Orange County First-Nighters Put On Glittery Performance

The night they had waited and worked for arrived--and Orange County’s beautiful people embraced it joyfully. At a lavish black-tie celebration, they welcomed the new $70-million Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa.

As early as 5:43 p.m., the limousines--black, gray, white, burgundy--began arriving. They stretched down Town Center Drive, around Avenue of the Arts, mixing with the patina of Rolls-Royce and Mercedes. Parking passes had reminded: “There will be heavy traffic.”

Key Figures

Without question, it was the Segerstrom Family Night. For generations to come, Orange County will be thankful that they were the key figures in transforming their lima bean field into a great cultural center.

Roots were planted more than 30 years ago for a comfortable concert hall in Orange County. In 1969 a feasibility study found that Newport Beach was not an acceptable site for a center. Then a Santa Ana group examined 19 parcels, rejecting all.

Only after Elaine Redfield, in 1979, asked Henry Segerstrom, who had already donated land for the South Coast Repertory Theater, “Couldn’t you help?” did the earth shake. He consulted his mother, Mrs. Anton Segerstrom, his cousin, Harold Segerstrom. This triumvirate--established as the biggest lima bean growers in the United States, and becoming wealthier by the minute with land development, including the South Coast Plaza--turned Medici.

They offered Elaine Redfield five acres of land, a week later $1 million, a year and a half later another $5 million. The gold rush was on: a $2-million pledge from the D. James Bentleys, a $1-million pledge from the Harry and Grace Steele Foundation, a $3-million grant from the James Irvine Foundation, a $2-million grant from the Fluor Foundation, $1 million from the Hoag Foundation, an agreement from C. L. Peck to construct the 3,000-seat multipurpose theater for cost.

Success adores company: anyone who had $500,000, $100,000, $50,000 or $10,000 was particularly courted. Almost always amiably they parted cash or pledge; they came to the opening. Fair enough.

Monday evening Henry T. Segerstrom never stopped smiling. Standing on stage, preceding the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra concert conducted by Zubin Mehta, conductor of the New York Philharmonic, he beamed to first-nighters at this first of a series of galas that extend into late October.

“Inspired by private initiative--conceived, designed and constructed by private resources--this center represents the greatness, individual freedom, ingenuity and enterprise given to our society . . . it will be said of your achievements that to work for the good of others is the noblest of all human endeavors.” Then, he revealed, “On this opening night, I am delighted to say we have reached our goal of totally funding this great performing arts complex.” This includes more than an additional $73 million raised for an endowment.

From the moment Henry and Renee Segerstrom arrived, gazing up at the shimmering wings of sculptor Richard Lippold’s soaring “Fire Bird” (the artist had supervised the final adjustments early that morning), they were the center of attention: “It’s the end of a long dream,” he kept repeating. By his side was Renee, wearing Yves St. Laurent’s gown made especially for her of pink tissue taffeta and a multi-tiered skirt of black lace. The complement: large cabachon emerald earrings surrounded by diamonds and the significant emerald ring on her finger.

‘Rather Understated’

Without a necklace, Renee Segerstrom placed her hand at her bare throat and joshed, “I guess I’m rather understated.”

It was not a night for real understatement. Jean Smith, wife of former U.S. Atty. Gen. William French Smith (they came with Paul A. Miller, chairman of Pacific Lighting Corp., whose grandfather, Robert Watt Miller, founded the San Francisco Opera), wore a black flounced Stavropoulos. The only woman Center trustee, Kathryn G. Thompson, land developer, was resplendent in a decolletage Gildas gown to offset her Van Cleef and Arpels emerald and diamond necklace; she was trailed by black sable. Her escort was land developer Gus Owen; they arrived with Chuck and Sandy McCune: “Yes, I am a developer; yes, I think you would say I am successful,” admitted Kathryn Thompson.

