Nevada Opera Theatre celebrates season in song
Nevada Opera Theatre celebrated the season with a holiday luncheon at Maggiano's Little Italy in the Fashion Show mall earlier this month.
Among the many guests attending were state Sen. David Parks, Kermit Waters, Nora and Bill Jansen, Amy Tarkanian, Lela and Anthony Ripamonti, Don Harden, Thomas J. McGrath, and Debra and Robert Holgate.
Guild Chairman Karen Scherer directed the event. Eileen Hayes served as general director, and the luncheon's guest speaker was Thalia Dondero, president of the Nevada Arts Advocates.
The luncheon included a hosted reception, silent and live auctions, and entertainment followed by a delicious meal served family style.
The first course was bruschetta, stuffed mushrooms, Maggiano's salad and Caesar salad. The second course included meat lasagna, chicken and spinach manicotti, eggplant Parmesan and chicken piccata. The third course was tiramisu and Andes chocolate cake.
Seen enjoying the afternoon were Arlene and Seymour Cohen, Christine Lefkowitz, Dara and John McDaniel, Ivan Goldsmith, Heidi Meyer, George Blackwell, Sandra and Kim Youmins, Stacey Tyler, Barb Lent and Lori Radtke.
The luncheon's table sponsors were Barbara and Bruce Woollen, Nicole and Morton Hyson, Beverly and Mike Mykisen, Angie Wallin, Linda Cassese, Karen Fallon, Paula Perez, Nevada Opera Theatre Guild, Linn and Daryl Thome, Eileen Hayes, Divas and Divos of Nevada Opera Theatre, Flamingo Glass & Engraving and Nevada Opera Theatre President Denny Weddle & Associates.
Holiday musical entertainment was provided by the Nevada Opera Theatre Chorus and opera soloists Morton Hyson, Ben Litvinoff, Carrie Wachsberger, Stephen Plummer, Lance Taubold, Szyvia Toth and Isabella Ivy, the UNLV senior scholarship winner of the Nevada Opera Theatre Guild. Piano accompaniment was by Jonathan Gorst.
Everyone joined in the celebration by participating in the event's singalong, including guests Gayle Anderson, Karen Morris, Douglas Webster, Sondra Lynch, Shirley Hicks, the Rev. Fernando Benliro, Monica Fuller, Oliver Phillips III, Dana and Mike Werner, Jimmy Patti, Barbara Bent, Adrienne and Cranston Rodgers, Maxine McCurry, Evangelina, Bella and Angelito Rodriguez and Janet Ryan.
