Plegding the matching funds are the Crown family of Chicago ($1 million) and, at $500,000 each, New York's Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Richard P. and Susan Kiphart.

Heading the Crown family is Lyric board member Lester Crown. Mr. Kiphart is also the board's president.

"It is particularly gratifying" that those who stepped up alongside Matthew and John Bucksbaum families and General Growth Properties are closely associated with the company, said its general director William Mason.

Last season, more than 200 national markets carried the Bucksbaum Family Lyric Opera Broadcasts through the WFMT Radio Network, which also distributed the broadcasts internationally to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and the European Broadcasting Union.

Lyric Opera expects to reach over 25 million listeners through live broadcasts during the coming season and internationally syndicated rebroadcasts afterwards.

"My wife Susie and I are pleased to play a role in this important endeavor," said Mr. Kiphart.