At another second, all eyes riveted on Gen. William and Willa Dean Lyon, $1-million donors, when the stately pair arrived with their guests, Mike and Linda Curb. Willa Dean was stunning in a Galanos blue/white/gray beribboned jacket and skirt offset with a necklace of huge sapphires and diamonds. Lillian Fluor, in Oscar de la Renta, had the spotlight, too, on the arm of her son, Peter Fluor, who flew in from Houston. Lillian recalled the gift of her late husband, J. Robert Fluor: “Renee (Segerstrom) came up to me at a meeting of Angels (a center support group) and said, ‘You’re not going to believe this, but your husband (Fluor Foundation) just gave $2 million--it was the first I knew about it.” Later, she commented, “In all our travels, at all the parties I have ever attended, I have never seen such thrilling fashion creations.”

When major donor Lois Driggs Cannon and astronaut Buzz Aldrin (wearing Air Force formal dress and his Medal of Freedom as one of the first two men to set foot on the moon) arrived, the cameras clicked happily.

California Twosome

California First Lady Gloria Deukmejian and Gayle Wilson, wife of California’s U.S. senator, arrived as a twosome, when 20 minutes before leaving, they discovered they were staying at the same hotel.

Effervescent party chairman Mrs. Edward Schumacher wore Luiz Archer. She was an early arrival with her husband Ed and her daughter-in-law, Carin, from Holland. More early arrivals included Thomas and Marilyn Nielsen (she in a glorious black and gold Ruben Panis), early leaders in the campaign; the Peter Kremers (she also in Ruben Panis); Molly Lynch in a pretty Lillie Rubin, and her mother Marilyn Lynch, whose husband heads Northrop and is a Center supporter; Cecila Presley, there with her husband Randall, was glittery in a Bob Mackie, worn with a lavaliere from her grandfather, the late Hollywood producer Cecil B. DeMille.

Among the largest of donors ($3.5 million) were members of the Steele family--Audrey Steele Burnand, wearing Carolina Herrera’s shimmering black and white satin creation, and there with her husband Alphonse; Barbara (Steele) and Nick B. Williams, and Richard and Elizabeth Steele. Also in this “strategic gifts” category ($1 million and more) were the irrepresible George and Judie Argyros, who proclaimed the evening awesome; Irene Bentley; the Frederick W. Rohes; Robert and Lois Erburu, representing the Los Angeles Times/Times Mirror Foundation, the Robert P. Warmingtons, and the William J. Bettingens.

Orange County’s enormous land developers, some who keep extraordinarly low profiles, emerged for the occasion: Donald Bren, head of the Irvine Co., escorted Carol Hayes of New York and sat on the first tier with the Segerstrom Family. So did Don and Dorothy Koll, whose name is synonymous with Orange County. Developers Bob and Jo McLain (back from Scotland) were there.

A Party for Givers

It was a party in which almost everyone had given--money, self, soul. Some who had given all three were chairman of the board of directors, William S. Lund, who attended with his daughter Michelle; and vice president and chief executive officer Timothy L. Strader, there with his wife, Susan. Both head real estate development companies.

As one insider noted: “Everyone from Orange County is a land developer.”

Special Gifts Chairmen Victor and Susan Boyd and co-chairmen Don and Claudette Shaw and Don and Judy Oliphant, who, as Segerstrom pointed out, had all worked ceaselessly, were welcoming founders.

For members of the opening night committee headed by Gary Hunt, chairman, and Floss Schumacher, gala chairman, the event almost became a nightmare after rains created dampness and necessitated lifting the carpeting that had been laid early for the party, importing tons of gravel for a drying effect, laying support flooring and re-laying the carpeting. Thomas R. Kendrick, executive director of the center, and a team including Marilyn Pauley, Diane Dailacis, Tom Wilck, Carol Campbell, Tom Stephenson and Tim Swift corrected the problem.

When first-nighters emerged from the applause for the orchestra and the final Beethoven Symphony No. 9 in D Minor (Choral) featuring the Master Chorale of Orange County and the Pacific Chorale, they found blue kleig lights fanning the skies, a man-made star heaven over the pavilion area. The al fresco buffet was served under four tent pavilions located across the street from the center.

