Heart-shaped signage, a specialty cocktail called the "Elixir of Love," and ubiquitous red roses gave the Civic Opera House a dressed-for-Valentine's-day look on Saturday night, when the guild board hosted its Fantasy of the Opera benefit. Co-chairs Oscar Tatosian and Monica Pedersen oversaw the planning process, and said that the ball's festive look was designed to boost its annual attendance.
In the past, the benefit—which includes dinner, dancing, and a cabaret-style performance—has taken on themes ranging from Morocco to diamonds. "But going forward, we're really hoping to tie the event in with Valentine's Day so that we can get it on people's books as an annual way to celebrate," Pedersen said. "It's a great way to enjoy the holiday without having to go out on the actual weekend, when things get crazy and it can be tough to get dinner reservations." This year, the event drew 560 guests, which was on par with past attendance.
Giving the gala an appropriately red look was the fun part of the planning process for the co-chairs, who both have a background in interior design: Pedersen works as a designer on the Home & Garden Television show Designed to Sell and Tatosian owns Oscar Isberian Rugs.
Enlisting the services of Kehoe Designs, the planning crew arranged for the opera house to be "decked in layers and layers of red," Pedersen said. "I usually love neutrals, but to see what Kehoe did with vibrant stripes, velvet, and damask was just so much fun. The look is really lush and playful." And in February, "it's nice for people to have some hot colors to look at," Tatosian noted.
