Tom's Life Bits

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Opera curtain rises on theater in new splendor Published Sunday, 
March 2, 2008 at 4:30 a.m.

It all came together Saturday night for Sarasota Opera's 
executive director and artistic director, Susan Danis and Victor 
DeRenzi — an audience of hundreds in their black-tie finest, 
Verdi's most popular opera, "Rigoletto," on stage and the grande 
dame of Sarasota's arts facilities restored to a splendor she's 
never known.

After being closed for a year, the Opera House, built in 1926 as 
a theater, reopened on time and on budget for the 49th season.

Crowds gathered around the beautiful structure on Pineapple 
Avenue at 3 p.m. for a brass fanfare and drum roll and to watch 
high-dollar donors cut the golden ribbon that wrapped the 
entryway.

For the next hour, the crowd toured the historic building that 
now has a three-story atrium in the lobby and a skylight where 
once the chandelier from the movie "Gone With The Wind" hung in 
splendor. Then it was for Marc Scorca, CEO of Opera America and 
emcee, to welcome everyone from the stage.

Scorca introduced Matt Bower and Scott Merritt, senior vice 
presidents of National City and corporate sponsor of the gala, 
renovation coordinator Peter Hussell, and major donors Bill and 
Casiana Schmidt, Alisa and Ernest Kretzmer, Harry and Victoria 
Leopold, Virginia Toulmin, Betsy Bagby and more.

Susan congratulated others who were key in the renovation, 
including architect Killis Almond of San Antonio, "who captured 
the dream," and her predecessors, Deane Allyn and Phil Hall who 
were in the audience. As she completed her list of thank-yous, 
Victor walked on stage and gave Susan credit for her commitment 
to the project with "honesty, humor and determination. She's a 
great coach," Victor said, "who gets the very best out of 
people."

"She's fantastic to work with," said David Sessions, president 
of Willis Smith, who put the pieces together and took a lot of 
them out, including a roof that carried a railroad bridge and an 
orchestra pit that was originally built below sea level. "This 
was the project that couldn't be done," he said.

David added later that at any time during the initial work, when 
they stripped the hall down to bare walls, concrete and support 
beams, it could have fallen in. Maybe that's why he and John 
LaCivita gave each other high fives to signal their success when 
the Smith team was called on stage for recognition.

And then the orchestra filed in, Victor took up the baton, and 
the new grand curtain rose to Verdi's "Rigoletto," a new season 
and a new home.

Following the performance, more than 500 guests streamed into 
the elegant tent behind the Opera House for dinner, co-chaired 
by Ed and Jane Bavaria and Larry and Carol English. Board 
Chairwoman Joan Wood welcomed the crowd, and Dave Sessions and 
John LaCivita gave a video presentation on two large projection 
screens.

Guests were treated to a four-course meal catered by Michael's, 
sitting at tables with centerpieces of coral-colored roses, 
bells of Ireland and hydrangeas, and danced to the Abe Guard 
Orchestra.

And the ghosts that the Opera House is known to have? Ah, well, I think they applauded, toasted one another with champagne, and danced, too. The dust had settled, and magic was in the air.

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