Disney Publishing Worldwide, book industry professionals, media, and well-wishers came together for the launch of Melissa de la Cruz (MEL) Studio at a reception held at Versa in New York City with special guests Melissa de la Cruz and Mariko Tamaki, author of one of the first Melissa de la Cruz Studio projects, Anne of Greenville.
On Wednesday, September 21, 2022, the Lang Lang & Friends Gala Concert and Dinner returned to New York City. Founded in 2008 by Lang Lang, the Lang Lang International Music Foundation (LLIMF) strives to educate, inspire, and motivate the next generation of music lovers and performers. Their unique programs encourage music performance at all levels as a means of social and emotional development for today’s youth. By igniting a child’s passion for music, the foundation is helping children worldwide aim for a better future.
The Viennese Opera Ball hosted their Swing Dinner Dance Gala, “The Golden Age” at a private club in Manhattan. Due to the events of the past year, the gala was scaled down from previous years with limited capacity but was a great return of the extravagant affair. The Viennese Opera Ball is a nonprofit association under Section 501(c)(3) and celebrated under the auspices of the US Austrian Chamber of Commerce. The Gala Chair for the evening was philanthropist Jean Shafiroff. Each year, it supports charitable projects that are connected to communities in New York or Vienna. The proceeds of the Swing Dinner Dance benefited the Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research.
The Gala took place with the support of City of Vienna and the Honorary Gala Chair, Governor & Mayor of Vienna The Honorable Michael Ludwig, Consul General of Austria in New York The Honorable Helene Steinhaeusl, and the Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum New York Michael Haider.
Hubert Heiss, Silvia Frieser, Jean Shafiroff, Austrian Consulate General Helene Steinhausl, Yoko Heider and Michael Heider photo by Rob Rich/SocietyAllure.com ©2021
Guests included President of the Viennese Opera Ball Silvia Frieser, event chair and philanthropist Jean Shafiroff, Consul General of Austria in New York The Honorable Helene Steinhaeusl, Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum New York Michael Haider, Hubert Heiss, Yoko Nakamura-Haider, Martin Shafiroff, Malan Breton, Scott Stone, Ana Stone, Eve Brookville, Sabine Riglos, Victoria Whipple, Paula Mahoney, Nelli Hantman, Imke Gerdes, Barbara Wennerholm, David Hochberg, Pamela O’Connor, Michele Herbert, Emily Mohr, Cole Rumbough, Sessa Von Richthofen, Richard Johnson.
The black-tie event was a change to their traditional Opera Ball with the swing dance party theme. The music for the evening was provided by the Misha Piatigorsky Trio, with Misha Piatigorsky on piano, Benny Benack III singing and playing trumpet, Sergei Avanesov on Saxophone, and Singer Kennedy.
There was a silent auction during gala with proceeds also benefiting Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research. While some items closed for the night so winners can take home their prize, others are still available to bid on until Monday, November 1, 2021. Visit vob2021.givesmart.com to make a bid and for more information.
Now that New York is getting back to some kind of normalcy, more than 300 guests carefully gathered at the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation’s Hamptons Happening. One of our favorite charitable events we were happy to return to. The popular annual charity food and wine event was back in a big way and raised more than $400,000 towards cancer research. The 17th annual event was a celebration of health and wellness, and the culmination of The Global Walk to Flatten the Cancer Curve with SWCRF partner, Walk with a Doc. Committee members Maria Fishel and Kenneth Fishel hosted the magical evening at their beautiful estate in Bridgehampton.
The new Southampton African American Museum (SAAM) held a VIP reception and ribbon cutting to celebrate their historic opening. After sixteen years of planning, the transformed barbershop to Museum opened its doors for a community cultural experience highlighting incredible journeys of black people along unchartered paths from Virginia and the Carolinas north to Southampton, NY.
Artist Don Hershman debuted his latest collection of original pieces, as part of a retrospective series inspired by the late Victor Arimondi. In the spring show, Donald and Victor: Under The Influence, the inventive artist embodied his visceral need to pursue interests and creative expressions as he paid a loving tribute to his former partner who succumbed to AIDS in 2001. Hershman’s paintings recognize the unique attributes of Arimondi’s work, featuring a display that is compassionate and reflective of our modern times. Arimondi was a famed Italian American model and art photographer whose unique eye and sensuous style captivated the world. At the time of his death, Hershman inherited his estate, including his vast collection of photography and art.
Don Hershman
Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation gave donors the chance to relive the Studio 54 days at a Virtual Disco Party. Guests raised over $1 million to fund critical cancer research as host DJ Cassidy kept them dancing all night.
In keeping with the theme of the evening, guests were treated to performances by an incredible lineup of disco legends. Gloria Gaynor had viewers at home singing along to “I Will Survive;” Chaka Khan belted her iconic hits “Ain’t Nobody” and “I Feel For You;” Patti LaBelle had everyone on their feet for her performance of “Lady Marmalade;” Marti Gould Cummings performed
Elisabeth Muhr, Denise Rich, and Jean Shafiroff chaired the 65th Viennese Opera Ball on Friday, February 7, 2020, at Cipriani 42nd Street, New York City, under the patronage of The President of the Republic of Austria, H.E. Alexander Van der Bellen. Actor Nathan Lee Graham emceed the Ball, celebrating the cultural and economic relationships between Austria and America, connecting two continents, two cities and two centuries in one glamorous evening.