Colorado Ballet fundraising gala at the Ellie
How do you make a good thing even better?
Five hundred friends of Colorado Ballet did it by being part of a fundraising gala whose $300,000 net profit will help fund, among other things, a collaboration with Kansas City Ballet that will result in the creation of a new, full-length production of “The Wizard of Oz.”
“This world premiere collaboration will further elevate Colorado Ballet’s national stature and fulfill on the promise of injecting fresh works into the repertoire of American ballet,” noted Jim Hillary, who with his wife, Anne, chaired “An Evening in Verona: A Romeo and Juliet Gala.”
Jim Hillary is the principal and founding partner of Fios Capital. His wife, a 20-year member of the Colorado Ballet board, previously held executive positions in the American Ballet Theatre and the Martha Graham Dance Company.
“When we moved to Denver from New York in 1997,” Jim Hillary said, “Colorado Ballet looked very different. Anne’s lifelong love of the ballet was channeled into a mission to see this company succeed. (Today) we stand in awe of how far it has come: new leadership, national acclaim, new works and record-breaking attendance.”
Proceeds from the $350a-ticket event held at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House also will be used to support the Colorado Ballet Academy and the education and community engagement programs offered each year to thousands of students from throughout the state.
The evening began with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and the chance to buy one of the $250 “surprise boxes” donated by jeweler John Atencio. Twenty-four of the boxes contained a sterling silver heart pendant valued at $275; inside the 25th was an 18-carat white gold and diamond heart pendant valued at $2,700.
Guests also could take a chance on the wine and spirits pull and take home beverages donated by Bubbles Liquor World, Silver Oak winery, Epoch Estate Wines and the Westin Denver Downtown.
From the cocktail hour, the scene shifted to the opera house stage, where Colorado Ballet principals Sharon Wehner and Yosvani Ramos performed the balcony scene from “Romeo and Juliet.” Ten others from the company then danced to “Five Years Out,” a piece commissioned by Arrow Electronics and choreographed by ballet mistress Sandra Brown. The cost of having the dancers perform was underwritten by board member emeritus Sandy Elliott.
And, to help get everyone fired up for the dinner that followed, Doug Tisdale called for bids on items that ranged from a four-night stay at the Monarch Beach Resort in Orange County, Calif., to two tickets to “Hamilton” with an overnight stay at Lemeridien Denver Downtown.
Décor by BJ Dyer, Kari Smith and the creative souls from his Lodo flower shop Bouquets brought the evening’s Italian focus to life with jewel tone blooms, drapes and linens.
The Hillarys joined Colorado Ballet artistic director Gil Boggs and board chairs Duke Hartman and Liz Klatkin in welcoming such guests as Gold Table sponsors Michelle and Dr. Robert Applegate; Colleen Curran and Stephen Boane; Ann and Ford Frick; and Arrow Electronics’ Rich Kylberg with girlfriend Jillian Parker.
Others enjoying the evening that ended with dancing on the opera house stage were Lone Tree Mayor Jackie Millet; Larry and Carol Mizel; Faye Tate; Edie Bell; Jan Hammond; Arlene Johnson; Jackie Rotole; Barry and Pam Gatz; Steve and Susan Struna; Pam Sletten; Chris and Alyson Graves; Don and Mary Lou Kortz; Amber Human; Lynnette Morrison; Jim and Denise Sanderson; Dianne Bartlett; Luke and Nancy Boland; Lorraine Salazar; and James and Suzanne Buchanan.