Benefit at Dove Manor Held for Symphony

The 12,500-square-foot house of Diane and Paul Williamson seemed to gobble up the 300 guests attending the Crystal Circle Party, a benefit that raised $17,000 for the Orange County Pacific Symphony.

It wasn’t unusual for couples to get separated while touring the rambling house in Orange on Sunday afternoon and not find each other till the end of the party.

Guests arriving at the French Chateau-style home were assured that they had the right place by a sign stating “Welcome to Dove Manor.” It hung against an antique, horse-drawn carriage built in New York in the early 1800s and named “Grand Victoria” after Queen Victoria of Great Britain. The carriage, donated for the day by L. E. Ullrich and his daughter, Cindy Aylousa, was used only as a backdrop for photographs.

A string quartet from the Pacific Symphony performed on the front lawn, creating a garden party atmosphere. While guests selected a variety of foods from several elaborate buffets, models appeared in fashions from Shebue of Laguna Beach.

Event chairwoman Carole Gilano directed guests into the home, encouraging a walk up the spiral stairway to bid on crystal items in the silent auction.

Playing music of the ‘40s inside the house was 20-year-old Lee Massie, the symphony’s principal flutist, who switched hats to entertain on the baby grand piano.

Gilano found and procured the Williamsons’ home for the event. “I saw it featured for sale in the newspaper,” she explained. “I thought it was a lovely home and tried to get in touch with the owners. They didn’t know me and I thought: ‘How am I going to get them to donate their home to a complete stranger?’ I sent them a press package and convinced them that we were a nice group of people and would have a first-class party.”

Paul Williamson, owner and builder of the home, appeared unruffled as guests roamed the property. “This is a small group,” he said with a chuckle. “We had 3,700 people go through when we donated it for the CHOC (Childrens Hospital of Orange County) tour.”

Proceeds from the party will help underwrite the Pacific Symphony’s major fund-raiser, a Viennese ball to be held April 26 at the Newport Beach Marriott. Waltraut Jechart, a native of Vienna, is chairwoman of the upcoming ball, and she shared some of her plans for the event: “It will remain traditional except for our entertainment, which will feature Renata Holm as our guest coloratura soprano.

“This is the first time we have ever flown someone in from Vienna, and she will do about 30 minutes of singing. I used to see her on the stage in Graz, Austria, and I’m very excited that the timing was right for her to come over.

“And for the first time,” Jechart continued, “we are going to open the ball with the Chopin Polonaise (a formation dance done in three-quarter time), which is a tradition in Europe.”

Charles Paap, underwriter and designer of the flowers for the ball, revealed his ideas for the centerpieces. “We’re going to have Italian crystal vases four to five feet high with lots of flowers. Lots of candles, but no fires.”

Pacific Symphony conductor Keith Clark, attending with his wife, Doris, said he is looking forward to the orchestra’s first appearance at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, scheduled for Oct. 2. “One of the world’s greatest violinists, Henryck Szeryng, will be performing. Ticket sales (began) two weeks ago, and we are already two-thirds sold out.”

Marcy Mulville, a longtime supporter of the orchestra, said, “The acceptance of the symphony at the Performing Arts Center has been a reward for the work we have done in Orange County the last eight years.

“It has opened up a whole new avenue (for support). I think now we can reach the people who want to be involved,” she added.