Opulent Was the Word for Opera Opening

Ian Campbell predicted that by the end of Act I of Saturday’s opening night performance of “Der Rosenkavalier,” mascara would be flowing in all corners of the Civic Theatre.

“A small fortune in expensive makeup will be running because opera is the only sort of ‘primal scream’ we’re allowed to make these days,” said Campbell, director of the San Diego Opera. “We can express through singing emotions that we all have encountered but cannot often reveal. We can’t often discuss our emotions anymore, but they’re there in ‘Rosenkavalier,’ all comfortably clothed in beautiful costumes and scenery, and while the opera is set in old Vienna, really it could be taking place yesterday in San Diego.”

The eye-blearing emotions were in fact present and accounted for in Act I, but even so, the tidal surge of diluted eye shadow anticipated by Campbell failed to inundate the standing-room-only audience at the opera’s season opener. This may have been because, in what seemed an almost militant backlash against the recession, many patrons dressed so opulently that none were willing to sacrifice gowns designed by Bob Mackie and other top couturiers to the devastations that potentially could be precipitated by runaway emotions.

It certainly was true that the women who attended the annual gala built around opening night seemed consciously to be damming (and quite possibly damning) the present recessionary gap in our economic dike with a barricade of lavish furs and remarkable gowns. Several, in fact, reworked a phrase from the Gulf War, describing their individual costume as “the mother of all ball gowns.” Saturday evening, at least, high style returned to the scene and the night glittered with jewels and glamour.

If the bittersweet opera was courtesy of composer Richard Strauss, this gala mit schlag was confected by Iris Strauss, the Rancho Santa Fe matron related to the composer only incidentally by name, but spiritually by a shared predilection for what might be called “ornate fun.” Strauss revitalized a fund-raiser concept introduced several years ago by doyenne Dorene Whitney and conducted a marathon of an event that had guests dressed and in attendance by Saturday afternoon, and dancing until 2 the following morning. For the most part, the 350 party patrons exhibited remarkable resilience.

While lavish, the gala also turned a substantial profit.

“This was a labor of love for me, and tonight is one of the happiest nights of my life, because we earned $150,000 for the opera,” said Strauss, who added that the figure broke all previous records.

The event started in the lobby of the Westgate hotel with Champagne, hors d’oeurves substantial enough to fuel guests through the 11 p.m. curtain calls, and Strauss waltzes plucked by a string quartet stationed on the Westgate’s sweeping staircase. The first landing of the stairway, a natural platform, became a stage for several formal moments, including welcomes by Campbell and opera President Stephen Wall; the introduction of eight couples newly inducted into the opera’s “Bravissimo Patrons” group (for which the sole membership requirement is a minimum donation of $25,000), and the presentation, by former opera President Esther Burnham, of guest of honor Muriel Gluck.

The production of “Der Rosenkavalier,” Burnham reported, arose from a casual dinner she and Gluck shared several years ago; after expressing an interest in “Der Rosenkavalier” and then learning that the cost of presenting it exceeded the budget of the San Diego Opera, Gluck provided $250,000 in underwriting.

Iris Strauss’ “A Magical Evening in Vienna” required the use of two hotels. After the opera, guests followed the lead of period-costumed footmen to the Grand Ballroom at the U.S. Grant. The room more or less glowed with the extravagant decor, which ran to chairs draped in gold lame and magnificent topiaries of silver roses that somehow looked antique, even though fresh; the intent, nicely realized, was to capture the look of a 17th-Century Vienna opera house.

Several of the principal singers, including mezzo-soprano Susanne Mentzer and soprano Ashley Putnam, arrived in time for Edie Greenberg’s elaborate supper menu of seafood sausage and veal scallops. The Dick Braun Orchestra offered up a jazzy version of the “Vienna Waltz” for top-ticket patrons only, then played on until 2 a.m., or about two hours beyond the usual society curfew. The majority of guests stayed until the end, and, after alternating trips to the dessert buffets with palliative waltzes around the floor, retired to the Westgate to sleep it all off. Even so, the gala did not officially conclude until the following morning, when guests reassembled for an informal brunch.

Among guests were Ingrid and Joseph Hibben, Valerie Preiss and Harry Cooper, Barbara and Neil Kjos, Joyce and Ed Glazer, Janie and John Pendleton, Sandra and Jeff Schafer, Peggy and Doug Jennings, Elsie and Frank Weston, Lee and P.J. Maturo, Carolyn Farris, Sheri and Ben Kelts, Charmaine and Maury Kaplan, Jeanne Larson, Peggy and Peter Preuss, Harriet and Richard Levi, Colette and Ivor Royston, Judith Harris and Robert Singer, Nancy and Ross Rudolph, Sophie and Arthur Brody, Helen Anne Bunn, and Junko and Larry Cushman.

Singer Frankie Laine, as gregarious as ever and wearing a gold medallion in lieu of black tie over his open-at-the-throat tuxedo shirt, headlined the entertainment at Monday’s formal dinner-dance given at the U.S. Grant for the membership of Mercy 1000.

About 120 members of the Mercy Hospital support group, which requires an annual donation of $1,000 per person or couple, turned out to hear both Laine and an address by Dr. Molly Coye, director of the California Department of Health Services. Mercy 1000 chairman Maggie Mazur arranged a lengthy menu of lobster bisque, beef filet and woven pastry baskets filled with chocolate ganache to fill the breaks between speeches and song; a group called Tuxedo provided dance music.

According to Paulette Gibson, executive vice president of the Mercy Hospital Foundation, the funds donated by members are unrestricted.

“These gifts help with the actual operation of the hospital,” she said. “We can put the money where we need it most.”

“This group lets us carry on what we are about, they let us fulfill our mission,” added Sister JoCeal Young, Mercy’s director of volunteers. “Their commitment is genuine, and valuable to the hospital.”

“Since our founding in 1989, there’s been a war and a recession and even so we’ve nearly doubled our membership,” said Mercy 1000 Chairman Maggie Mazur. It says a lot for Mercy and it says a lot for our members; anyone who gives you $1,000 is a good friend.”

Mercy Hospital board chairman Dick Burt attended with his wife, Vangie, who will chair the next Mercy Ball, which will not be given until Oct. 24 but is already well into the planning stages.

Among others in attendance were Foundation chairman Bill Beamer and his wife, Sharon; Betty Hubbard; Lora and Armin Adams; Vicki and Don Hamilton; Anne and Michael Ibs Gonzalez; Janet and Daniel de la Vega; Ruth and Jim Mulvaney; Rita and Josiah Neeper; Yolanda Walther-Meade with Jack Cannon; Rita and George Zorn, Sr.; Sister Mary Jo Anderson; Marti and Frank Panarisi; Kathy and Brian Wilson, and Debbie and James Frampton.