Tuxedos, ball gowns—quite a few in green—and kilts adorned the many guests at the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra’s “Emerald Ball,” held Jan. 7 in the Grand and Imperial Ballrooms at the Fairmont Hotel.
This Celtic celebration, underwritten by Hibernia National Bank, featured a festive concert including three movements of an Irish suite, Mendelssohn’s “Scottish Symphony,” “Irish Country Derry” and other traditional favorites. On the evening’s menu was a smoked salmon appetizer, potato and leek soup, filet, and Bailey’s Irish Cream Bavarian dessert.
The auction boards featured some incredible art, such as a Herman Leonard photo of Billy Holiday and travel packages including a trip to Carcassonne, France, and American Airlines flights to New York packaged with theater tickets. Of particular note, however, was a week in a dream home in Telluride, Colo., generously donated by Bill and Susan Hess.
A highlight of the evening was when, at the conclusion of the concert by the full orchestra, LPO principal guest conductor Klauspeter Seibel left the podium during a Strauss waltz to dance with his wife, Jutta. After the initial waltz, the dance floor was opened and soon flooded with dancing revelers. Guests were then entertained until the midnight hour by Julia LaShae. The event raised more than $75,000 for the LPO. •
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