Wolf Trap Ball Celebrates 'Joie de Vivre' with Embassy of France, 9/21

Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, in partnership with the Embassy of France and in cooperation with the National Park Service, announces the 2013 Wolf Trap Ball. The event will be held on Saturday, September 21 on the 27,000+ square-feet Filene Center stage at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. The 42nd-annual Wolf Trap Ball, the organization's largest fundraiser, will celebrate the arts and culture of France. Proceeds from the event will benefit Wolf Trap Foundation arts and education programs.

"We are delighted to honor France's rich history and contributions to the arts, and to welcome each of our guests to the Wolf Trap stage. Their involvement and generous support make it possible to bring diverse performing arts programs to the local community, as well as innovative arts education to the next generation through our unparalleled national teaching programs," said Wolf Trap Foundation President and CEO Arvind Manocha.

His Excellency François Delattre, Ambassador of France, will serve as the Honorary Host.

"It is my hope that you will join me in supporting this unique and spectacular black-tie event-an event that not only welcomes nearly 1,000 prominent and influential individuals from Washington and beyond, but also makes the many programs offered by Wolf Trap Foundation at America's National Park for the Performing Arts possible," Delattre said.

The event is Co-chaired by Wolf Trap Foundation Board Member The Honorable Sean O'Keefe, Wolf Trap Foundation Board AlumnaKaren Schaufeld, and Wolf Trap Associates Board Member Kimberly H. Stewart. Honorary Co-hosts include The Honorable Sally Jewell, Speaker John A. Boehner, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Guests will be treated to a performance by Wolf Trap Opera Company singer and former Filene Young Artist Mireille Asselin. Fresh off her triumphant portrayal of Nannetta in Wolf Trap Opera Company's production of Falstaff, the rising young star was also featured in Steven Blier's recital Wonders To Wander To this summer. Asselin's recent credits include appearances in Canadian Opera Company'sLa clemenza di Tito as Servilia and Die Fledermaus as Adele.

For this special evening, the Filene Center stage will pay homage to one of Europe's most iconic and enduring performing arts venues, Paris's majestic Palais Garnier. Banners at the proscenium of the Filene Center stage will feature the deconstructed painting The Ballet Scene from Meyerbeer's Opera "Robert Le Diable" by Edgar Degas.

In keeping with the theme, dinner will feature cocktails, including the French 75 and iconic Sidecar; foie gras, and a selection of fine cheeses, pâtés, and crêpe hors d'oeuvres; and a three course meal including sea scallop with duck confit, beef rossini, and a decadent caramel chocolate dessert. Dinner will be complemented by French wines donated by Total Wine & More. They include the Salmon Sancerre Vieilles Vignes from Loire Valley and the Château Landat Haut-Médoc 2006, which received 90 points from Wine Enthusiast.

Proceeds from the Ball benefit Wolf Trap Foundation's renowned arts and education programs, including the Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts. Wolf Trap's Institute programs have served millions of preschool and Kindergarten children, teachers, parents, and caregivers around the country and abroad, using performing arts disciplines such as drama, music, and movement to enhance academic and social skills. Similarly, Wolf Trap's artistic initiatives range from eclectic multi-genre performances to classical, opera, and dance productions with a strong emphasis on commissioning new works and addressing the need for varied and ground-breaking performing arts programs in our community. Each year the Wolf Trap Ball attracts a diverse guest list of philanthropic, business, political and cultural leaders, generating approximately $1 million in support of these programs.

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