Enlightenment

Even laryngitis couldn't stop a sultry-sounding Teresa Heinz from attending the mega-watt ball staged Saturday in a South Side 'union hall.'

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers' spacious new Pittsburgh headquarters proved to be a perfect site for the Pittsburgh Opera's 17th annual Maecenas Benefit Gala.

Candles twinkled as nearly 500 local luminaries discovered the glassy corridors and comfy courtyard outside the brotherhood's super roomy and dramatically lighted ballroom.

All the right crowd enjoyed just enough crowding before settling down to $450- to $800-plates of 'Elysian Fields' lamb by the Duquesne Club.

U.S. Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts escorted Heinz, his wife, to the party partly given in her honor.

Dressed in shimmering black, Heinz spoke softly in accepting the Pittsburgh Opera's Maecenas Award, represented with a Waterford vase.

'This is a city of talent and huge heart. ... I used to sing a little bit. My secret dream was to become a concert pianist. ... I envy, almost, those who can follow their artistic talents very seriously. ... If not for them, all of our lives would be so much poorer,' said Heinz, widow of the late Pennsylvania Sen. John Heinz. 'This is a great honor for me. ... Those who can't be here are smiling.'

Gala chairman David R. Williams of the H.J. Heinz

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Co. awarded the Maecenas Award to Heinz and the Heinz Endowments in appreciation for their 'remarkable dedication and support' to the Pittsburgh Opera.

Renowned Italian soprano Renata Scotto wore sequined black, too, to accept the opera's Renaissance Award for her lifetime of opera contributions and teaching efforts through the Pittsburgh Opera Center.

The opera's general director, Mark Weinstein, attending with wife Susanne Marsee, emceed the gala with Christopher Hahn, artistic director, and maestro John Mauceri, music director, attending with wife Betty.

The 21st Century Swing Band, featuring Marty Ashby of the Manchester Craftsman's Guild, jazzed up the evening with dance music and a memorable 'Summertime' by George Gershwin, featuring Melanie Vaccari, a Pittsburgh Opera Center alumnus, and vocalist Kim Nazarian.

Florist Tim Condron paired tabletop clusters of mini-lanterns with fat bouquets of pink, purple, white or yellow blooms to carry out the ball's springtime theme in celebration of the opera's new leaders and artistic flavor.

Co-chairing the dinner were Electra and Jim Agras; Nadine Bognar, Rebecca and Greg Greenleaf; Shelley and Jeff Lipton; Connie and Charles Gregory; with help from many of the opera's guardian angels: Teri and Damian Soffer; Woody and Mary Turner; Dolores Wilson Smith; Francois Bitz;

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Camille and Harry Goern; Marjorie Hughes; Rose Kutsenkow; Christine Toretti; Frank and Linda Archinaco; Linda and Tony Bucci; Bob Denove; Sheila and Milton Fine; Deborah and Eric Hessinger; Carl and Mary Jane Grefenstette; David B. Hughes; John Connelly; Ross and Anita Dacal.

Opera board president Joe Massaro, with Carol, welcomed the throng of untold VIPs and opera lovers from myriad cultural, corporate and governmental corners of Pittsburgh: CMU's Jared Cohon and Maureen; PNC's Jim Rohr and Sharon;

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Quantum Theatre's Karla Boos; Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's Kevin McMahon; Pittsburgh Symphony's Gideon Toeplitz and Gail; plus legislators Tim Murphy, David Mayernick and Ralph Kaiser; Jan Rea of Allegheny County Council; Bobbi Kemp, aide to Jane Orie, the state senator; and attorney Jim Ecker.

Other guests included Ron and Judy Davenport; Donna Murtha; Max and Nancy Schools; Fred and Sue George; Ken and Pam McCrory; Rick and Barb Halpern; Audree Connelly Wirginis; Tom and Babs Politylo; and Frank and Judith Perman .

A jolt of cheers for all who labored hard to switch on the night of supercharged fund-raising.

- Deborah Deasy

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TIME TRAVEL Smartly cocked fedoras and sultry stoles over shoulders gave the evening a somewhat Gatsby-ish look, but the event really stomped in a different era.

The Pittsburgh Dance Council billed its annual benefit 'Stomping at the Savoy,' and tried to shape it around a '30s look. Times blended as easily as vodka and vermouth, however, at the Grand Concourse at Station Square Thursday night. The Pittsburgh Jazz All Stars played some big-band swing from the '40s, and many of the guests flapped from the '20s.

Deep into the evening, there was even a jitterbug contest, which used music a little later than Tommy Dorsey's 'Gettin' Sentimental Over You.'

And Gregory Zaretsky of Fox Chapel was dressed in a pre-World War II uniform from the Soviet KGB. Was that in the right era• Or even country• Don't ask. You don't want to mess with the KGB.

But he wasn't the only one dressed for the occasion. Jay Rayvid, treasurer from the Dance Council, was wearing a spiffy double-breasted black suit and fedora to match. Dr. Michael Swanson from Magee-Womens Hospital in Oakland outdressed his classily attired wife, Linn, by showing up in a striped blue zoot suit - complete with long gold chain.

Jan Meade from Franklin Park stood out in her white fur stole, drawing attention from her husband, George Meade, the great-great-great-great grandson of the like- named victor of the battle of Gettysburg.

Besides the big band and the jitterbug contest, dancers Michele delaReza and Peter Kope performed on the grand staircase of the equally Grand Concourse.

But the action was on the restaurant floor all night long as the crowd of 265 celebrated with a light buffet and dessert. Sponsor GlaxoSmithKline was represented by Ron and Leslie Ashburn, Patty Bevilacqua, Patrick and Fiona Clements, Bill DeMore, Ann Marie Edmunds and Laurie Garvey. Ed Harrell, president of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, led a contingent from the paper, including Sally Quinn with husband Walt and Angie Burdette with husband Richard.

Faith Matous from PNCAdvisors also was there along with Larry Rhodes from Irwin's Extrude Hone, Keith and Lindsey Neyland from Mellon and tailor Cindy Shoemaker.

And, of course, leaders of the Dance Council also were present, including executive director Gray Montague, Stompin' chairs Pam McCrory and Colleen Byrne, board president Diana Reed and vice president Vicki Eisenreich and board member Daniel Catanzaro.

Decoration for the party was done by Richard Persakian, who ended up being a double threat. He also owns Shadyside's Eons, the classic clothing firm, and provided a lot of the glittery garb for the night.

- Bob Karlovits

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