Chicago Opera Theater’s second annual Holiday Soiree
January 18, 2012 1:58PM
Ann Connors, board member Robert Marks, gala chair Dotty Walton and Bud Dobbins of Wilmette | Photo courtesy of Ashley Rawls
BENEFITING: Chicago Opera Theater
DATE: Dec. 5, 2011
LOCATION: Newberry Library, Chicago
ATTENDED: 100+
RAISED: $20,000+
Article Extras
Updated: February 27, 2012 8:07AM
On Monday, Dec. 5, 2011 Chicago Opera Theater (COT) presented their second annual Holiday Soiree at the Newberry Library in Chicago. The event was hosted by COT Board Member Roger Baskes and Mrs. Julie Baskes.
Over $20,000 was raised for Chicago Opera Theater, a 400% increase from the previous year’s event.
The evening began with cocktails in the entrance of the Newberry Library, decorated beautifully for the holidays. Phil Stefani catered the event with passed hors d’oeuvres and a gourmet coffee and holiday dessert buffet. Hors d’oeuvres included braised short rib sliders, apple and brie puff pastry, and mini Vesuvius chicken.
More than one hundred people attended the evening including philanthropist and activist Doris Conant, who sits on the boards of Chicago Humanities Festival and Chicago Public Media, with her son Howard Conant Jr., founder of Urban Innovations; Theodore Foss, Associate Director for The Center for East Asian Studies at the University of Chicago; Maura Ann McBreen, a partner at McBreen of Baker & McKenzie LLP; Chicago Opera Theater Board President Greg O’Leary and his wife Patricia Kenney and Ken Pigott, President and CEO of the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Board of Directors, with his wife Jane.
The highlight of the evening was a performance by soprano Nancy Gustafson, tenor Dominic Armstrong, and baritone Matthew Worth, accompanied by pianist Craig Terry. Nancy Gustafson has sung in all of the major opera houses of the world and was last seen at Chicago Opera Theater in Erwartung (2007). In October, Dominic Armstrong was one of only four American finalists in the 2011 Neue Stimmen competition. Dominic sang the title role in COT’s 2007 production of La clemenza di Tito, and will appear with COT this spring in Moscow, Cheryomushki. Matthew Worth just made his Lyric Opera of Chicago debut as Harlekin in Ariadne auf Naxos, and performed in Three Decembers with Frederica von Stade at COT in 2010.
The evening of song was a collection of holiday and popular favorites that included: “The Christmas Song”, “Simple Song” by Bernstein, “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ The Boat” from Guys and Dolls, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “Soliloquy” from Carousel.
The evening ended with more drinks and food, while mingling with the singers.
For more information, see chicagooperatheater.org.
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