The memory lingers...

It was a cold and windy night, but AVA’s 73rd gala – Viva la Voce! was hot and fun!

Events, like the gala, don’t happen over night but this event went as smooth as clockwork, thanks to Randy Apgar the gala chair, his committees, and all the workers at AVA.

It seems that AVA can’t do galas the easy way where you walk in, have the gala and leave. This year we took over two buildings on three different floors to the delight of the attendees. The evening began with cocktail in the casting hall of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, where there are life size casts of Michelangelo’s David and the Winged Victory from the Louvre. Tenor Bryan Hymel and baritone Octavio Moreno sang excerpts from La bohème during cocktails. Our honored guest for the evening was Metropolitan Opera mezzo-soprano and AVA alumna, Joyce DiDonato, and her husband Maestro Leonardo Vordoni, who greeted many of the guests before the concert.

Following cocktails was the concert in the grand rotunda on the second floor. The guest artist was the wonderful soprano and AVA alumna Latonia Moore. She was joined by resident artists Jan Cornelius, Jessica Julin, Corinne Winters, Cody Austin, Taylor Stayton and Christopher Bolduc, under the direction of master vocal coaches David Lofton, Danielle Orlando and Richard Raub.

It was now time for dinner and all three hundred guests marched up to the Hamilton Building for dinner. The theme by Kay Bossone and Scott Key was spring, with colors and flowers to match the art in the gallery. There were brief welcoming speeches by Herbert Riband of PAFA and Mackie MacLean, AVA board president. Dinner was delicious, with dancing between courses. Most of the AVA resident artists were on the floor “cutting-a-rug.”

After the entrée was served, AVA ventured into uncharted waters – a live auction and raffle. The auction committee under the leadership of Ilyce Benton, with the help of Russell Palmer III, had a magnificent line up of items, including a chateau in France that sleeps sixteen! We were in the most capable hands of guest auctioneer Alasdair Nichol from Antiques Roadshow and Freeman’s Auctioneers, Philadelphia. Being a Roadshow "groupie" I enjoyed working with Mr. Nichol, as Bob Lyon and I were his helpers for the auction/raffle.  Front office associates Allison Hymel and Ellen Joffred were a great help lining up the auction items and resident artist presenters.

The evening ended with dessert and more dancing. The best part is that AVA raised nearly one hundred thousand dollars for the scholarship fund.

I have attached many great photos taken by Russell Palmer, and to see the official photos of the evening, click here.

Now aren’t you sorry you missed this?  Why not attend the 74th gala in April 2009?

        

Top row: (1) Stephen Janick and Russell Palmer, III (2) Board members Rosalie Gerson and Martha Hurt (3) Tenor Bryan Hymel (4) Baritone Christopher Bolduc (5) Master vocal coach Richard Raub (6) Mezzo-soprano Nina Yoshida Nelsen

Botttom row; (1) Selling raffle tickets, mezzo-soprano Cynthia Cook and bariton Steven LaBrie (2) Master vocal coach Danielle Orlando and Sally Jannetta (3) Dr. Benjamin Ramerez and Ross Russell with Ariadna and Octavio Moreno (4) AVA volunteer Nan Altman and soprano Corinne Winters