The Music was Magic

On Saturday night I attended the Opening Gala for the Seattle Symphony Orchestra featuring new Artistic Director and Music Maestro, Ludovic Morlot.  The music was magical and I especially enjoyed the performance of Ravel's Bolero, during which Ludo left his raised podium as conductor and joined the violin section so he could play with the orchestra.

It appeared to be a sell out concert and it was fun to see so many people attending whom I have worked with over the years when I was on the active Seattle Symphony Board of Directors.  I am now a Lifetime Director which is a nice recognition for past efforts.

Following the concert, dinner was served in the Stroum Grand Lobby and included an Amuse of a fresh arugula salad with end of summer tomatoes, baby beets and caramelized California figs and an Entree of Pacific wild halibut with cider braised savoy cabbage with celery root-apple puree and baby carrots.  The best part was the cream puffs for dessert served with mini pitchers of caramel sauce!

Chairman of the SSO Board, Leslie Chihuly, put together a table of her girl friends to attend in support of the Seattle Symphony.  Just as the concert ended, music aficianado, Bob Cremin, who had just blown into town from Vienna and bought a concert ticket at the last possible moment decided that he was willing to stay for the party and join the all-girls table.  SSO Staff "magician", Jennifer Lee, was able to pull the necessary strings to get him added to an already full table, which he enjoyed thoroughly.  Included at our table were Patty Barrier, Patti Payne, Pat Wallace, Alexis Phelps, Elisabeth Roberts, Betty Tong, Nicole Vogel, Ginny Ruffner and Ann Redmond. 

Congratulations to Leslie, Ludo, Executive Director Simon Woods and the entire Seattle Symphony family on the exciting start to a new season!