Soaring Houston Symphony Opening Night Ushers In $60 Million Jones Hall Renovation — Kicking Off a Buzzy Black-Tie Season
Great Music and a Better Home
BY Shelby Hodge // 10.02.23
Bob & Joan Duff, Vicki West & Ralph Burch at the Houston Symphony Opening Night Concert and Gala (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)
What: The Houston Symphony Opening Night Concert and Gala
Where: Jones Hall and Corinthian Houston
PC Moment: As the premier black-tie gala launching the fall social season, the Houston Symphony’s opening night festivities set the pace for a celebration of the arts amid generous fundraising. Friday night’s gala soared with proceeds of more than $650,000 as the Janice H. & Thomas D. Barrow 2023 to 2024 Classical Season was dispatched with style.
The first part of the two-tiered evening began with cocktails on the mezzanine level followed by the concert in Jones Hall theater, where the stirring performance under the baton of conductor Juraj Valčuha featured soprano Erin Morley alongside the Houston Symphony Chorus.
There was more to the Jones Hall experience on this evening than mere music as the evening served as the premiere of the advancements in the five-year, $60 million renovation. That means new seating, a state-of-the art acoustical shell and, to the relief of the ladies, a significant increase number of bathrooms on the Jones Hall courtyard level.
Via luxury coach transport, the formal clutch of 350 guests moved on to Corinthian Houston where The Events Company, giving a nod to the program that included Olivier Messiaen’s “Les offrandes oubliées” invoked a Parisian ambience. Think French-inspired blue table linens, lavish floral arrangements and soaring candelabra.
Elizabeth Anthony
As expected, City Kitchen delivered on the dinner of salad, sea bass and chocolate terrine with crème anglaise, almond tuile and melon sorbet. As is tradition wine pairings were provided by Lindy and John Rydman of Spec’s Wine, Spirits, & Finer Food.
The evening, chaired by Mariglyn and Stephen Glenn, honored generous philanthropist Beth Madison, a longtime symphony supporter. For the 38th year, ConocoPhillips served as concert sponsor and lead gala corporate underwriter.
PC Seen: Symphony executive director and CEO John Mangum and wife Regina; Margaret Alkek Williams, Lindy and John Rydman, Bill Bullock, Janet Clark, Bobbie Nau, Betty and Jesse Tutor, Tammy and Wayne Nguyen, Vicki West and Ralph Burch, Joan and Bob Duff, Renu and Suresh Khator, Hallie Vanderhider and Bobby Dees, Tammie and Charles Johnson, Betsy and Rick Weber, Janet Gurwitch and Ron Franklin, and Barbara and Pat McCelvey.
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