It was the masterminding of decor chairman Chris Lindsay. Murray Korda’s Monseignor Strings (50 violins) played for the grand entrances. The Louis Roederer, Brut Royal, N.V. champagne was flowing, sipped from glasses bearing the imprint of the center. The 1983 Jordan Chardonnay and Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon awaited. Two swans floated on a pond. The ice carvings were incredible creations of gigantic perfume bottles at one cuisine station.

A Swarm at the Buffet

A few hungry tummies were chorusing off-key, so first-nighters swarmed the buffet al fresco immediately. The Irvine Hilton Towers laid out the caviar, salmon, saddle of veal, lamb kabobs, beef stroganoff, potato knishes, miniature meringue swans with assorted fillings and a vodka bar. The Westin South Coast Plaza featured a brasserie open grill for swordfish brochette, petite lamb chops and pates, oysters, sausages, cheese cake and baklava. Elsewhere there were Viennese delicacies--sweetbreads in cream, venison, specialty coffees, pastas, salatimbocca romana, Italian pastries.

Enjoying, and still fund raising, were Mrs. Alexander Bowie, president, Angels of the Arts; Thomas S. Santley, president, Performing Arts Fraternity; JoAnn Boswell, president, The Center Stars, and Daniel R. Bolar, president, Center 500; Patricia D. Rowley, chairman of the board, the Guilds, and Georgia Spooner, Betty Belden and Carol Wilken; Judith O’Dea Morr, executive director.

More in the crowd were Jacqueline Scharr, Clair and Margo Peck (he constructed the edifice), Costa Mesa Mayor Norma Hertzog; Jeffreyand Lockie Russell; numerous Segerstrom family members, including Henry’s sister, Ruth Ann Moriarity, who sat next to Mrs. Anton Segerstrom (her mother) during the concert, Eugene Moriarity, Frank and Donna O’Bryan ($1-million givers), Frederick and Michelle Rohe ($1-million givers), Barbara Busby, Geoffrey and Binnie Beaumont, Linda and Drew Lawler (handsome newlyweds, she in a Lillie Rubin); Dr. David Di Chiera, Elizabeth and Thomas Tierney and their daughter Gabrielle Tierney with Mark Taylor, Don and Susie Hanna (in a Galanos), Jim and Susie Busby, Susan Bartlett, the Peter O’Malleys (she in Chanel), Barbara and Robert Grant, Gary Phillips, the Tony Moisos, John Alexander, Dr. Maurice Allard, Walter and Darlene Gerken.

There from Laguna Beach, Alfred and DeeAnn Baldwin and James and Nancy Baldwin, Tom Kemp; from Anaheim, Carl and Margaret Karcher; from Balboa, the Frank Rhodeses; from Corona del Mar, Charles and Nora Hester, Peter and Gail Ochs, Richard Smith, Robert and Peggy Sprague, Harriet Witmer; from Costa Mesa, Charles J. McLaughlin; from Fullerton Kihong Kwon; from Huntington Beach, Gloria Gae Schick; from Los Angeles, Hannah and Ed Carter, Carol and Warner Henry, the Eaton Ballards, the Robert McIntyres, the Gordon Davidsons; from Irvine, Robert Rau; from Laguna Hills, Leonard and Louise Jones; from Newport Beach, William Blurock, Athalie Clarke (escorted by Dr. Howard House), the Richard Flamsons, Robert and Shirlee Guggenheim, the Harold Voegelins, James and Sally Knapp; from Orange, John and Kitti Rau, Richard C. Hunsaker, Rex Vance; from San Clemente, George and Arlene Cheng; from Santa Ana, Louis and Jeannette Knobbe, Lewis and Judith Schmid, Frank Villalobos. Frank Hodsoll, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts was somewhere in the crowd.

It was the sort of night in which everyone was a VIP.