Ballet Season With Buzz
Right down to its yellow and black décor, the New York City Ballet's spring gala on Tuesday was all about buzz: dance (specifically, the genius of Jerome Robbins and of Peter Martins for persuading him to do "West Side Story" with the ballet); artists (it's true, Francesco Clemente does bear an uncanny resemblance to Robbins); fashion (such as the chic knot at the back of designer and author Charlotte Moss's Ralph Rucci dress, completely in step with the title of her latest book, "A Flair for Living"); money (yes, that was Steve Schwarzman, the one who just gave $100 million to the New York Public Library, and yes, that was the president of the library, Paul LeClerc, sitting at another table); summer vacations (Aix-en-Provence, Nantucket, and Williamstown), and actors present (including Josh Charles, fresh off his understated yet heart-wrenching turn in the HBO series "In Treatment"; Lauren Bacall; Ethan Hawke; Susan Stroman, and Bernadette Peters). There was even buzz about sports (dancer Faye Arthurs noted that the event's color scheme matched that of the hockey team she roots for, the Pittsburgh Penguins) and Yale medals (board member William Wright just learned he will receive one in November).
Nina Griscom & Carolyne Roehm
The event, held on opening night of the ballet company's spring season, drew more than 800 guests and raised a record $2.2 million under the leadership of the ballet's chairman, Barry Friedberg, his wife, Ms. Moss, and board member Robert Pittman and his wife, Veronique Pittman, along with the event's corporate chairman, Richard Beckman, and the event's vice chairman, Eric Nederlander, and many other busy social bees.
agordon@nysun.com
