What do football and opera have in common? Most people would probably say very little- unless they had attended the world premiere of Great Scott at the Dallas Opera’s First Night Gala on October 29th. Written by Jake Heggie and Terrence McNally, the season opener tells the story of a famous singer trying to save her struggling local company while going up against her disapproving town’s obsession with football.
It was part of a celebratory evening put on by event planning extraordinaire Tracy Mott to kick off the 2015-2016 Seeking the Human Element season of the Dallas Opera. Event architect Jeffrey Horn was responsible for the beautiful setting that served as the backdrop for this gorgeous event. Highlights from the evening were Mayor Mike Rawlings dressed in a football uniform for a skit with other Dallas notables, a beautifully constructed shimmering tent, and a comical thank you video written by Ellen Winspear, featuring chairs Ellen and Don Winspear, dinner chairs Anne and Steve Stodghill, and honorary chairs Micki and Mayor Michael Rawlings. Guests also had the pleasure of viewing pieces from the First Site fashion show, which was located in the lobby of the Winspear Opera House.
