Tulsa World: A night of stars and songs for Opera patrons

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A night of stars and songs for Opera patrons

Peggy Helmerich (left), Lucia di Lammermoor's artistic director Kostis Protopapas and Sarah Coburn attend the Tulsa Opera's Presidential Council dinner party at the Mayo Hotel. ANDREW WACKER / for the Tulsa World

By DANNA SUE WALKER World Staff Writer
Published: 10/22/2009 2:27 AM
Last Modified: 10/22/2009 8:06 AM

Tulsa Opera's President's Council offers us a unique opportunity to not only dine with the stars of the company's current productions, but to hear them perform in an elegant and intimate setting.

For opera lovers, the black-tie evening reaches the zenith with champagne toasts, fine food and wines and, of course, those magnificent singing voices.

Stars of the recent "Lucia di Lammermoor" earned ovation after ovation during the evening of arias and entertainment. Tulsa Opera was also the first organization to enjoy the renovated Crystal Ballroom at the Mayo Hotel — just another reason the event drew about 220 people, a record of recent memory. Since 1978, the company has been the host of a dinner between performances of the first and last opera.

Tulsa Opera President Elizabeth Geer thanked the production sponsors C.W. Titus Foundation, Anchor Gasoline Corp. and the Mervin Bovaird Foundation.

Thanks also went to performance underwriters Bonnie and Joe Klein, Drs. Marvin and Soohyun Jin, Anne O'Shea, Mollie Williford and the estate of Patricia Duke.

Also on the program were Tulsa Opera Executive Director John Peter "Jeep" Jeffries, Artistic Director Kostis Protopapas and Peggy Helmerich, who shared memories of her good friend and longtime Tulsa Opera supporter the late Mary Liz Dunn, to whom the evening was dedicated.

Mark Armstrong, Tulsa Opera's principal pianist and TYO director, accompanied the opera stars between dinner courses. Those performing were Sarah Coburn, the star of "Lucia," who gave an elegant rendition of "Piangero" from Handel's "Julius Caesar"; baritone Hyung Yun singing "Largo"; Figaro's famous aria from "The Barber of Seville"; tenor Yoonsoo Shin, who offered a thrilling high B in Verdi's "La donna e mobile"; and the three tenors Scott Piper, Yoonsoo Shin and Brian Landry bringing the audience to its feet with an impromptu performance of "O sole mio." Also performing were Harold Wilson, Joy Boland, Joseph Valone and Valerie Ogbonnay.

Among those applauding the evening were Susanna and Henry Will; Beth and Jim Rainey; Ruthie and Steve Duenner; Steve Wolfe; Vaughndean and Dr. Munson Fuller and their son and daughter-in-law Brad and Amy Fuller; Leanne Helmerich; Pattie and Dave Bowman; Jane Sneed; Carolyn and John Woodward; Jeanette and Rick Dunn; Carol and Dr. Tom Ashcraft; Annette and Dr. Norm Dunitz; Millie and Bob Millspaugh; Arno Kahn; Nanu and Fred Dorwart; Margee and Scott Filstrup; Anna Norberg and Joe Kestner; Margery Bird; Pat Wheeler; Joan and Harry Seay; Margie and Bob Huffman; Mary and Dr. Frank Shaw; Vancie and Lee Frazee; and Rita and George Singer, whose guest was Nancy Lee Andrews, a photographic artist from Nashville, Tenn., who will have a show opening Nov. 5 at the M.A. Doran Gallery. The exhibit, "A Dose of Rock and Roll," captures the American history of the genre with photos of such icons as Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton and Leon Russell. By DANNA SUE WALKER World Staff Writer

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