COT's 2010 Annual Gala Featuring Danielle de Niese Held 3/13

By: Feb. 10, 2010
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On Saturday, March 13th, 2010, Chicago Opera Theater (COT) hosts its 2010 Annual Gala at The Mid-America Club located on the 80th floor of the Aon Center in Chicago. The 2010 Gala Committee, chaired by COT Board Trustee Gerald Bauman, is pleased to honor The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust for its generous support of Chicago Opera Theater.

COT Board Trustee and Dean of the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University Henry Fogel will be the evening's Master of Ceremonies. The highlight of the event will be a performance by opera superstar Danielle De Niese.

"We are delighted to welcome Danielle De Niese back to Chicago Opera Theater to perform at our Gala," said Brian Dickie. "Her performance at The Mid-America Club is something no opera fan will want to miss!"

This year marks two important firsts for the annual event: special admission for young professionals as well as online bidding to the general public for silent auction items before the gala!

The 2010 Gala is themed "Opera Among the Stars." The evening will begin with a cocktail hour at 6pm with hors d'oeuvres, cocktails, raffles and a silent auction. After dinner there will be a live auction for premium packages that include exciting travel packages and exclusive access to COT's 2010 Spring Festival Season. Guests will then enjoy a marvelous performance by Danielle De Niese. The evening will conclude with cocktails and dancing to live music from the Matt Lewis Band all while surrounded by the stunning views of Chicago!

The internationally acclaimed soprano Danielle De Niese, who made her Chicago debut with Chicago Opera Theater, returns to perform at the 2010 Gala. Opera News hailed her performance in the title role of COT's 2004 production of Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea as "ravishing...her gleaming soprano coursed through the difficult melismatic writing with pyrotechnical flare and seductive ease." She returned the next season to sing Tytania in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Besides her performances with COT, Chicago audiences may also remember her from her role as Cleopatra in Handel's Giulio Cesare at the Lyric Opera of Chicago in 2007. On February 28, 2010 she returns to the Lyric Opera to perform Susanna in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro.

Now in its third year, Opera Underground, COT's young professionals club, is seeking to cultivate the spirit of philanthropy in young professionals ages 21-45 by inviting them to the 2010 Annual Gala. A reduced ticket rate of $75 will grant this younger crowd access to Danielle De Niese's performance and the cocktail and dancing portion of the evening.

Also, for the first time in the company's history, silent auction items will be available for online bidding before the event. This is a perfect way for people who are unable to attend to still support the company by bidding online at events.org/cotgala beginning February 22nd and continue through March 12th.

During the evening, Henry Fogel, will lead the guests in honoring The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust for its generous support of Chicago Opera Theater.

"We are so happy to honor the important work of The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust and all they have done for COT through the years," said COT General Director Brian Dickie.

The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust, established in 1992, has been extremely generous to numerous organizations throughout Chicago. The Trust has supported Chicago Opera Theater since 1996 and also supports Lawrence Hall Youth Services, Chicago High School for the Arts, and Lyric Opera of Chicago to name a few. Most recently, The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust was the Lead Sponsor of COT's production of Mozart's La clemenza di Tito during the 2009 Spring Festival Season.

COT Board Trustee Gerald Bauman, Managing Principal of H & R Block Tax & Business Services, is the Chair of COT's 2010 Gala. Other Gala Committee members include: Peter M. Ascoli, Carol Anne Doyle, Lincoln S. Ellis, Cosmo Ferraro, Maximilian Kort, Judith Krotky, John H. Nelson, Betty Fae Nusinow, David O'Connor, Gregory O'Leary, Jean E. Perkins, Marjorie Recorbet, Rebecca Russum, Lois B. Siegel and Aaron M. Stout. The evening's sponsors include: RGBLights, William Hill Winery, and New Amsterdam Gin - the sponsor of COT's signature drink the "Operatini."



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