Around Town: Can't rain on Opera Lyra Garden Party parade

guest · 2015-07-09

It was really so thoughtful of our fine feathered friends to provide musical accompaniment to the 20th Annual Garden Party for Opera Lyra Ottawa, held Wednesday in Gatineau at the official residence of Italian Ambassador Gian Lorenzo Cornado and his wife, Martine Cornado.

From left, John Peter Jeffries, general director of Opera Lyra Opera, and Italian Ambassador Gian Lorenzo Cornado and his wife, Martine Cornado, greeted guests to the 20th Annual Garden Party held at the ambassador’s official residence in Gatineau on Wednesday, July 8, 2015.

Cardinal birds in the nearby trees tweeted (and not in a social media kind of way) during the short but brilliant concert starring tenor Sean Clark from Toronto, baritone Benjamin Covey from nearby Mallorytown and soprano Sasha Djihanian from Montreal, with Ottawa’s Jean Desmarais on piano.

Tenor Sean Clark and soprano Sasha Djihanian sing a popular duet from La traviata at the 20th Annual Garden Party for Opera Lyra Ottawa, held Wednesday, July 8, 2015, in Gatineau at the official residence of the Italian ambassaodor.

From left, baritone Benjamin Covey and tenor Sean Clark sing from the opera La Boheme at the 20th Annual Garden Party for Opera Lyra Ottawa held in Gatineau at the official residence of the Italian ambassador on Wednesday, July 8, 2015.

With the birds singing, the sun shining, the flowers blooming and a sold-out crowd of 420 in the mood for a party, it was a splendid evening well worth waiting an extra day for. The outdoor event had been slated for Tuesday but pushed back due to rain.

“If you showed up last night for the garden party you would have heard sparkling performances from such works as Handel’s Water Music and the Raindrop Prelude by Chopin,” joked MC and CBC Radio Ottawa newscaster Laurence Wall.

Laurence Wall, newscaster with CBC Radio in Ottawa, was back to host the 20th Annual Garden Party for Opera Lyra, held Wednesday, July 8, 2015, in Gatineau at the official residence of the Italian ambassador.

The beautiful backyard benefit, which netted $24,000, once again featured a roaming fashion show presented by Earlene Hobin, owner of Earlene’s House of Fashion. Attendees included Supreme Court Justice Michael Moldaver, Opera Lyra board chair Victor Rabinovitch and notable Ottawa philanthropist Shirley Greenberg.

From left, Victor Rabinovitch, chair of the board for Opera Lyra Ottawa, with Riky Moldaver and her husband, Supreme Court of Canada Justice Michael Moldaver, at the official residence of the Italian ambassador on Wednesday, July 8, 2015, for the 20th Annual Garden Party.

From left, prominent Ottawa philanthropist Shirley Greenberg was seen in the audience with well-known visual artist Jerry Grey at the start of the musical program for the 20th Annual Garden Party for Opera Lyra Ottawa, held at the official residence of the Italian ambassador on Wednesday, July 8, 2015.

Earlene Hobin, owner of Earlene’s House of Fashion, was seen surrounded by volunteer models in her annual fashion show presented at the garden party for Opera Lyra Ottawa at the official residence of the Italian ambassador on Wednesday, July 8, 2015.

Guests got to meet the opera company’s new artistic director, Timothy Vernon from Victoria, B.C. He was proudly introduced by Opera Lyra general director John Peter Jeffries as “one of the most charming and intelligent people that it’s been my pleasure to know”.

Timothy Vernon, the new artistic director of Opera Lyra Ottawa, addressed the crowd in three different languages at the 20th Annual Garden Party in support of Ottawa’s professional opera company, held Wednesday, July 8, 2015, at the official residence of the Italian ambassador.

The multilingual maestro dazzled the audience with his French and Italian while also addressing Opera Lyra’s need to build a stronger professional opera company in the nation’s capital. It’s been plagued by financial woes in recent years. “Yes, there were problems,” he said candidly. “There’s no covering that up. There were problems. Who doesn’t have problems? Show me an arts organization in this country that hasn’t had problems. We’ve all had problems.

“The solutions are what count.”

He spoke with optimism and confidence about the opera company’s future but also cautioned that such progress will take time. “Every young conductor learns very early in his life that what he holds is not a magic wand,” said Vernon, a leading figure in Canada’s operatic scene and a member of the Order of Canada.

“But, I’m sure together with energy, with focus, with concentration, with commitment, with development, we can make something thrilling and indeed stunning.”

