The Crowd: Elizabeth Segerstrom and friends honor a musical legacy, to the tune of $3.5M
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This summer of extraordinary milestone anniversaries, noting especially the 250th celebration of the American Independence Day on July 4th, 1776, our coverage of life and times in the modern era of the USA today spotlights a cultural liaison between Costa Mesa, greater Orange County and New York City.
Elizabeth Segerstrom, with generous underwriting from South Coast Plaza, served as the gala lead chair for a coast-to-coast concert celebration and anniversary dinner honoring the 50th anniversary of Carnegie Hall’s 1976 Concert of the Century, a legendary event that starred many of the greatest musical talents of the time.
Carnegie Hall opened in 1891. In early May of this year, 135 years later and under the banner of a 50th anniversary, the legacy touched new generations and diverse populations passionate about preserving classical music as well as supporting uncharted musical territory for artists exploring modern expression never before heard or experienced by audiences. Performers featured this year included Emanuel Ax, Joyce DiDonato, Michael Feinstein, Renée Fleming, Evgeny Kissin, Lang Lang, Isabel Leonard, Audra McDonald, Daniil Trifonov with the NYO-USA All-Stars, Oratorio Society of New York and others.
Fronting the glittering evening on 57th Street and Seventh Avenue, Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin held the baton masterfully, guiding his orchestra as world-renown violinist Isaac Stern graced the main stage. Stern performed at the inaugural Concert of the Century 50 years ago.
The orchestra was an ensemble of alumni musicians from Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America. All of the musicians are now leading professionals in orchestras worldwide. Opening with Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide,” which premiered at Carnegie in 1957, the program began to thunderous ovation.
Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 6” followed, a nod to the composer who led the opening concert at Carnegie Hall in 1891. Then, guests were treated to Mozart’s “Laudante Dominum” featuring Renée Fleming, a longtime close personal friend of both Elizabeth and the late Henry Segerstrom. Fleming, at the Segerstroms’ invitation, has graced Segerstrom Hall and the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall with multiple performances over many years, delighting Southern California audiences.
Another interesting note: Fleming was backed by the Oratorio Society of New York, the same choral group for which Carnegie Hall was designed and built.
“What we experience at Carnegie Hall — what so many have experienced here over the years — is the depth of expression, the connection to history, the nuance, the storytelling. It is not simply a feat of the technical; it is the triumph of the human spirit,” Robert F. Smith, chairman of the Carnegie Hall Board of Trustees said. “Elizabeth Segerstrom has been a dedicated supporter, champion and friend of Carnegie Hall for almost two decades. We were so fortunate and grateful to have her lead this event tonight to carry on her late husband Henry’s legacy for our hall.”
Joining Elizabeth Segerstrom in creating this anniversary evening were additional gala chairs Anya Gillinson, Ila and Dinesh Paliwal and Hope and Robert F. Smith. Also front and center were gala co-chairs Marco Argenti and Nanyan Li, Mercedes T. Bass, Sandra Segerstrom Daniels and Joan and Sanford I. Weill of the Weill Family Foundation. South Coast Plaza was the gala sponsor.
Post concert, a lavish dinner celebration included some 600 guests and paid homage to Clive Gillinson, executive and artistic director of Carnegie Hall, for his exemplary leadership since July 2005.
VIP guests from Orange County included Jane Fujishige Yada, Britt Meyer, Jaynine Warner, Casey Reitz, Tommy Phillips, Chase McLaughlin and Tenley Zinke.
Celebrity guests mingling at dinner with the East Coast-West Coast confab included Katie Holmes, Liev Schreiber and Taylor Neisen, Constance Wu, Victoria and Michael Imperioli, Candace Bushnell, Lou Diamond Phillips, Colleen and Gary Rein, Maria Manetti Shrem, Daniil Simkin, Dana and Robert Kraft, Barbara Tober, Marilyn Minter, Famke Janssen, Ellen Burstyn and Kehinde Wiley, among others.
By the arrival of the Cinderella Hour, some $3.5 million had been raised by Segerstrom and her formidable team in support of Carnegie Hall’s artistic, educational and social impact programs. Most impressive indeed. Congratulations to Carnegie Hall, and Happy Birthday America! Long may you celebrate life, liberty and justice for all.
