OPENING NIGHT OF THE WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERA

September 16 · Organization of the American States

PHOTOS BY PHOTOS BY KYLE SAMPERTON

THE EVENT A double-bill of Bartok's "Duke Bluebeard's Castle" and Puccini's "Gianni Schicchi" for the opening of the Washington National Opera's 51st season. The unique combination of the one act operas was beautifully paired together by famed Hollywood director William Friedkin, best known for "The Exorcist." Like most the reactions to his work, the audience seemed to hover between "magnifi cent" and "hideous," while most critics have said "bravo."

THE SCENE The Organization of the States was fi lled with power players back from their Nantucket compounds and Vineyard havens. Bright hues of pink, blue and orange coupled with hundreds of roses at each table and dinner of foie gras, veal, and rich chocolate made this a truly elegant evening.

THE GUESTS Opera chairman Kenneth Feinberg, Placido Domingo, Michael Sonnenreich, Hungarian Ambassador Andras Simonyi, Sherry Lansing, former president of Paramount Pictures, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez, and Betty Casey.

Leo Daly, Edie Gutierrez, Irene Danilovich, Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez	Frederick and Sally Holzapfel with Dede and Ken Feinberg

Backy Clarkson and Nancy Brinker	Dianne Wolf and Perry Leff

William Frielkin, Julie Klover and Sherry Lansing	Placido Domingo and Lucky Roosevelt

Colombian Amb. Carolina Barco and Michael Sonnenreich	Denyce Graves and John Pohanka

Sterling Hamill and Mary Ourisman	Mary Mochary and Hungarian Amb. Andras Simonyi

Morton and Grace Bender, Betty Casey and John Irelan	Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Dede Feinberg

Bothwell Lee and Marcia Mayo	Wilma Bernstein, Dianne Wolf and Norma Tiefel

Ronald and Beth Dozoretz	Rhoda and Dan Glickman

Joanne Mason, Lindsay and Sam Ramey	Grega Daly and John Danilovich