South Florida Symphony Orchestra to Present GLITTER AND BE GAY GALA

South Florida Symphony Orchestra is inviting patrons to celebrate South Florida community leaders and support its impactful artistic, educational, and community outreach initiatives during this year’s “Glitter and Be Gay Gala” to be held on Thursday, January 16, at Broward Center for the Performing Arts. The gala will directly precede the Symphony’s 7:30 p.m. premiere performance of the dazzling spectacle of Leonard Bernstein’s satirical masterpiece Candide.
 
This separately ticketed formal gala evening will recognize Distinguished Corporate Leader honoree Mark Kravitz, president of Jenco Properties (owner of Aviah Flagler Village) and Sound of Success honorees BBX Capital Foundation, Alejandro Blasenheim, Shelly Bradshaw of Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Community Foundation of Broward, Funding Arts Broward, Kate and Brent Nelson, Nicklaus Children’s Health System and David Valkema of the Maval Foundation. These individuals have been instrumental in supporting SFSO’s impactful community outreach and programming initiatives.
 
"We invite patrons to join us in celebrating 27 years of uniting our communities through the transformative power of music," said Jacqueline Lorber, president and CEO of South Florida Symphony Orchestra. "This year’s Glitter and Be Gay Gala will capture the wit, whimsy, and brilliance of Leonard Bernstein’s Candide. As Maestra Sebrina María Alfonso leads us through this sparkling masterpiece, we are reminded that even in a world of absurdity, music inspires resilience and joy. Together, we will honor esteemed colleagues and advocates who innovate and champion the arts in South Florida, celebrating the Symphony’s journey as the region’s largest professional orchestra and the enduring connection music brings to our lives.”
 
Festivities begin at 5 p.m. and include bubbles and hors d’oeuvres on the Wendt Terraces courtesy of Provocativo Cava Brut, a multi-course dinner in the Mary N. Porter Riverview Ballroom and the Candide performance at 7:30 p.m. in the Au-Rene Theater.
 
Led by SFSO’s award-winning music director Sebrina María Alfonso, this semi-staged concert version of Candide follows in the manner of Lonny Price’s 2004 production for the New York Philharmonic, made popular through the PBS series “Great Performances.” Bernstein’s acclaimed masterpiece is played out with the orchestra, minimal sets and costumes, a dynamic cast of actor-vocalists featuring David Walton (Candide); Chelsea Lehnea (Cunegonde); Jason Zacher (Dr. Pangloss/Voltaire); Alissa Anderson (The Old Lady), Lovell Rose (Maximilian), and the South Florida Symphony Chorus performing all together on stage. Dan Wallace Miller provides stage direction.
 
Patrons will experience Candide’s riotous journey as he embarks on a whirlwind adventure teeming with humor, unexpected twists, and profound philosophical reflections. Bernstein’s iconic music, adapted from Voltaire’s famed Enlightenment-era novella, sets the backdrop for an unforgettable evening filled with laughter and existential musings. An equal opportunity offender, Candide spares no one. Everything and everyone is fair game in this irreverent satire.
 
From the over-the-top heights of Cunegonde’s “Glitter and Be Gay” and the rarely heard comedic duet “We Are Women” to the stirring depths of Candide’s introspective ponderings, audiences will enjoy a provocative perspective on life’s absurdities and the enduring pursuit of optimism.
 
Closing the evening, gala attendees are invited for dancing and dessert with the artists post-performance in the Mary N. Porter Riverview Ballroom, sponsored by Aviah Flagler Village.
 
Now in its 27th season, SFSO invites audiences to a tantalizing season featuring upcoming works by Mozart, Strauss, Berlioz, Prokofiev and Bruckner. The concerts will take place in Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Key West.
 

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