For the Canadian Opera Company's second annual Operanation benefit, COC special events officer Tami Shapiro decided to put special emphasis on the food. "We're seeing an increasing number of younger opera lovers, and we wanted to be sure to engage them," he said.Shapiro awarded the catering assignment to By David's Catering, which created a wide selection of hors d'oeuvres, including gorgonzola risotto with chives and chicken, purple potato latkes with gorgonzola and sugared pecans, and mini grilled cheese sandwiches on challah bread with extra-aged cheddar. The award for best presentation went to an item dubbed the New York-tini—a martini glass filled with morsel of sirloin encrusted in herbs and garlic on a bed of mashed potatoes.
Shapiro decorated the event space at Stone Distillery Fermenting Cellar with items from past COC productions. On the main floor, the furnishings included several two-seater settees and a grand 24-foot settee, all in white with gold trim, from a recent production of Macbeth. All the pieces were up for grabs in the silent auction. Shapiro also put old wardrobe items to work. He used some to dress mannequins, which he positioned strategically on the balcony so they could be seen from below. Others were worn by models from Ford Modeling Agency and the DJ from Big Entertainment.
By evening's end, the decor had disappeared—and nearly $20,000 had been added to the opera company's coffers.
Shapiro decorated the event space at Stone Distillery Fermenting Cellar with items from past COC productions. On the main floor, the furnishings included several two-seater settees and a grand 24-foot settee, all in white with gold trim, from a recent production of Macbeth. All the pieces were up for grabs in the silent auction. Shapiro also put old wardrobe items to work. He used some to dress mannequins, which he positioned strategically on the balcony so they could be seen from below. Others were worn by models from Ford Modeling Agency and the DJ from Big Entertainment.
By evening's end, the decor had disappeared—and nearly $20,000 had been added to the opera company's coffers.