Ars Lyrica Announces Virtual Gala and After Party

Ars Lyrica Houston's 2020 Spring Gala, A Star is Born, on Saturday, April 25th, 2020 is reinventing the gala experience as it pivots from its regular fundraising format. This event honors operatic soprano and educator Lois Alba, and is chaired by Robin Angly and Miles Smith, founding members of Ars Lyrica's Opera Circle. The gala historically supports the organization's biennial Baroque opera productions, including a new production of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas announced scheduled for May 2021. This year, the gala and after party will be held on Facebook and Zoom with an array of interactive events and will raise money for both the organization and its newly created Artist Support Fund.

Artists are the heart and soul of Ars Lyrica's performances, and executive director Kinga Ferguson immediately identified the need to create an Artist Support Fund as part of the gala fundraising. "Like all arts organizations, Ars Lyrica has been undergoing undue financial hardship due to the cancellation of all our programs and events during COVID-19 crisis. Despite those challenges, we are committed to sustaining our artists who are independent contractors and suffer the loss of income and professional connections for months to come. To that end, we have created a special Artist Support Fund and pledged to pay 50% of artist fees for canceled subscription program plus full fees for gala performance and outreach learning. Our top priority now to keep our Ars Lyrica's family strong and ensure that we still have a vibrant arts community in Houston when we return to normalcy."

Ars Lyrica is honoring Lois Alba, world-renowned operatic soprano, author, and educator who has dedicated her entire life to supporting young artists. "Coaching and guiding singers is my life and my aria competition has helped many in their careers like winner Michelle Bradley. We are sad that the competition must be postponed this year. Our lives seem to be on hold at this moment.," says Alba. Cochair for the gala, Robin Angly, is thrilled that the gala is moving forward and has already committed a $25,000 challenge grant to the Artist Support Fund. Her life, like Alba's, has been dedicated to participating in and helping to preserve the art of musical storytelling that is opera. "The most exciting thing that has ever happened to me is to see Michelle succeed," says Angly of the gala's star performer, Michelle Bradley. Bradley has been supported through the challenging years of building her international singing career by Angly and Smith as well as by her teacher and gala honoree, Lois Alba. "Ars Lyrica has been instrumental in affording singers great opportunities," says Alba. Ars Lyrica hopes that Houstonians will come out to support the gala so that it can continue to invest in its artists through financial support now and future performances.

In order to help make this event stand out, Ferguson enlisted the help of her staff to imagine new ways to engage audiences outside the concert hall. Emma Wine and Kathleen Staten joined the team this fall, and have combined their skills to offer a memorable schedule of events for the festive evening. Staten and Wine wanted to find a way to recreate the cocktail party experience in an online format. "After lots of brainstorming, we decided to create a 'choose your own adventure' format. We have so many incredible quotes and videos to share. You get all of the face time with our special guests from the comfort of your own home," say Staten. For the afterparty, the team turned to a recent soloist, superstar violinist Alana Youssefian, who will serve as hostess. With a pajamas-to party-clothes fashion show, trivia games, and a cocktail competition, this after party is like no other. "Normally, we would be dancing the night away. But since I hate dancing, I'm actually more excited about what we are planning for the virtual gala!," says Wine.

A Star is Born: Honoring Lois Alba for her unmatched contributions to Houston's opera scene, and for training and championing emerging young singers.

When: Saturday, April 25th, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. with after party beginning at 8:00 p.m.
Where: Facebook and Zoom
Tickets: http://www.arslyricahouston.org/gala

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