Chatham Baroque’s Twelfth Night Gala
Story and photos, Page C-2. Stephen Schultz Andrew Fouts, Patricia Halverson and Scott Pauley.
The place: Saturday at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Arts Center, Downtown. Le roi est mort: In honor of the 300th anniversary of the death of one of the arts’ greatest patrons, Louis XIV, the motif for this year’s event was funereal chic. Patrons embraced the somber theme, showing up in an array of styles. Fashions from the Victorian era (like Kate Colligan, Clyde Jones and Richard Parsakian) to the 1920s (Keri Harmicar, who arrived with husband David Seman) were seen. Some kept it tres chic, like Gabriela Porges (in Lanvin) with husband David, while others, such as Mary McKinney, released their inner 1950s bombshell. Some paid tribute to the recent tragedies in Paris by donning French designer wear or wearing pieces they purchased in the city during their travels like the Jean Paul Gaultier tie worn by John Vandegrift, who attended with partner Larry Leahy. Overheard at dinner: “This whole Chatham Baroque thing is getting more fun,” said Bill Benter (with wife Vivian) to the organization’s executive director, Marc Giosi who added, “Thinking about the lavish parties Louis XIV threw around Baroque music... we wanted to recreate that experience for everyone tonight.” VIP partygoers enjoyed a sit-down dinner catered by Capital Grille and macarons from La Gourmandine while listening to cabaret singer Daphne Alderson and an intimate performance by Chatham Baroque. Long live the king: Dinner guests joined the party upstairs on the fourth floor for more fun as roughly 180 partygoers mingled in their funereal finest, toasting to the evening, and perusing the art auction. Chatham Baroque performers played on, which was reminiscent of what would have been heard through the halls of Versailles those many years ago. #SEEN: Opera singer and the evening’s hostess, Anna Singer, Murry and Cindy Gerber, Mark Flaherty, Carol Massaro, Sam Badger, Tim McVay and David Bush, John and Nancy Traina, Ashley Butler, Catherine Loevner, Ben Wertheim with mother Elaine, Renee Romah and Noah Himberger, David Rogers, Charlene Campbell, Sean Gray, Ken and Pam McCrory, Ellie Hall and Heather Fazekas.