Guests gather at Springs Preserve for patriotic concert
The Las Vegas Philharmonic presented its 11th traditional Fourth of July Concert at a new venue -- the Las Vegas Springs Preserve.
The Springs Preserve offered three price categories, with the VIP ticket at the high end. That ticket included a reception in the preserve's rotunda and gallery within the Origen Experience Complex. Wine was served along with canapes by Wolfgang Puck's chefs to Jeanne Williams, Christine Wilson, Assemblyman Harry Mortenson, D-Las Vegas, and Helen Mortenson, Melissa Warren, Julie Wilcox, Carolyn Sparks and Caty Crockett.
Concert seating was reserved at round tables on the amphitheater's lawn for Jeanne Greenawalt and Irwin Kishner, Jan and Bob Proffitt, Chris and Larry Hahn, Carol and Jim Gilleran, Kay Storey, Louis Lozzie, Yun and Mike Long, Char and Paul Hejmanowski, Elizabeth Herridge, Gail and Curtiss Rupp, Lee Kuna, Hal Dalrymple, Arturo Reyes, Pat and Bob Mulroy, and U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nevada, and Larry Lehrner.
Middle-priced tickets were for reserved seats directly in front of the stage, and there was scattered seating on the amphitheater's perimeter for the lower price of admission.
Red, white and blue lights in a star motif lit up the surrounding trees.
Before the concert, guests, including state Sen. Valerie Wiener, D-Las Vegas, Lou and Fred Schwager, Bill Gamage, Juliana McRae, Deni and Steve Conrad and Pat Fink, could wander about the gardens, partake of the menu selections at the Springs Cafe by Wolfgang Puck and visit the Springs Preserve Gift Shop.
The 8 p.m. concert with conductor David Itkin, associate conductor Richard McGee and 95 musicians included patriotic selections performed from a white tented stage with a large video screen on each side. The grand finale, "1812 Overture," featured fog and strobe lights. The all-vocal group Mosaic also entertained.
Sponsors of the Star-Spangled Spectacular were Springs Preserve, Las Vegas Philharmonic, NV Energy, Las Vegas Review-Journal, Bank of America and AVvegas.
