San Francisco Ballet is America’s oldest professional ballet company with an illustrious history of “firsts,” including the first American productions of Swan Lake and Nutcracker.
And so it was befitting the high standards of the Ballet that the 2011 opening gala performance featured two world premieres!
Gorretti Lui, Edwin Lee, Charlotte Shultz, Jerry Yang
Carl Pascarella, Pam Baer, Jerry Yang
The first world premier of the evening was Val Caniparoli’s Double Stop, set to the music of Philip Glass. The pas de deux was performed by Sarah Van Patten and Tiit Helimets.
Kim Carim, Debra Bernard (General Manager San Francisco Ballet), Glenn McCoy (Ballet Executive Director), Arshad Carim
Lorena Feijoo and Vitor Luiz performed the world premiere of Choreographer in Residence Yuri Possokhov’s Talk to Her (hable con ella).
Created for the 2011 Opening Night Gala, the work was set to Alberto Iglesias‘ Hable con ella, and marks Possokhov’s 13th work for the Company.
Alison Mauze (Auxiliary President), Richard Barker, Rada Brooks (Gala Chair), Marie Hurabiell (Gala Dinner Chair)
The program also included the United States premier of John Neumeier’s New Pizzicato Polka. Created for the 2006 New Year’s Concert of the Vienna Philharmonic and set to the music of Johann Strauss Jr., the work was originally danced by members of the Hamburg Ballet, where Neumeier serves as director and chief choreographer. It was performed by Vanessa Zahorian, Jaime Garcia Castilla, and Taras Domitro.
Marie Hurabiell (Gala Dinner Chair), Andrew Trader
Prior to the Gala performance, five black-tie fundraising dinners were held in City Hall, with all proceeds from the dinners benefiting San Francisco Ballet’s annual fund.
Ellen Hummel, Jessica Lind, Lauren Parrott
Patti Rock, John Fetzer, Suzanne Thornton, Charlie Thornton
Joy Bianchi, Linda Gordon
All five dinners were catered by Paula LeDuc Fine Catering, with wine provided by William Hill Estate Winery, and water by Crystal Geyser and CG Roxane. Sparkling wine was courtesy of La Marca Prosecco and cocktails courtesy of GREY GOOSE Vodka.
Riccardo Benavides, Kathy Huber (Gala Decor Chair)
Dinner decor for the evening was created by J. Riccardo Benavides of Ideas.
Patrick Barber, Melissa Barber
Melissa Barber
Nate Schierholtz, of the SF Giants
Bandel Carano, Paula Carano
Paula Carano, Rosalina Lydster
Alan Malouf, Lindsay Bolton
Suzy Kellems Dominik
Dede Wilsey, Helgi Tomasson
Marybeth La Motte, Lisa Grotts, Keylee Sanders
Nicola Miner, Robert Mailer Anderson
Stephanie Ejabat
Angelique Griepp
Deepa Pakianathan
Suzanne Felson
O.J. Shansby, Gary Shansby
Bob Fisher, Randi Fisher
Yurie Pascarella, Carl Pascarella
Patricia Ferrin Loucks (Gala Benefactor Party Chair), Laura Miller, Elaine Mellis (Gala Patron Party Chair)
Claire Kostic (Gala Launch Party Chair), Suzanne Thornton
Rada Brooks (Gala Chair), Debra Bernard (General Manager San Francisco Ballet)
Val Caniparoli, Lorena Feijoo, Vitor Luiz
Shannon Cronan, Dan Cronan
Tags: Alan Malouf, Alberto Iglesias, andrew trader, Angelique Griepp, Arshad Carim, Bandel Carano, Bob Fisher, Carl Pascarella, Charlotte Shultz, Dan Cronan, Debra Bernard, Dede Wilsey, Deepa Pakianathan, Edwin Lee, Ellen Hummel, Gary Shansby, Glenn McCoy, Gorretti Lui, Helgi Tomasson, Jaime Garcia Castilla, Jerry Yan, Jerry Yang, Jessica Lind, Joy Bianchi, Kathy Huber (Gala Decor Chair), Keylee Sanders, Kim Carim, Lauren Parrott, Linda Gordon, Lindsay Bolton, Lisa Grotts, Lorena Feijoo, Marybeth La Motte, Melissa Barber, Nate Schierholtz, Nicola Miner, Pam Baer, Patrick Barber, Paula Carano, Philip Glass, Randi Fisher, Riccardo Benavides, Robert Mailer Anderson, Rosalina Lydster, Sarah Van Patten, Shannon Cronan, Stephanie Ejabat, Suzanne Felson, Suzy Kellems Dominik, Taras Domitro, Tiit Helimets, Val Caniparoli, Vanessa Zahorian, Vitor Luiz, Yuri Possokhov
A selection of items from Diana Vreeland’s wardrobe will be auctioned by Kerry Taylor Auctions in London on June 25th, 2013.
