Ball at Hotel Del Marks New Beginning for Symphony

The San Diego Symphony’s most recent reincarnation, this time as a working performing arts body, prompted its Auxiliary Council to adopt “New Beginnings” as the theme of the 39th annual Symphony Ball.

Those who devoted time to contemplation of this theme, which was visualized on program covers as a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, found themselves pondering an age-old question: Which came first, the chrysalis or the lepidopteran? Did chairman Lorrie Dunn select this mascot because it so perfectly symbolized the symphony’s latest emergence in the arts community, or because she is, in her own words, “a butterfly freak”?

The 265 guests who turned out Saturday at Hotel del Coronado discovered that both motivations contributed to the “New Beginnings” motif.

“Butterflies are my way of life,” Dunn said. “My house is filled with butterfly decorations, and I think that butterflies are the epitome of grace, beauty, elegance and romance, all the things that this ball is about.”

Symphony Assn. President Herb Solomon said that, in his opinion, the Auxiliary Council chose the theme “because they see bigger and better things for the symphony, not only on the horizon but beginning to happen right now.”

Among the bigger and better things the symphony stalwarts saw Saturday were, first, a sunset that emerged at the very end of an overcast day to light the cocktail reception on the hotel’s promenade deck and, second, the bat-size silk butterflies that darted out of the amazing floral arrangements in the Grand Ballroom. These pedestal-mounted congregations of gladioli and snapdragons rose eight feet above the tables, soaring perhaps in the manner that those present would like to see the symphony soar.

The invitations announced the ball as a tribute to Judson and Rachel Grosvenor and Roger and Ellen Revelle, couples whose considerable financial support over the past two years is credited with keeping the symphony in the business of making music. Solomon praised them in a lengthy and notably eloquent address after the dinner of sole paupiettes, veal medallions and tiny chocolate cakes crowned with marzipan butterflies.

Of the Grosvenors, Solomon said: “Without them, I can confidently state, we would be a city without a symphony. They made possible the preservation of the cultural soul of San Diego.”

The Revelles also came in for their share of praise. Solomon credited them with stepping forward “during that very dark period in the symphony’s history, when it conducted the crisis campaign in the spring of 1986.”

“Without their help,” said Solomon, “the situation would have been as hopeless as the community assumed it to be.”

Both couples were on hand to accept a standing ovation, and the presentation of portrait photographs taken by portraitist Twyla Cecil.

For an organization that lives for that which soothes the savage breast, the music was a little late in coming, but when the speeches concluded, the crowd eagerly stepped out to the Bill Green Orchestra.

The crowd included a great number of symphony partisans whose loyalty has survived the test of time and lean years; their motivation was summed up by a guest who remarked that, in her opinion, “the symphony is one of the bricks that San Diego is built with. The city would collapse without it.”

Among these supporters were Marion Bateson, Esther Burnham with Jack Lasher, Kay and David Porter, Annyce and Jacques Sherman, Elsie and Frank Weston, Athena and Charles May, Lee and Frank Goldberg, Anne and Abe Ratner, Mim and Al Sally, Mary Jane and James Jennings and Auxiliary Council President Shirley Rubel and her husband, David.

The committee included co-chairman Mary Fadem, decor chief Pat Lijewski, Merrilyn Arn, Helen Decker, Ralphine Greaves, Margaret Hilbish, Jean Watson, Barbara Iredale, Helen Egan, Kathleen Lienhard, Nora Gifford and Linda Hooberman.

SAN DIEGO--Philanthropist Mandell Weiss, whose patronage assisted the rebirth of the La Jolla Playhouse, was reminded again last Thursday that charity can pay unexpected personal dividends.

Weiss, recipient of the National Distinguished Community Service Award given by the San Diego Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith at its annual dinner, also received a treat rarely accorded arts patrons, in the form of a mini-musical stage show led by Playhouse artistic director Des McAnuff.

The 400 guests who crowded into the San Diego Marriott’s Grand Ballroom attended not just to praise Weiss to the skies, but to offer him several protracted standing ovations. Plenty of longtime cronies were on hand to lead the cheering, most notably Price Club founder Sol Price, whose mere presence at a major social occasion was in itself a mighty tribute to the man of the moment.

At a private reception before the dinner, Price discussed his pal in the terms of long, long friendship.

“Mandell’s a kind of unique person,” Price said. “I think he’s cheating on his age; I think he’s really only 65. How many people do you know who can eat and drink and look at girls and have a sense of humor at 97?”

According to Weiss, meanwhile, Price’s presence was the highlight of the evening.

“Tonight is special because my friend Sol Price will present the award to me,” he said. “We’ve been friends for about a half-century, and I know that he doesn’t like to come to affairs like this, so this is a real concession.”

Weiss also announced himself delighted to be recognized by the ADL, whose work he said he considers to be more important at present than at any time in the organization’s history.

“There’s plenty of ignorance and bigotry floating around today. The ADL not only serves Jews, but all mankind. It is a guardian of our rights.”

There was a certain refreshing absence of the usual platitudes at this affair; participants spoke about Weiss with a disarming candor that showed considerable insight and appreciation of the man.

McAnuff, for example, said he thought Weiss’ “fanatical” fascination with the theater had “served him in dark times in his life.” The result of this, McAnuff concluded, was that Weiss “used this passion to bring light into our lives.” He also gave an impression of Weiss that drew the man above the category of simple philanthropist.

“One of the things the playhouse has been about is changing attitudes in this area,” said McAnuff. “Thirty years ago, a black musical (‘Shout Up a Morning’) would have been impossible in La Jolla, but Mandell made it happen.”

Weiss made even more than that happen, according to City Councilman Bob Filner, who presented him a proclamation issued by the city of San Diego.

“The decision to award this proclamation was one of the few times in the last six months we’ve gotten a unanimous vote in the City Council,” Filner said to general laughter.

The evening had its serious moments, particularly when local ADL board chairman Joseph Fisch addressed the crowd on the present need for the organization. He said San Diego has been fortunate to thus far escape the violence that has affected other large cities, but hints of trouble to come are surfacing and should indeed be heeded.

“Prevention education (a primary ADL goal) is the answer,” said Fisch.

Rabbi Martin Levin ushered in a lighter tone by offering the invocation that introduced the dinner of Caesar salad, poached salmon and baked Alaska. The Manny Harmon Orchestra lured the crowd onto the floor during the intermissions between courses.

The main event, the presentation of the distinguished service award, was relatively brief. Price, who promised to spend less than a minute at the podium, amused the audience by asking, “What greater tribute can we have to Mandell’s tolerance than that he has remained my friend for 50 years?”

Weiss responded by remarking, “Sol has improved with age.” But, as he studied the award he held in one hand, he gestured pointedly with the other and said, “Without the ADL, I feel I might not be at this podium at this time.”

As a final tribute, a cast of La Jolla Playhouse performers offered an entertainment that included highlights from the “Pop Tour” it takes to local grammar schools.

The extensive dinner committee included co-chairman Arthur Levinson, who is Weiss’ nephew, and former ADL award recipient Irwin Jacobs. Among the guests were San Diego State University President Tom Day and his wife, Ann; Helen Edison; Joyce Axelrod; Joyce and Stan Heyman; Karen and Don Cohn; Lillian and Bill Fishman; Rita Bronowski; Robert Caplan; Dottie and David Garfield; Lynn and Bent Petersen; Phyllis and Stephen Pfeiffer; Pauline and Stanley Foster; Collette and Ivor Royston; Father Dennis Mikulanis; and San Diego schools Supt. Tom Payzant.