Thursday, January 12, 2012

CARNEVALE! la vie parisianne!


Carnevale … la vie Parisienne!

Kentucky Opera’s black tie gala, Carnevale… La Vie Parisienne will be Saturday, January 21, 2012 at the Marriott Ballroom.  The event begins at 6pm with the grand wine and spirit tasting, followed by dinner and entertainment by Kentucky Opera Studio Artists.  The evening continues with the exciting live auction featuring rare wines and luxury items and finishes with dancing at Chez Maxim’s Lounge (conveniently located in the ballroom).  Carnevale tickets are $225 per person.  Michael Miller at 502.584.4500 or visit KYOpera.Org.

This year’s 1905 Paris theme, La Vie Parisienne is inspired by Kentucky Opera’s final production of the Brown-Forman 2011/12 Season, The Merry Widow.  The Event Company will bring turn of the century art nouveau Paris to modern-day Louisville and Kentucky Opera’s Studio Artists will sing arias and ensembles from Franz Lehar’s romantic comedy along with other musical delights.  


Throughout the evening partygoers will have the opportunity to bid on fun and festive silent auction items such as a beautiful Summer Eliason necklace; a foursome at Valhalla; a signed equine giclee by Jeaneen Barnhart and a night at the Brown Hotel. The silent auction has a little something for everyone, even a $5,000 total body makeover donated by Louisville Dermatology Clinic. After a scrumptious dinner, the premier live auction will begin featuring high-end luxury items such as dinners (Drs. Frank and Carolyn Burns put on a great party and have an AMAZING wine cellar), trips to Athens Greece and Sonoma Valley California, and of course, lots, and lots of hard-to-find wines.  


New to the event this year, the Opera will raffle a one-week stay at MaisonRose, the most beautiful house in the pettiest village (St-Jean) of Dordogne, France.  Kentucky Opera has printed just 30 raffle tickets and the lucky winner and five friends/family members will have a week in this beautiful home.  


The second prize is a wonderful dinner for eight with French food and wine at the beautiful Cherokee Triangle home of Tanja Eikenboom and Rick Albrink here in Louisville.  Not quite Maison Rose in France, but a prize more than worth the $500 price of a raffle ticket.

The winners need not be present to win.  Airfare and ground transportation are not included.  Commonwealth of Kentucky Charitable Gaming License #0534.

Chances are available for $500. To be one of the 30 entries in this raffle, contact Michael Miller at Kentucky Opera at 502.584.4500 or via email at Michael_Miller@KYOpera.org.
More information on Maison Rose can be found here.  Read a Wall Street Journal review here.

Carnevale is one of Kentucky Opera’s major fundraisers. Last year the event raised $115,000 supporting Kentucky Opera’s mission through its education programs and mainstage productions.