Lyric Opera of Chicago, founded in 1954, is one of the world's greatest opera companies. It is renowned internationally for its artistic excellence and financial strength. Over the past two decades the company has achieved unparalleled success in its ticket sales, averaging 100% attendance from 1988-2002, and more than 90% attendance since that time. Lyric Opera is also distinguished for having operated in the black for 25 of the past 26 years.