24th Season Gala
On Thursday, October 9, San Francisco Performances welcomed old and new friends to the 24th Season Gala at the War Memorial Veterans Building with acclaimed Norwegian pianist, Leif Ove Andsnes.
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Click on each thumbnail image to see the full-size photograph with caption.
Among the 270 guests were Honorary Chairs, Wilfred and Sigrun Corrigan; The Honorable Are-Jostein Norheim, Consul General of Norway; The Honorable Barbro Osher, Consul General of Sweden and Mr. Bernard Osher; Trustees of San Francisco Performances; and local business and cultural leaders.
The festivities began with a cocktail reception in the Grand Lobby, which was decorated in a Northern Lights motif complete with fir trees, leaf stencils and softly glowing purple and blue lights. Guests then made their way upstairs to the Green Room, bathed in hues of gold, purple, and green, and enjoyed a delicious dinner featuring a salmon appetizer and rack of lamb entree.
Board Chair, Gussie Stewart, introduced Gala Co-chairs, LaVerne Silverman and Philomena King, and thanked the evening's sponsors and patrons, for their support. She then introduced Mark Pittsey, Regional Manager, Private Client Services for Gala Lead Sponsor Wells Fargo, who spoke eloquently about Wells Fargo's strong commitment to the arts and its sixth year of support as Gala Lead Sponsor. Ruth Felt concluded the evening's remarks with her thoughts about the artistry of Mr. Andsnes.
Following the concert of works by Schumann, Debussy, and Schubert, guests returned to the Green Room to enjoy a dessert reception with dance music provided by local sextet, Swing Session. Mr. Andsnes joined the party and mingled with his many admirers.
In total the Gala raised more than $145,000 in support of San Francisco Performances' artists-in-residence and arts education initiatives.
Previous Year’s Season Galas
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