
and then was appointed assistant manager. Krainik became General
Manager in 1981, and quickly became known for her excellent managerial
skills. At the same time, her artistic achievements made the Lyric
world-renowned. Krainik died on January 8, 1997, and was honored
posthumously with a Northwestern University Alumni Medal for national
achievement
