Aguilera, Hanks, De Niro and more light up Cannes amfAR gala
ANTIBES, FRANCE » Robert De Niro was the honored guest at the 28th annual amfAR Gala Cannes, where one lucky guest won an auction to have lunch with the actor and a piece of his family history.
One of the most anticipated events of the Cannes Film Festival, over 800 guests attended the exclusive dinner, auction and after party at the Hôtel du Cap, Eden Roc in Antibes, where guests were entertained with performances from Christina Aguilera, Ricky Martin and Charli XCX.
The night began with a glitzy red carpet. Tom Hanks, who stars in the new “Elvis” movie from Baz Luhrmann, attended with the director.
Martin opened the proceedings with a lively medley of his hits, and as guests tucked into dinner, the bidding started.
De Niro kicked off the bidding on the lunch with him and by the time it was over, $537,025 had been raised to support amfAR’s AIDS research efforts. The lunch will be at one of De Niro’s New York restaurants, and the lot includes a painting by his father Robert De Niro Sr., a celebrated abstract expressionist painter.
Another guest paid $1,288,860 for an exclusive evening with tenor Andrea Bocelli and his family only to have his bid matched by another guest, and a second evening was offered by the family. The successful bidders will host a dinner party for 12 at one of his homes in either North Miami Beach or his mansion in Forte dei Marmi on the Tuscan coast.
Boston Pops July Fourth show returns for 1st time in 3 years
BOSTON » The Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular, a July Fourth holiday tradition in the city, is returning to its full glory after a three-year coronavirus hiatus, the Boston Symphony Orchestra said.
The show at the Hatch Memorial Shell on the Charles River Esplanade will feature not only the Boston Pops under the direction of conductor Keith Lockhart for the 27th year, but the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, the Middlesex County Volunteers Fifes & Drums, and special guest performers that will be announced at a later date.
This year’s free show will also include a tribute to David Mugar, whose support of the event starting in 1974 transformed it from a local event into a national celebration. Mugar died in January.