Notable pieces include an Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture ensemble, with Lesage embroidery, designed specifically for Mrs. Vreeland by Saint Laurent himself in 1986. There’s also a wonderful Yves Saint Laurent velvet evening jacket, designed in 1981 (shown above), and a Mainbocher coat.
The 2013 showing of artMRKT in San Francisco opened to a staggering 6,000 guests in May, and had to turn away 500, raising approximately $30,000 for artMRKT beneficiary, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco’s New Acquisition Fund.
Following the presentation of the 2013 ArtCare Award for Excellence in Civic Arts Patronage awarded to Mrs. Diane B. Wilsey, on behalf of the San Francisco Arts Commission and San Francisco Art Dealers Association, the Opening Night Preview Benefit provided guests with first access to the artwork, elegant catering (including specialty cocktails courtesy of Diageo), as well as a fantastic performance by the SF Jazz High School All-Stars Combo.
Among numerous Opening Night sales, Brian Gross Fine Art sold a major Robert Arneson self-portrait bronze for $200,000, and Alex Meyerovich Gallery reported the sale of a David Hockney lithograph for $65,000.
For more information, visit www.art-mrkt.com/sf
Barbara Klein and Joel Goodrich recently hosted a small luncheon at the Fairmont Hotel’s elegant Laurel Court Restaurant for I. Dolly Lenz, the Vice Chairman of Douglas Elliman in New York.
Floral fantasy and color are the calling cards of the man behind society weddings and S.F.’s biggest fetes, says the Chonicle’s Catherine Bigelow.
Just last year we spotted Cate Blanchett in various locations around San Francisco during the filming of a new Woody Allen film, Blue Jasmine, and the trailer for it has just been released!
Jesse Draper has signed with 44 Blue Productions to take her online talk show, “The Valley Girl Show,” to television this fall and is developing a new business reality TV series called “What Women (Really) Want.” She recently shared her favorite Bay Area haunts with C Magazine’s Alyssa Fung.
The Johns got very, very Close at the SFMOMA Art Auction. They marched through the Marsh with Sherman, their hearts Welling up with love for art. On the Richter scale, this was big. Warhol big…
In celebration of the U.S. premiere of Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella, SF Ballet hosted a fundraising dinner on May 3, 2013, in a gorgeous tented pavilion masterfully designed by Riccardo Benavides in the Memorial Court between the War Memorial Opera House and the Veterans Building.
Inspired by the theme of the evening, many dressed in the most fanciful fairy tale gowns, while others went for a more modern look. Everyone looked absolutely lovely (not a wicked stepmother in sight!)
Here, with photos courtesy of Drew Altizer, we present our selection of the 25 most chic looks of the evening.
Rain Phoenix and Topaz Page Green recently hosted Unite SF Design at The Conservatory of Flowers.
The philanthropic runway show fused design, ingenuity, technology and philanthropy to raise awareness and funds to help feed children in the poorest areas abroad. The event proceeds will go to support The Lunchbox Fund, a non-profit agency founded by Topaz Page Green, Joaquin Phoenix and Balthazar Getty, dedicated to providing a daily meal to thousands of children.
Inspired by the Asian Art Museum’s spring exhibition, China’s Terracotta Warriors: The First Emperor’s Legacy, the museum’s Council recently presented “Once Upon a Time in Xi’an,” a lively evening event for families of all ages.
The event featured dancers, costumed performers, unique arts and crafts, and a sumptuous buffet bringing the fascinating world of China’s First Emperor and his world renowned army of terracotta soldiers to life.
The event chairs Alexandra Caban and Patrice Wilbur, with an event committee that included Midori Antebi, Alice Chang, Lucy Dathan, Christine DeSanze, Stacey Dobos, Marjory Graue, Elyn Kim, Michael Kim, Caroline Low, Linda Lynch, Kira Robb, Mona Shah, Elizabeth Warner, and Salle Yoo, created an amazingly fun and education experience for more than 600 guests!