Photos: Can't rain on Opera Lyra Garden Party parade

The 20th Annual Garden Party for Opera Lyra Ottawa was held in Gatineau at the official residence of Italian Ambassador Gian Lorenzo Cornado and his wife, Martine Cornado.

From left, volunteer model Janet Wilson, editor of Ottawa Citizen Style magazine, with Earlene Hobin, owner of Earlene's House of Fashion, at the 20th Annual Garden Party for Opera Lyra Ottawa, hosted by the Italian ambassador and his wife at their official residence in Gatineau on Wednesday, July 8, 2015.
Alexandra Zanella was turning heads as one of the volunteer models for the fashion show presented by Earlene's House of Fashion at the annual garden party for Opera Lyra Ottawa, held at the official residence of the Italian ambassador on Wednesday, July 8, 2015.
Volunteer models wandered through the crowds in gowns from Earlene's House of Fashion at the 20th Annual Garden Party held at the official residence of the Italian ambassador in Gatineau on Wednesday, July 8, 2015.
Mary Zborowski, manager of the Opera Lyra Chorus, gets a birthday serenade on Wednesday, July 8, 2015, from opera-singing stars Sean Clark, left, Sasha Djihanian, Benjamin Covey at the 20th Annual Garden Party held in Gatineau at the official residence of the Italian ambassador.
Nathan Medd, managing director of English Theatre at the National Arts Centre, with his adorable two-year-old son Elki at the 20th Annual Garden Party for Opera Lyra Ottawa, held at the official residence of the Italian ambassador on Wednesday, July 8, 2015.
Earlene's House of Fashion volunteer model Nadine Sabine attracted attention as she circulated through the crowd at the 20th Annual Garden Party for Opera Lyra Ottawa, held at the official residence of the Italian ambassador in Gatineau on Wednesday, July 8, 2015.
Baritone Benjamin Covey and soprano Sasha Djihanian sang a famous duet from the opera Don Giovanni at the 20th Annual Garden Party for Opera Lyra Ottawa held in Gatineau at the official residence of the Italian ambassador on Wednesday, July 8, 2015.
Baritone Benjamin Covey, who hails from nearby Mallorytown, performed from The Barber of Seville during the 20th Annual Garden Party for Opera Lyra Ottawa, held at the official residence of the Italian ambassador on Wednesday, July 8, 2015.
Soprano Sasha Djihanian performs an all-time favourite aria, O mio babbino caro, at the 20th Annual Garden Party for Opera Lyra Ottawa held in Gatineau on Wednesday, July 8, 2015, at the official residence of the Italian ambassador.
Shannon Day-Newman and her famous broadcast journalist husband Don Newman, chairman of Canada 2020 and special advisor at Navigator Limited, at the 20th Annual Garden Party for Opera Lyra Ottawa, held in Gatineau at the official residence of the Italian ambassador on Wednesday, July 8, 2015.
Baritone Benjamin Covey and pianist Jean Desmarais were part of the musical program for the 20th Annual Garden Party for Opera Lyra Ottawa held in Gatineau at the official residence of the Italian ambassador on Wednesday, July 8, 2015.
From left, Earlene's House of Fashion volunteer model Gail Carroll with guest Mary O'Keefe at the 20th Annual Garden Party for Opera Lyra Ottawa, held in Gatineau at the official residence of the Italian ambassador on Wednesday, July 8, 2015.
The Earlene's House of the Fashion show saw volunteers models, such as Manja Mackley, roam through the crowd and mingle during the 20th Annual Garden Party for Opera Lyra Ottawa, held Wednesday, July 8, 2015, at the official residence of the Italian ambassador.
Elisabeth Carioto tries on the fancy new hat that she won at the 20th Annual Garden Party for Opera Lyra Ottawa, held in Gatineau at the official residence of the Italian ambassador on Wednesday, July 8, 2015.
The decision to bump Opera Lyra's sold-out garden party at the Italian ambassador's residence in Gatineau to Wednesday, July 8, 2015, due to forecasted rain, paid off after the evening was blessed with perfect weather.
Italian Ambassador Gian Lorenzo Cornado welcomed more than 400 guests to the 20th Annual Garden Party for Opera Lyra Ottawa held at his official residence in Gatineau on Wednesday, July 8, 2015.
Helene Giroux, chair of special events for Opera Lyra Ottawa, welcomes more than 400 attendees to its 20th Annual Garden Party, held in Gatineau on Wednesday, July 8, 2015, at the official residence of the Italian ambassador.