In Covid Times, Symphony Reimagines Opening Night

Guests enjoy lovely, thoughtfully scaled-down performance, and home-delivered dinners.

In Covid Times, Symphony Reimagines Opening Night

As the Houston Symphony hit high notes at its Opening Night Celebration on Saturday night, it also raised a high bar — the scaled-down, socially distant and live-streamed event was lovely, and a Covid-era model for performing arts groups struggling to find their way through tough times. The memorable program was curated to highlight small groups of musicians on stage at a time, rather than the entire orchestra.


Indeed, with its chairs Sippi and Ajay Khurana, and with major sponsorship from ConocoPhillips for the 34th year, the Symphony raised more $500,000 — about twice its goal.

A group of about 60 patrons and journalists were invited to don black ties, gowns and mandatory masks, and spread out in Jones Hall, which normally fits nearly 3,000. Many others watched from home, as Executive Director John Mangum, with his perfect NPR-style delivery, narrated the proceedings from the back row, introducing the various musical pieces and discussing their history and importance. Perhaps this is one of those smart, coronavirus-era innovations that will outlive the pandemic?

Opening Night socially distanced marker

The program, deviating from typical opening-night shows highlighting big works by old masters, instead presented music by pre-eminent women composers—including Jessie Montgomery's Banner for string quartet and string orchestra (based on the Star Spangled Banner and Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing) and Jennifer Higdon's Autumn Music for wind quintet. Notably, Keiko Abe's Conversations in the Forest for two marimbas was also on the set list; rarely featured instruments, marimbas are kind of a wooden xylophone whose haunting vibrations thoroughly filled the hall Saturday, dazzling guests.

Gabrieli's Duodecimi Toni, Ravel's Introduction and Allegro, and Vivaldi's Concerto for Four Violins were also performed.In lieu of the traditional grand seated dinner following the Opening Night concert, City Kitchen caterers home-delivered dinners and charcuterie trays with wine selected by John Rydman's Specs Wines, Spirits and Finer Foods to patrons after the event.

AT TOP: Event chairs Sippi and Ajay Khurana

Art+Culture
The Latest in Anti-Aging Tech Now Available in River Oaks

Dr. Edward Lee and Nuveau

DR. EDWARD LEE believes in bringing the most advance treatment options to his patients at Nuveau. At the River Oaks practice, he performs the latest nonsurgical rejuvenation procedures, such as BOTOX and fillers, various laser treatments, and other nonsurgical treatmetns such as CoolSculpting and EmSculpt. He also does facelifts, upper and lower blepharoplasty, brow lift, and rhinoplasty for facial rejuvenation. Plus, he can achieve natural results with breast augmentation and breast lift surgery, as well as body contouring, such as liposuction, abdominoplasty, Brazilian butt lift and mommy makeovers.

Keep ReadingShow less

Nancy Gonzalez, Denise Reyes, Christina Jack, Destiny Fernandisse (photo by Emily Jaschke)

WHEN THE GRANDE dame of Houston philanthropy steps up to chair the annual gala for one of Houston’s most elite cultural institutions, expect high elegance to abound and big bucks to roll in.

Keep ReadingShow less

Nadia Hafeez, Shireen Hadi, Sara Perry (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

A ROSTER OF women you might usually see in scrubs and white coats flipped the script and went high-fashion for the Arts of Healing Foundation’s fourth annual Fashion Show at the Post Oak Hotel, celebrating Houston’s Women in Medicine.

Keep ReadingShow less