Having a Ball

Ars Lyrica hosted a special event at Downtown’s Esperson building in support of its upcoming production of Handel’s Agrippina, the organization’s first fully staged Baroque opera. ... At the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s glitzy Jewel of the Nile gala, guests were greeted by none other than a pair of camels! Inside, dinner tables and auction items were featured throughout the museum’s exhibit halls. ... And the Reach for the Stars gala, held at the Briar Club, raised funds and awareness for the KnowAutism foundation. Deborah Duncan emceed the event, which included a fashion show presented by The Webster, as well as live and silent auctions touting items like a Hawaiian vacation.

Ars Lyrica by Pin Lim; HMNS by Wilson Parish; KnowAutism by Quy Tran

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40 & Fabulous

At the most successful gala in its 40-year history, Stages Repertory Theatre raised a whopping $440,000. Elaine and Ray Messer chaired the “Off the Ball” event, which was held at The Corinthian and took on a Cinderella theme — some guests even donned fairy tale-inspired attire borrowed from Stages’ costume closet! And there were plenty of happy endings to be found during the raffle, which featured fine jewelry, chef’s dinners and a Costa Rican fishing adventure.

Priscilla Dickson and Daniel Ortiz


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Rise Up

River Oaks District-adjacent high-rise The Wilshire toasted its grand opening in style, with bubbly aplenty and mouthwatering bites from neighboring Steak 48. Attendees toured the building’s impressive pool deck — contortionist Rachel Reaneau performed in the pool! — and admired a selection of contemporary art curated by the Barbara Davis Gallery. Meanwhile, 100 guests raised a glass for the last time inside La Colombe d’Or’s ballroom. Renderings of the forthcoming highrise, Hines’ Residences at La Colombe d’Or, designed by Jorge Munoz and Lauren Rottet, were unveiled to great enthusiasm and applause.

Daniel Ortiz and Fulton Davenport

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