Our fund raising party Sunday was a terrific affair and we found the Spertus Institute to be a really excellent place for an event of this kind. We had around 275 people, and that was essentially a full house. Many more would have been a painful squash. We followed the normal formula - a silent auction and a cocktail hour from 7, dinner at 8, live auction at 9, music at 9.30 and then, an innovation for us, a live band and dancing into the night. I have no idea when we finally finished up but it was late. And with the confusion of the change to summer time we are somewhat disoriented today!
There was a wonderful crowd of people there. Since part of the evening was a recognition of my now, believe it or not, ten years here at Chicago Opera Theater, I was thrilled that there were a few people there from my past. Notably, and most generously, Rob Lamb, Managing Director of the Canadian Opera Company, flew in from Toronto with his delightful wife Kim. Rob had worked with me all those twenty years ago, when I went to Toronto from Glyndebourne to be General Director of the Canadian Opera Company. He was a development officer then, and a really outstanding one. He has been a major factor in keeping COC on track after the sad and sudden death of Richard Bradshaw in August 2007. And he remains there as a wonderful colleague for the new General Director Alexander Neef. How good it was to see him. He did not know a soul there but is a wonderful social animal and really enjoyed himself.
Other colleagues from Glyndebourne appeared via Video - Jane Glover and Andrew Davis are of course Chicago people too. But it was lovely to have them participate in the party even though they were not able to be present in person.
And so many great colleagues from here managed to be there there as well. I was touched that Steve Robinson of WFMT and Welz Kaufman of Ravinia were prepared to give up yet another Saturday evening! And there was a distinguished delegation from the Chicago College of the Performing Arts, including David Holloway, Judy Haddon and Rudy Marcozzi.
Two super young artists from our CCPA Diploma program sang before dinner. These were Catalina Cuervo and Jorge Prego - wonderful both and they will be great assets to the company for the next two seasons. We were really proud of them. And then after dinner Sandra Piques Eddy (pictured) nailed it with a 20 minute program which was a super appetizer for her appearance as Carmen with COT in May. How kind it was of here to make the trip from New York for this.
And the whole evening was masterminded by our development director Marla Krupman and her fabulous team, and presided over by Board member and Gala Chairman Lincoln Ellis.
Chicago has had a good soaking over the last 48 hours and the north end of Lincoln Park appears to be inundated. Amazing.