Big names, big news
It’s going to be quite a night at the JW Marriott on Wednesday when Opera Colorado officially announces plans for its 25th anniversary gala. Susan Adams, Electra Falliers, Victoria Frank and Diana Murdy are in charge of the 6 p.m. launch, admission to which is by invitation, and have arranged for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, courtesy of hosts Walter and Christie Isenberg, and an ice cream sundae bar sponsored by Robinson Dairy. The gala itself is on Nov. 3 and calls for dinner in the Donald R. Seawell Grand Ballroom followed by Patti LuPone singing songs from some of her favorite Broadway musicals. Kalleen Malone and Marcia Robinson are the chairwomen; the Isenbergs head the corporate committee; and honorary chairs are Opera Colorado co-founder Nat Merrill; his wife, Pamela Meyers Merrill; and grand benefactor Ellie Caulkins.
Steering committee members include Sherrye Berger, Sunny Brownstein, Dianne Eddolls, Arlene Hirschfeld, Vicki Myhren, Susan Noble, Kristin Richardson, Carol Roger, Roselyn Saunders, Marissa Tracey and Judi Wolf.
This is good
Thanks to Opera Pronto editor and publisher Charles Ralph for alerting us to a June 7 review in the Wall Street Journal that praises Stephen West’s appearance in Pascal Dusapin’s “Faustus, the Last Night” at the Spoleto Festival USA. His role as Mephistopheles was “forcefully sung,” said the Journal. West is a former Denverite who got his start with Opera Colorado.
You also should know
Barb Reece becomes Cancer League of Colorado’s new president at a luncheon Thursday at Cool River Cafe … That evening, the Cancer League Foundation benefits from a dinner that pays tribute to Bob Hite in his valiant fight with advanced colon cancer. The festivities hosted by Denver Mile High Rotary Club begin at 5:30 p.m. at Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum; tickets can be purchased at blacktie-colorado.com. Hite has been district manager of Metro Wastewater Reclamation District for nearly 20 years; he and wife, Sarah, are the parents of five … A second event at 5:30 p.m. Thursday is the reception that Jay and Kristina Davidson are having to honor sponsors of their first American State Bank Fitness Festival. Invitees include the festival grand marshals, Joel Quenneville, head coach of the Colorado Avalanche, and Mark Randall of the Denver Nuggets … Molly Greenblatt and Josh Hanfling are chairing the second annual Kunsberg Golf Classic. It’s a benefit for Kunsberg School at National Jewish Medical and Research Center. Golf starts at 1:30 p.m. Friday at Fossil Trace Golf Club in Golden; register with Kieran Nelson, 303-398-1897 … Faye and Dr. Reginald Washington’s son, Quinn, is the new special projects coordinator for the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Colorado.
