The Valley Line: Hollywood Bowl opens for its 93rd summer

On the very first eve of summer the iconic Hollywood Bowl opened with a gala that will long be remembered. Nearly 18,000 people came, some with picnic baskets in tow, to experience what summer is all about in the greater Los Angeles area — al fresco dining and music of all genres played in a magnificent amphitheater setting.

The evening marked the 93rd opening of the Bowl and its 15th annual Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame. Honored this year were Emmy and Tony-winner Kristin Chenoweth, the legendary all-female band the Go-Go’s and the eclectic band Pink Martini. A surprise guest performer was Lea Michele who sang a duet with Chenoweth.

The opening night benefit concert raised more than $1 million for the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s many education and community programs, which serve more than 150,000 youth, families and teachers every year.

For several hundred specially invited Bowl patrons and supporters, the evening began with a VIP cocktail party in the Hollywood Bowl Museum patio.

Gala co-chairs and La Cañada Flintridge residents Teena Hostovich and Doug Martinet were introduced and they in turn welcomed the guests. Also introduced were sponsorship chairs Jonathan Weedman and Raymundo Baltazar. Wells Fargo sponsored the event.

Following the reception, opening night patrons proceeded to their dinner boxes. Each box table was covered with blue and teal linens complemented by a dramatic floral arrangement, a modern white vase filled with blooms of white hydrangea and phalaenopsis orchids, blue magic vanda orchids and ornamental blade grass, all illuminated in blue light.

Patina Restaurant Group’s Joachim Splichal designed the custom dinner menu, formally served by a very attentive wait staff. The first-course salad was a compressed summer melon, heirloom radish, savory black pepper granola and preserved lemon. The main entree was a honey-stung fried chicken, kale-apple slaw, marble-potato salad, toy box tomatoes and a cinnamon roll. Dinner concluded with Harry’s Berries strawberry yogurt verrine and tropical fruit parfait with coconut tapioca. Cupcake Vineyards provided the specially selected white and red wines for the evening.

Sitting not too far from me during the concert were La Cañada Flintridge residents Tony and Ann Cannon, with their guest Natsu Tabata. Tony Cannon is on the Hollywood Bowl Board of Directors.

I shared my box with two fascinating people, Evie and John DiCiaccio. Evie is director of development with the Hollywood Bowl, so we had lots to chat about.

The evening’s music began with the premiere of Elmer Bernstein’s “Fanfare for the Hollywood Bowl,” which was written 10 years ago in honor of the new Bowl shell.

Especially moving that evening was when Youth Orchestra L.A. (YOLA) advanced orchestra members, all 80 of them, took the stage to play an abridged version of Arturo Marquez’ “Danzon No. 2,” under the direction of conductor Wilkins.

Through YOLA, the LA Phil and its community partners that share in the program’s managerial and fiscal responsibilities provide students ages 6 to 17 from underserved neighborhoods free instruments, intensive music training and academic support. A video of YOLA highlights the program’s first graduating class, high school seniors who have been in the program since 2007. The four graduating students, Marcela Rodriguez, Abdiel Lopez, Rodas Hailu and Isaac Green, stepped onstage to join Academy Award-winning actress Helen Hunt, who introduced them.

Rodriguez stepped forward to receive the $10,000 Dale E. Kern YOLA Citizenship Award to support her college expenses. A native of El Salvador, she was raised in South L.A. She has been a part of YOLA for eight years. She said, “Through my love of the violin, I gained the confidence I needed to get through school and life and learned to not let where I came from define what I’m capable of accomplishing.” She received a standing ovation from the crowd as she accepted her award.

Later on in the program, everybody’s favorite Muppet, Miss Piggy, had a special spotlight shown on her as she gave the audience a comedic video tour of the Hollywood Bowl Museum — it was quite fun and the crowd seemed to love it and her!

The rest of the evening was filled with fabulous music from the newly inducted honorees and their introductions by major “Hollywood peeps” such as Carol Burnett, Barbara Eden, Natasha Bedingfield, Taraji P. Henson, and Hunt.

A big surprise came when the USC drum line, in full regalia, marched on stage. There was a huge roar from the crowd, with everyone jumping to their feet to dance to the music of “We Got the Beat,” performed by the drum line and the Go-Go’s.

And what would an opening night at the Bowl be without its signature grand finale of fireworks? Yes, people loved it as the colorful fireworks burst into the inky dark sky — it all was so grand.

--

JANE NAPIER NEELY covers the La Cañada social scene. Email her at jnvalleysun@yahoo.com with news of your special event.