Houston’s Hottest New Hotel Transforms Into a Fabulously Seductive Scene — This Mercury Gala Is Part Concert, Part Party
More Than $420,000 Raised With an Arabian Flair
BY Shelby Hodge // 03.12.24
Mercury fun on stage in the ballroom of the Thompson Hotel during the Mercury Gala showed this was no ordinarun Houston party. (Photo by Priscilla Dickson)
What: Mercury Chamber Orchestra’s “An Arabian Night Gala”
Where: The Vesper Ballroom of Houston’s spanking new Thompson Hotel
PC Moment: The fabulously seductive program of the evening that was part concert and part gala dinner presented the throng of music lovers with an enchanting musical odyssey under the direction of Mercury artistic director Antoine Plante.
Mercury musicians performed selections from Mozart’s “Ronda Alla Turca,” Tchaikovsky’s “Arabian Dance,” Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade” and Dizzy Gillespie’s “A Night in Tunisia,” a modern piece which was one of the signature numbers of Gillespie’s bebop big band.
Every aspect of the event, which raised a record of more than $420,000 for the orchestras educational programs and concerts, enjoyed an Arabian influence including the musicians who beyond the music dressed in Arabian-themed costumes. Think gents in tunics and gals in in caftans. Likewise the ballroom was dressed in the elegance and mystique of an Arabian palace with decor from Divine Décor Design.
Then there were the attendees who fully enjoyed the opportunity to dress according to the evening’s theme while others went a more conservative route in traditional black-tie attire.
SHOP FOR MOM
Even The Thompson hotel’s menu was a nod to the theme with Mediterranean wedge salad complete with chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and a mint vinaigrette. The main course featured a Moroccan-spiced filet of beef with chermoula sauce, and mujadara rice with zaatar spiced asparagus followed by the choice of a vegan chocolate cake or a ricotta and pistachio cake.
Highlight of the fundraiser was the raffle of an elegant pair of deBoulle Collection elongated earrings set in 18K gold with 2.21 carats of brilliant round cut diamonds generously donated by deBoulle. Lucky the winner, who was not named.
PC Seen: Kenny and Gaby Owen, June and Steve Barth, Kelly and David Rose, Lori Muratta, Mercury executive director Brian Ritterand, Michael Stribling, Marissa and Shane Gilroy, Ally Shell and Martijn van Koolwijk, Courtney Jean and Jonathan Ackerman, Monica and Amit Jhunjhunwala, Anaceli Aldaz and Javier del Olmo, and Lindsay Yates with Brian Ching.
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