Anniversaries to celebrate and Festivals to redress

May 24, 2022

The scene at Doubles on its 46th anniversary celebration.

Party Pictures• BY: NYSD Staff

They were celebrating the 46th anniversary of Doubles, the private club in the Sherry Netherland where thousands of balloon and streamers covered the ceiling and Bob Hardwick and his Orchestra kept the members and their guests on the dance floor when not enjoying the dinner of classic shrimp cocktail; a choice of grilled filet mignon with asparagus and onion ribbons, or halibut with salsify and truffles, plus a dessert of cherry gelato timbale. The club’s director Wendy Carduner hosted, thanking everyone for their loyalty and support as well as giving a special thanks to the great and wonderful staff at Doubles.

Among those enjoying the festivities where Tom and Jane Lacy, Sharon Jacob, Geoffrey Bradfield, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Barbara de Portago, Mark Gilbertson, Blakely Griggs, John Fondas, Fe and Alexandro Fendi, Annabela and Alberto Mariaca, Carol and Phil Mehler, Camille and Goerge Muzinich, Noel and Christopher Momsen, Duncan Sahner and many many more.

*L. to r.:* Tom and Jane Lacy; Melanie Holland, Victor Geraci, and Blakelyy Griggs.

Frederika Biggs, Sharon Jacob, Michael Lenning, and Julie Lenning.

*L. to r.:* Ruby Uyu and Melissa Sakamoto; Ginger Feuer and Larry Leeds.

Duncun Sahner, Wendy Carduner, and Mark Gilbertson.

*L. to r.:* Ben Loehnen and Kate Earls; Christopher and Noel Momsen.

Charlotte Scheonfeld, Carol Mehler, Sharyn Mann, Adrianne Silver, Cece Asch, and Pat Falkenberg.

Witold Balaban, Agnaeszka Balaban, Elizabeth Meyer, and Mark Meyer.

Melanie Holland, Mark Gilbertson, and Mary Snow.

*L. to r.:* George and Camille Muzinich; John Fondas and Barbara de Portago.

John Tonelli, Alberto Mariaca, and Alexandro Fendi.

Annabel Mariaca, Fe Fendi, and Isabelle Tonelli.

Michael Kovner, Molly Cerne, Jean Doyen de Montaillou, and Harrison Roach.

Barbara Taylor Bradford and Geoffrey Bradfield.

*L. to r.:* Jo Hallingby and Todd Merrill; Margot and Randy Takian.

Marifé Hernández and Nizam P. Kettaneh hosted a cocktail reception on May 17th at New York’s French Consulate to toast Opera Lafayette and their upcoming New York Baroque Musique Festival; The Era of Marie-Antoinette Rediscovered, June 7 – 9, 2022.

Consul General of France in New York Jérémie Robert shared, “This festival will redress some misconceptions about Queen Marie-Antoinette. For one, she was fond of Gretry’s Silvain, a work Opera Lafayette will present on June 7th, that reflects on land rights of farmers as well as on the softening of paternal authority through the display of familial virtue, evidently sympathized with both aspects.

“The Salon de musique of Marie-Antoinette, to be performed on June 8th, reminds us on the one hand that she was a musician and that she was open minded, having the Chevalier de Saint-Georges as one of her chamber musicians and composers. On June 9th there will be a performance of Concert Spirituel aux Caraïbes, which illustrates the global reach beyond Europe of the queen’s musical taste for French opera-comique and for Italian music.” The beauty of each of the programs presented during this festival will reveal the discerning taste of Marie-Antoinette.

Guests included Angela Chen, Susan Clearwater, Beatriz Coles, Matthias Ederrer, Mr. and Mrs. John French, April Gow, Susan Gutfreund, Sharon King Hoge, Roberta Downs Sandeman and Arthur A. Houghton, Ambassador and Mrs. Kimihiro Ishikane, Caroline and Max Jahn, Ellie Manko, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Quinlan, Barbara Tober, and Rosemary Zraly.

Angela Chen, Karou Ishikane, Ambassador Kimihiro Ishikane, and Galina Novikova.

Opera Lafayette’s festival programming highlights the relation of historical women in 18th century France to the musical life of their time. The three-day event features baroque music performed by international musicians, a roundtable discussion, gala dinner, and reception.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://operalafayette.org/festival2022.