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Musical Marvel

Phoebe and Bobby Tudor
Phoebe and Bobby Tudor

Always a highly anticipated event, this year’s Symphony Opening Night marked the start of a social season celebrating the recovery of Houston’s art scene post-Harvey. The evening began with a concert featuring renowned pianist Yuja Wang, who mesmerized the crowd with her surprisingly powerful performance.

The petite and stylish musician threw her whole body into works by Rachmaninoff, and into a long piece, accompanied by the full symphony, the latter played with only her left hand. After the concert, 400 partygoers made their way to The Corinthian for dinner and dancing. The décor recalled black-and-white keys, and even the desserts were in the shape of tiny chocolate pianos, filled with delicious mousse.

The Royal Dukes Band got the black-tie-clad crowd on their feet, but only after a lucrative auction, which contributed to the evening’s till of $750,000, and included a Model M player piano signed by Wang herself. Jo Dee and Cliff Wright were the lucky recipients. Bravo, bravo!

Gustavo Gimeno and Yuja Wang
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Can-Do Spirit Takes Over Benny Chows for Sold-Out Wine Dinner

Ryan Arnold, Elizabeth Yost, Marial Biard, Bear Biard

THE THIRD ANNUAL Hope Uncorked event had vino-lovers popping bottles at Benny Chows in the name of CanCare! The sold-out wine dinner and auction took over the entire Washington Avenue restaurant and raised an impressive $90,000 for the organization.

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Anything but Old Hat! Glam Al Fresco Luncheon Draws Chic Millinery, Raises Big Bucks for Park

Kristy Bradshaw, Kelley Lubanko, Phoebe Tudor

ONE OF SPRINGTIME'S most lovely events — the annual Hats in the Park luncheon, served up in a beautifully tented space at Hermann Park’s McGovern Centennial Gardens — was more spectacular than ever. Thanks, weather, for the crisp, blue-sky day!

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