Kimberly Diamante and Guests
The Opening Night Gala is Florida Grand Opera’s major annual fundraising benefit held immediately following the season’s opening night performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s La traviata.
Inspired by the Parisian setting of the Verdi work, the Gala paid tribute, Bal à Paris-style, to the artistic and cultural collaboration between France and Florida. It celebrated French fashion, food, jewelry, fragrances, fine wines and champagnes, and travel destinations.
To build on the historic relationship between high fashion and grand opera, Florida Grand Opera developed a creative alliance with five outstanding South Florida fashion designers. These well-known local designers created original ball gowns inspired by one of the season’s five operas.
Dr. and Mrs. Morton J. Robinson w/ Consul General of France in Miami, M. Philippe Vinogradoff and M. Tamar VinogradoffParticipating designers and their opera choices were: Rafael Cennamo – La traviata by Giuseppe Verdi; Nicolás Felizola – La Cenerentola by Gioacchino Rossini; Ana Maria Guiulfo – Lakmé by Léo Delibes; Lizbeth Hazoury – The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; and Yoly Muñoz, Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini. These original gowns, along with other exclusive luxury items, were auctioned during the gala to benefit Florida Grand Opera.
Opening Night and the Bal à Paris Gala were under the patronage of His Excellency, Pierre Vimont, French Ambassador to the United States, and General Consul of France in Miami, Monsieur Philippe Vinogradoff. The Gala committee was lead by Ms. Lynn Wolfson, Honorary International Chair; Mr. Ralph Lutrin and Mr. A. Allan Lewis, Honorary Chairs; Andre and Donald Carlin, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dascal, Mr. Stephen A Keller and Ms Lesleen Bolt, and Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, Grand Benefactors; and Co-Chairs: Ms. Ruby Bacardi, Ms. Nancy Jean Davis,
Bliss Hebert, Judy Drucker, Countess Anna Sforza,
and Charles Allen Klein Mr. and Mrs. Laurans A. Mendelson, Mr. Charles E. Porter/BNY Mellon Wealth Management and Ms. Rosie Pachon, Dr. and Mrs. Morton J. Robinson, and Mr. and Mrs. Alvaro Varela.
