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The Brooklyn Papers / Greg Mango | |
The Dime Savings Bank on DeKalb Avenue
was utterly transformed into a glittering gala venue on June
4.
The rotunda, which bustles with customers and bank tellers during
the day, became a surprisingly perfect setting for a cocktail
reception and dinner hosted by the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra.
The highlight of the evening – which raised $250,000 according
to Philharmonic board member Richard Hayden – was a performance
by legendary soprano Roberta Peters. She filled the marble rotunda
with song, sans microphone.
The diva, who made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera as Zerlina
in Mozart’s "Don Giovanni," has been performing for
50 years. She has won acclaim for her roles as Gilda in "Rigoletto"
and Rosina in "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" (both of which
are available on BMG, RCA Victor).
Peters was accompanied by pianist J.J. Penna. Though she arrived
incognito, as the diva is usually swarmed at events, Peters transformed
herself with a glittering white swan-like gown for her concert
before the 330 guests. The 70-year-old soprano shared anecdotes
between songs about her "good friends" in the biz,
such as Luciano Pavarotti.
The Brooklyn Philharmonic honored board member Arthur Bennett,
executive vice president of the Dime Savings Bank of New York,
with its Distinguished Service Award.
Robert Spano, maestro of the Brooklyn Philharmonic, who has conducted
nearly every major North American orchestra and is also music
director designate of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, proved
to be his usual charming self.
"We are thrilled to have an artist of this caliber sharing
her gifts with us tonight," Spano said of Peters, who performed
arias by Schubert and Strauss.
Among the highlights of Spano’s 2001-2002 season (themed "Songs
of the Earth: Mysteries of the Ancients") are commissions
by Christopher Theofanides and Bright Sheng.
New Philharmonic CEO Catherine Cahill was praised by board members
for turning around the financially troubled orchestra.
The money raised at the event, proclaimed the most successful
Philharmonic gala in 47 years, will benefit their subscription
concerts, music education in the schools program and free programs
in the parks, according to Hayden.
Garden gala
Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts honored Brooklyn philanthropists
with a little help from superstar Isaac Hayes at the Brooklyn
Botanic Garden’s Palm House last month. The actor, musician,
voice of Chef on "South Park" and now the official
voice of Nick at Night on Nickelodeon, infused the event with
his soulful electricity.
Hayes said he agreed to lend his considerable talents to the
event after he was asked by Honorary Dinner Chair John Imperiale.
Hayes said his 98.7 KISS-FM co-host also put in a good word for
Brooklyn Center, which produces 75 events a year at Brooklyn
College’s Walt Whitman auditorium. Thus, the "Shaft"
singer-composer was committed to emceeing the event.
"This place reflects the true spirit of Brooklyn,"
Hayes told GO Brooklyn. "I’m here to help honor the people
who have contributed so much to Brooklyn."
Though Hayes hails from Memphis (the only other noteworthy musician
to have come out of Memphis, he said, was Elvis Presley), he
was a real Brooklyn booster that Wednesday, admonishing the excited
crowd to settle down and listen to what the honorees had to say.
(Hayes’ eponymous foundation is dedicated to helping children.)
Hayes will perform at Brooklyn Center as part of a Valentine’s
Day program in February 2002.
The fundraising team at Brooklyn Center could not have picked
a better night for their soiree at the Palm House. The flowers
were blooming, the air was perfumed with their fragrance and
even an egret made a cameo appearance – skimming across the reflecting
pool during the cocktail hour. The dinner was catered by Charles,
Sally & Charles.
Sen. Chuck Schumer lauded Irwin and Carole Lainoff, who were
presented with a Brooklyn Distinguished Citizens Award, via a
videotaped speech. He told the crowd, which included Brooklyn
Arts Council’s Ella Weiss and Prospect Park Alliance’s Tupper
Thomas, that he and the Lainoffs go back a long way. ("Carole
worked in my congressional office – above a liquor store on Kings
Highway.")
Schumer applauded the Lainoffs, married 46 years, because "they
stayed in Brooklyn and invested in their own backyard."
The Lainoffs, married while students at Brooklyn College, live
on East 28th Street near Quentin Road.
Carole, who grew up in Bay Ridge, encouraged the audience, "We
must do what we can to keep Brooklyn vital and flourishing."
Irwin Lainoff, retired managing director of Neuberger Berman,
is a trustee and president of Congregation Beth Elohim in Park
Slope.
Community activist Allan Kramer II, a Park Slope native, was
awarded the Community Service Award. He began volunteering at
the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in 1978. He is currently a trustee
of the Garden, President of the Montauk Club and development
chairman of the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music.
Dr. Westina Matthews Shatteen, senior vice president of Merrill
Lynch Bank, was awarded the Brooklyn Corporate Leadership Award
as head of Merrill Lynch’s community reinvestment program. She
also serves on the boards of the Ms. Foundation and the Arthur
Ashe Institute.
This event was Brooklyn Center’s 10th gala, but their first Ovation
Awards. The Ovation Awards were created to celebrate the people
who have devoted themselves to the betterment of Brooklyn’s cultural
life. Brooklyn Center, founded in 1954, operates with an annual
budget of $1.5 million. Brooklyn Center’s programs, held at the
2,400-seat Walt Whitman Theatre at Brooklyn College, reflect
the cultures of Brooklyn’s diverse communities – ranging from
classical, to Caribbean to Russian.
Julie Pareles, producing director for Brooklyn Center, would
not release the financial figures of the first annual Ovation
Awards, but said, "It was a tremendous success. It was our
most successful gala ever."
"We are thrilled we were able to unite so many different
communities in this one beautiful evening. It reflects the support
of all of Brooklyn for Brooklyn Center. And the importance of
bringing great world class performing arts programs to South
Central Brooklyn."
As for Brooklyn Center’s next season, Pareles said she would
be "bringing over a dozen new performers who have never
been to BCBC before" as well as Gregory Hines and the Washington
Ballet. Brooklyn Center has also transformed their Swinging Sundays
series to an all-Broadway series, said Pareles, announcing that
"Five Guys Named Moe," "How to Succeed in Business"
and "Damn Yankees" would be part of next season’s programming.
Brooklyn Center has also brought back opera to its classical
music series.
Pareles explained that through the generosity of the Lainoffs,
their friends and the gala guests, "the Musical Masters
series are sponsored for the next two years and will be dedicated
to Irwin and Carole Lainoff."
