Houston Symphony Turns To a Grammy Winner To Lift Off Its New Season — Inside a Most Lavish Celebration
A 9-Foot Floral Firebird and So Much More
BY Shelby Hodge //
Brigitte Kalai, Farida Abjani meet the firebird at the Houston Symphony Opening Night gala. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)
The bold modernism of Stravinsky’s The Firebird washed over Jones Hall in a tsunami of orchestral and choral brilliance that launched the Houston Symphony 2025-26 season, a two-tiered evening that began in the theater and concluded with a gala dinner at the Houston Corinthian.
In a nod to the dazzling Opening Night Concert and Gala theme, the 300 black tie-attired supporters who would later adjourn to dinner, as well as all concert-goers were greeted by a magnificent 9-foot tall floral firebird, remarkably sculpted in feathers, florals and a variety of leaves.
Under the direction of Juraj Valčuha, Houston Symphony’s music director and Roy and Lillie Cullen chair, the orchestra was joined by two-time Grammy Award winning soprano Angel Blue, alongside the Houston Symphony Chorus and the Houston Chamber Choir.
On and equally high note, symphony executive director and CEO Gary Ginstling revealed that Valčuha’s inspiring leadership will extend through the 2027-28 Symphony season.
Kudos to evening chair Carey Kirkpatrick, governing director on the symphony Board of Trustees, for the evening that earned $550,000 for the orchestra’s education and community engagement initiatives and artistic programming.
At the concert’s close, Symphony supporters were whisked via coach to the Corinthian where City Kitchen prepared the dinner for which Lindy and John Rydman and Lisa Rydman Lindsey of Spec’s Wine, Spirits, & Finer Foods provided the wine pairings. The Events Company dressed the ballroom in the vibrant colors of the mythical bird that inspired the evening.
Following dinner, David Caceres and his orchestra ratcheted up the energy with a host of danceable tunes.
A special anniversary was marked too. This is the 40th consecutive year that ConocoPhillips has served as concert sponsor and lead gala corporate underwriter.
PC Seen: Marta Lederer, Margaret Alkek Williams, Barbara and Pat McCelvey, Mariglyn and Stephen Glenn, Janet F. Clark, Barbara J. Burger, Jesse Tutor, Sippi and Ajay Khurana, Phoebe and Bobby Tudor, Betsy and Fredric Weber; Vicki West and Ralph Burch, David Peavy and Stephen McCauley, Hallie Vanderhider and Bobby Dees, and Scott and Geraldina Wise.
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