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.