The Sanford and Dolores Ziff Ballet Opera House.
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Florida
Grand Opera opened its 67th anniversary
year on November 17, with a new production
of Mozart’s Così fan tutte at
the Ziff Ballet Opera House at the Carnival
Center for the Performing Arts in Miami. This
new production featured Grammy Award winning
Puerto Rican soprano, Ana Maria Martinez,
and acclaimed Israeli mezzo-soprano, Rinat
Shaham. A glamorous on stage
dinner-dance followed the performance, celebrating
the fusion of high fashion, costume design,
and the world of grand opera.
In celebration of the artistic collaborations
that enable the production of grand opera,
the 67th Opening Night Gala showcased the works
of five locally-celebrated, leading fashion
designers. Among them are Mayda
Cisneros, Julian Chang, Victoria Lopez Castro,
Ivonne de la Vega, and Sylvia
Tcherassi. Each designer has
been engaged to create an original evening
gown, inspired by the theme of their chosen
opera of the season.
Models exhibited the exclusive creations throughout
the stunning atriums of the Ziff Ballet Opera
House, allowing every patron to relish the
extraordinary experience that is opening
night at the opera. Following the
performance, patrons were whisked onto the
Lynn Wolfson stage for a magical night of dinner
and dancing with the stars. The journey
began with a delectable four-course meal, followed
by the highly anticipated gown auction, with
proceeds benefiting Florida Grand Opera.
Ms. Lynn Wolfson served as
honorary chair for the event. Co-chairs were Donald and
(the late) B. Carlin, Mr. Stephen A.
Keller and Ms. Lesleen Bolt,
Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Leibowitz,
Mr. and Mrs. David Melin,
Mr. and Mrs. Laurans A. Mendelson, Mr. Charles E.
Porter and Ms. Rosie Pachon,
and Dr. and Mrs. Morton
J. Robinson.
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Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Lefka and Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin F. Harrison. Mr.
Harrison is chairman of the FGO Board; Mrs. Lefka is president of the
Opera Society in Fort Lauderdale.
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Mr. Robert M. Heuer, FGO general director and CEO, and Metropolitan
Opera soprano Roberta Peters.
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Dr. and Mrs. Morton J. Robinson. Mrs. Robinson is president
of FGO’s Board of Directors.
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Soprano Ana Maria Martinez, Robert M. Heuer, and mezzo-soprano Rinat Shaham.
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Mr. and Mrs. Laurans A. Mendelson.
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Clara Sredni, Carlos Nieto, FGO Board member and Therese Marsantes.
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Fashion designer Mayda Cisneros and husband sculptor
Terje Lundass.
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Dr. and Mrs. Ernesto Gambaro and Mr. and Mrs. George Creel.
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Jacques Tézé, Mr. and Mrs. Ariel Elia, and Nancy
Herstand.
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Aaron Leiber, Diane Sepler, Sara Solomon, and Dr. Bruce Horten.
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Miami fashion designer Victoria Lopez Castro and husband Amadeo Lopez
Castro.
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Charles E. Porter, FGO Board member and Rosie Pachon.
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Robert Gonzalez and Adrienne Arsht.
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Fashion designer Sylvia Tcherassi and husband
Mauricio Espinosa.
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Fashion designer Julian Chang, with model wearing his ball gown
design.
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Bernardo Ortiz, general manager, Emilio Pucci, Bal Harbour,
and Sara Ortiz.
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Tatiana Nedosekova and Craig Miller, regional director of
GRAFF Florida.
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Celebrated baritone Dimitri Hvoroskovsky and wife Florence.
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Mr. and Mrs. Andrew H. Boros.
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Sara Gutierrez, FGO Board member with Karyn
Robinson.
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Shani Atapattu and Gregory d’Incelli.
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Mr. and Mrs. Tony Custer (designer Ana Guiulfo).
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The Robinson family: Mort, Karyn, Jay, Jenna and Jane.
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| Photos:
Mary Hilliard |
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