The San Francisco Conservatory of Music held its annual gala on Saturday, April 20, 2013, in honor of legendary baritone Thomas Hampson. “An Evening of Voice Honoring Thomas Hampson” featured performances by Hampson, who shared the stage with Conservatory student singers and faculty. The most important fundraising and outreach event of the year, the gala took in $300,000 for the Conservatory’s educational programs.
Gala co-chairs Teresa Medearis and Trustee Barbara Walkowski pronounced the evening a “resounding success in every way” for the 250 guests in attendance. And the event’s co-chairs were suitably decked in regal attire for the occasion: Walkowski in a silk chiffon Carolina Herrera gown in vibrant red, and Medearis donned in emerald green taffeta by Monique Lhuillier. Trustee Deepa Pakianathan displayed her signature style in a black and white dress by Rubin Singer, one of Beyonce’s favorite designers.
Catering for the event was provided by McCall’s, Catering and Events and decor by Blueprint Studios. Wells Fargo was the official corporate Patron, with corporate sponsorships provided by Asset Management Company, Bank of America and CM Capital Advisors.
Osso Steakhouse (1177 California Street at Jones), a new venture from Jerry and Jennifer Dal Bozzo in partnership with Dante Serafini, recently celebrated its grand opening.
The restaurant offers a diverse a la carte menu featuring the highest quality of 4-6 week dry-aged tender prime beef with bone-in (osso) steaks, along with specialty offerings like Hot Iron Skillet Dungeness Crab. Great pride is taken in the extensive wine list.
The Dal Bozzos and Serafini are the same group behind other San Francisco favorites like The Franciscan Crab Restaurant, The Stinking Rose, Calzone’s Pizza Cucina, and the recently revamped The Old Clam House.
Osso Steakhouse is open everyday for dinner only, from 5-10pm. Valet Parking available for $10. 1177 California Street at Jones. 415-771-6776.
It was a “Mod, Mod World” on May 7th and 8th, 2013, at the Presidio’s Golden Gate Club as the Edgewood Fair raised $300,000 for the Edgewood Center for Families and Children!
Edgewood is the leading provider of behavioral and mental health services for 7,000 children and families living in some of the most violence-ravaged and economically-depressed areas of the Bay Area each year.
The event was put together by event chairs Kelly Anderson and Lori Shigekane, sponsorship chairs Susanna Holt and Courtney Giraudo, party chairs Sarah Semple and Amanda Valentino, luncheon chairs Mary Graf and Emilie Lynch, and Edgewood Marketplace chairs Amanda Rickel and Dina Wong To.
The UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAM/PFA) honor Nancy and Steven Oliver at its annual Gala on May 7, 2013.
The Olivers are best known for the Oliver Ranch, an extraordinary sculpture park in Sonoma County, where they have worked closely with some of country’s finest artists, such as Bruce Nauman, Ellen Driscoll, Richard Serra, and Martin Puryear, on site-specific installations.
Co-chaired by Carla Crane and Wanda Kownacki, this year’s event featured performances and productions by artist and songwriter Terry Allen; artist, writer, and actress Jo Harvey Allen; visual artist and choreographer Joe Goode; and the esteemed Pacific Mozart Ensemble. Artist Ann Hamilton, whose extraordinary tower provides an other-worldly setting for music and dance performances on the Oliver Ranch, was a special guest.
The evening culminated in a live auction by Christie’s, which includesd one-of-a-kind works by Diane Arbus, John Baldessari, Sophie Calle, Rudolf de Crignis, Andy Goldsworthy, Ray Johnson, Richard Misrach, and Lee Mullican. The art auction chair was Robert Harshorn Shimshak.
Proceeds from this year’s event will support BAM/PFA’s education programs.
We’re delighted to see that the Alex Chases Salon, run by the renowned hairstylist Alex Chases, has recently moved into a larger space at Rosewood Sand Hill’s Sense spa.
Designer Cedric Charlier recently visited San Francisco from Paris, to present his Spring 2013 collection at Barneys.
On April 25th, 2013, guests joined Sir Peter Michael of the Peter Michael Winery, and his son Paul Michael for a 4-course dinner prepared by Curtis Di Fede and Tyler Rodde, co-chef-owners of Oenotri, Napa. Each course was paired with an exclusive Peter Michael wine.
Proceeds from the highly successful evening and live auction benefit prostate cancer research at Stanford Cancer Center.
The USO-themed event was held at the privately owned Military Vehicle Technology Foundation in Portola Valley.
