Music Center Anniversary Whirl, Day 2

Amid a spate of functions celebrating the Music Center’s 25th anniversary, some generous patrons Saturday night were treated to a quiet, elegant, black-tie dinner at the Huntington Library, nestled in the calm, dimly lit streets of San Marino.

Sandwiched between David Murdock’s party for the Music Center’s International Council Friday night and a gala performance and party Sunday night, Saturday’s fete drew longtime supporters and donors who had made $5,000 to $25,000 contributions on the occasion of the anniversary.

Award Sculpture

The 300 guests also were able to glimpse the Dorothy B. Chandler award, a sculpture by local artist Robert Graham, awarded Sunday night to three young artists in the fields of music, dance and theater and presented by three “masters” in those same fields.

“I feel like a pioneer,” said Nancy Livingston, a co-chair (along with Lodwrick Cook and F. Daniel Frost) of the anniversary. Livingston’s idea for a Music Center prize evolved into the Dorothy B. Chandler awards. “This is really it,” she said. “There’s no backing out now.”

Not that anyone would want to; the group that gathered here seemed optimistic and jovial as they danced under a transparent tent to Joe Moshay’s orchestra, compared notes on their summer vacations and debated whether or not an extra chocolate truffle would significantly expand their waistlines.

“It’s like a huge crescendo building,” said Music Center president Esther Wachtell, with two parties down and two to go. “Am I exhausted yet? No, you can’t be. But Monday night. . . . “

Arts Support Guideline

Gerald Arpino, artistic director of the Joffrey Ballet, chatted with New York City Ballet dancer Suzanne Farrell, this year’s master in the field of dance.

“I think at a time like today,” said Arpino, “when the arts are so threatened, the support (of the award) is setting a new guideline. And we need all the support we can get.”

“I think the arts are a necessity--a luxurious necessity,” Farrell added.

Both had high praise for Charles Moulton, the young dancer/choreographer who was chosen for this year’s award.

What plans does he have for the $25,000 prize?

“I’m going to go to Tuscany to continue to study art and architecture,” he said. “I’ve been doing so much lately with dance and choreography, and you need to feed your soul.

“I’m very honored by the award,” Moulton added, “and I feel that I’m representative of an interest in new work. This kind of opportunity and honor doesn’t happen very often.”

Music Pair No-Shows

While Moulton and theater award winner Julie Taymor were certainly in the spotlight (violinist and music award winner Midori was not able to attend because of work commitments), the evening also recognized the masters.

Theater director Harold Prince and Suzanne Farrell were presented with plaques bearing a relief of the Graham sculpture and were lauded for their contributions to the arts (conductor Zubin Mehta was also a no-show due to a prior commitment).

Also attending the dinner were event co-chairs R. Stanton and Ernestine Avery, Lois and Robert Erburu and Earle and Marion Jorgensen; Edie and Lew Wasserman, Keith and Bill Keischnick, Annette and Peter O’Malley, Dorie and Joseph Pinola, Elaine and Bram Goldsmith, Harriet and Armand Deutsch, Norman and Erlenne Sprague, Carole and Lod Cook, Arianna Stassinopoulos and Michael Huffington, Ernest Fleischmann, Caroline Ahmanson, Robert Graham, Ava and Charles Fries, Joanne and Roger Kozberg, Giny Milner and Bernard Hagan, Barbara and Marvin Davis and Judi and Gordon Davidson.

Following the speeches came a performance by Mary D’Arcy, who appears as Christine in some performances of “The Phantom of the Opera.” After that, guests braved the fog and the chill to retrieve their cars and head home. The party marathon was far from over.