High Note for Opera Pacific: A Southern Theme at ‘Tara’

Talk about Southern hospitality. Not only did Donna and John Crean throw open the gates on their Tara-esque estate to Opera Pacific founders on Saturday, they gave the opera company $100,000 to underwrite “Showboat” at the Orange County Performing Arts Center (July 13 through 22).

“The Creans are something ,” said Opera Pacific director David DiChiera, during the cocktail reception. “They’ve donated $100,000 to each of our four seasons at the Center. For them, philanthropy is a way of life.”

Their mega-mansion in Santa Ana Heights may not be finished (its grand staircase--straight out of “Gone With the Wind”--has yet to see parquet or carpet) but that didn’t keep the gala-loving Creans from saying “Y’all come!”

A few hundred guests--many in elaborate costume--strolled the flower-edged grounds, “gambled” at “river boat tables,” and nibbled on Southern-style fare from food stations embellished with freshly cut magnolias (1,000 of the romantic blooms were flown from Atlanta for the affair). When they weren’t listening to Dixieland jazz, guests were comparing costumes and drooling over the perfectly conceived estate.

“This, this , is amazing,” rhapsodized Bob Gibson, wide-eyed at the white Georgian mansion. (Bob’s wife Maxine--co-chairman with her husband of Opera Pacific’s exclusive Gold Ring of the Society of Founders--said the Creans had already said yes to having next year’s bash at their home--if Opera Pacific wanted to come back. In fact, Maxine was already fretting about next year’s theme.)

Even Fortune 500 businessman John Crean--dashing as a Southern gentleman--was having a hard time believing that the mansion is his. “It doesn’t seem real,” he said, surveying the antebellum-style estate with a twinkle in his eye. “Reminds me of a movie! It’s been a long project, but we’re close (to completion). I guess the best part of this place is, you can have fun and you’re not elbow-to-elbow.”

To say the least. There was a plantation of space for the party tables, set with elegant hurricane lamps and draped with snow-white linens. Tables were topped with graceful baskets filled with orchids, a rainbow of sweet peas and lace streamers.

Guests dined buffet-style at tables topped with branches dripping with glittered Spanish moss and orchids. Cooked up by Turnip Rose: crawfish bisque, Hoppin’ John (rice and beans), Virgina baked ham and jalapeno hush puppies, for starters. Dessert included a groaning board of fruit fritters and flaky cobblers.

After dinner, guests were treated to excerpts from “Showboat” by Opera Pacific artists. During the reception, DiChiera called “Showboat” “one of the great American musicals--a panorama of Americana!”

Also enjoying a night in the old South were Mary Raymond and Elaine Lucas, co-chairwomen (“We’re proud of tonight,” Raymond said. “We pulled this together in three months!”); Ruth Ding, honorary chairwoman; and Ed and Floss Schumacher, the latter chairwoman of Opera Pacific’s board.

The gala, which netted more than $100,000 for Opera Pacific, was dedicated to the memory of Helen Lawler, longtime Opera Pacific supporter.

Recently, Opera Pacific’s Gold Ring of the Society of Founders was organized as a board committee in charge of establishing an endowment fund, identifying a permanent home for the opera company and continuing the annual Founders Gala to benefit Opera Pacific.

Also serving on the gala committee: LaDorna Eichenberg, Jeanette Segerstrom, Paige Hartley, Candice Schnapp, Georgene Smith, Jan Landstrom, Jeanette Knobbe, Ellie Burg, Painter Woodley and Phyllis Willats. Other committee members were Nancy Hodson, Carole Follman, Charles Paap, Nancy Sorosky, Theresa Baia and Ann and Bob McLean.