| EVENT REPORT 07.02.07 4:33 PM |
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| The Regal Has Landed |
| Qatar Airways celebrated its inaugural flight to New York with caviar, Dom Pérignon, and Diana Ross. |
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One of five carriers in the world to hold a five-star ranking from aviation-industry audit Skytrax, the Doha, Qatar-based, 10-years-young Qatar Airways prides itself on its hospitality, generosity, and overall excellence. So to celebrate the arrival of the airline's service at the New York area's Newark Liberty International Airport on June 28, and Washington, D.C., on July 19, the company staged a luxurious cocktail reception and dinner Thursday night at Jazz at Lincoln Center in the Time Warner Center.
Hired to produce the event was Colin Cowie, who has worked with Qatar for three years on private events. |
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PHOTO GALLERY |
 | The evening included the performance of a "visual symphony."
Photo: Patrick McMullan |
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 | An arrangement of silver branches and orchids with accents of silver ornaments towered over attendees during the cocktail hour.
Photo: Marina Fragoso Senra for BizBash |
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 | Carts offered Imperial Special Reserve Persicus caviar service, and passed hors d'oeuvres included steak au poivre crostini, spiced ahi tuna tartare with crisp cucumber, and New Zealand rack of lamb with curry ginger crust and papaya relish.
Photo: Patrick McMullan |
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 | Diana Ross performed a half-hour set of songs spanning her career, and even made one costume change, trading a red sequined floor-length gown for a similar dress in lime green.
Photo: Patrick McMullan |
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 | Arabic trio Naser Musa played for much of the cocktail reception, and roamed from table to table at the dinner. The jazz quartet the Sidewinders also provided music during the meal.
Photo: Marina Fragoso Senra for BizBash |
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 | The use of gobos helped establish the Qatar brand presence during dinner.
Photo: Marina Fragoso Senra for BizBash |
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 | Other luxurious touches to the event included Lucite boarding passes that served as invites, cloth napkins at the cocktail hour, and a parting gift of an iPod Nano loaded with Qatar images.
Photo: BizBash |
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The evening began with a caviar and cocktail reception in what was dubbed the Qatar Airways First Class Lounge, where guests could take in views of Columbus Circle and Central Park. Servers pushed carts of caviar among the 330 guests, a group that included magazine editors, frequent travelers, Chloë Sevigny, Peter Sarsgaard, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Donald Trump. Projected on a 47- by 20-foot screen were images of Qatar's destinations, cabins, and logo. Just prior to dinner, a man on a raised platform performed what was described as a visual symphony; produced by Dubai-based company Mameo, the presentation featured the man conducting and moving images on the immense screens to a thunderous, movie-soundtrack-worthy score, a la Tom Cruise in Minority Report.
Decor for the gala dinner included tables covered in silk linens in Qatar's signature colors, gray and burgundy. Lanterns placed under the tables, which were adorned with arrangements of burgundy peonies and calla lilies, illuminated the seating areas from within. On hand to host the evening was Andie McDowell, who dutifully reminded guests of the Dom Pérignon and caviar reception they'd just enjoyed, and then somewhat unconvincingly said, "I know for me the visual symphony was very entertaining." After a first course of chilled lobster ravioli, Qatar C.E.O. Akbar Al Baker welcomed guests and spoke of the airline's expansion into the U.S.
Colin Cowie Lifestyle senior event producer Hillary Gutstein described the overall look of the event as modern and sophisticated. Discussing the production of the evening, she cited the high expectations of the airline. "Qatar [Airways] is known for service and excellence and hospitality," she said. "They are very progressive, their quality is superior to others, and they expect their events to be the same way."
The night ended with a performance by Diana Ross, whom Cowie himself suggested because she rarely does private events and she fit the age group and target audience attending. Cowie clearly knew what he was talking about: She killed. Opening with "I'm Coming Out" and finishing with "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (with plenty of her classics in between), the diva had the crowd enthusiastically getting down in the aisles and spontaneously throwing those burgundy peonies and calla lilies onto the stage as she took her final bow.
—Mimi O'Connor
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