The New Orleans Ballet Association (NOBA) hosted a series of three captivating events, collectively known as the Triple Crown, to celebrate its Main Stage season artists and honor a prominent NOBA luminary.
The first event, held on Jan. 19, welcomed Spain’s Compañia Nacional de Danza. The evening started with a reception at the Pontalba apartment of Marilyn and Glen Smith as Julio y Cesar performed before leading a second line to the Cabildo, where guests could view the “Hunt Slonem: A Retrospective” exhibition.
The second event, the Benefactor Dinner, was Feb. 20 and celebrated longtime NOBA board member and former board chair Charlotte Bollinger. Titled “A Joyous Tribute to the 2009 NOBA Mais Oui … C’est Marie! Marie Antoinette Ball,” the dinner was held in the Windsor Court Hotel’s Chinoiserie Ballroom, which was beautifully adorned with colorful floral centerpieces by Dunn and Sonnier Antiques and Florals. BRAVO (NOBA’s Ballet Resource and Volunteer Organization) and Benefactor Dinner Chairs were Gregory Curtis and Chad Berg.
The final event of the series, held on March 1 at the Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts, was themed around Les Ballets de Monte Carlo’s performance of “LAC,” a reimagining of “Swan Lake.” A special feature of the performance was that the curtain backdrop was open during the performance and intermission so the inner workings —stagehands at work, artists practicing — of a ballet performance could be seen.
Fun Fact: The Triple Crown name was dreamed up by longtime NOBA supporter Gerri Valene.
