In the fall, symphonies and opera houses across North America celebrate their opening nights with lavish events. In the spirit of the musical season, here's a look inside 11 events that were inspired by musicians, composers, or a particular genre of music.
Event staffers passed out guitar-shaped cookies as favors at the ballet's 2011 gala at Embassy of the Russian Federation in Washington. The dessert played off the evening's rock-inspired decor from Syzygy Event Productions.
The Boston institution hosted its opening night gala in late September. The decor was loosely inspired by the symphony's Shakespeare-related programming this season, and a dinner table was laid out in a way that mimicked the shape of an English garden.
At its 2012 Modern Ball, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art paid homage to the artist Picasso. Inspired by some of the painter's imagery, decor from Stanlee Gatti included centerpieces meant to resemble Cubist guitars.
At its 2014 fall fashion event in Los Angeles, Macy's erected a step-and-repeat that featured albums from the '70s and '80s, as well as suspended records. The entrance underscored the event's overarching rock 'n' roll theme.
At the TV channel's 2010 music fest in Brooklyn, Ultimate Lighting provided thematic gobos of the event logo and musical notes for the tent ceiling.
In 2013, Macklemore's hit song “Thrift Shop” was topping charts. When investment banking company Roth Capital Partners held its 25th annual Orange County conference at the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, it brought the rapper for headline entertainment. Elite Productions International played up the performance with an overall thrift-store theme. Mismatched pillows and seating groups contributed pops of color—and a thrift-store vibe— throughout.
In 2014, the Los Angeles Philharmonic's annual benefit was dubbed “A Celebration of John Williams: Opening Night Gala Concert.” Inside the dinner tent, Shiraz Events' decor included blown-up replicas of Williams's score for “Soundings.”
Piano prodigy Lang Lang headlined the Ravinia Festival's Benefit Gala in Chicago in 2013, and Jewell Events Catering prepared a thematic feast. For dessert, a chocolate piano was filled with passion-fruit mousse, then set on a starburst-shaped display of sauces.
In 2013, the Boston Lyric Opera hosted its annual gala on October 4. The evening included a performance of The Magic Flute that was set in the Mayan ruins of Mexico. Dancers from the Touch Performance Art Group escorted guests between the two venues, and some dancers dressed in Aztec-inspired costumes.
In 2013, The Phantom of the Opera celebrated its 25th anniversary with a masquerade ball at the New York Public Library. Inside, a projected image of the Phantom mask illuminated drapes. Low lighting in red and blue hues added to the eerie, almost ethereal look.
At a screening of the James Brown biopic Get on Up in Washington in 2014, André Wells incorporated such objects as old-school-style microphones and records into floral centerpieces to channel the movie’s musical premise.
