As promised, Colin Cowie transformed San Francisco City Hall into a Garden of Good and Evil for Opera Ball on September 6, 2013. The Garden of Good, accessible to some 850 opera patrons, included human butterflies, human plants and human stone statues, a green rather than a red carpet, a green-lit dome and sounds of twittering birds. Twelve-foot topiaries of orchids topped tables for McCall’s elaborate dinner with chocolate skulls for dessert. Guests then made their way to the War Memorial Opera House for the evening’s second taste of good and evil, San Francisco Opera’s production of Arrigo Boito’s Mephistopheles.
Fast-forward 3.5 hours of heavenly settings, an angelic choir, nude ungodliness, bass, tenor and soprano performances to the after-party in the Garden of Evil. The butterflies were gone, it was a garden at night where dim lights, cocktails, pop music and dancing prevailed.
Red Carpet Bay Area salutes the volunteer chairwomen, Ann Girard and Mai Shiver, who dedicated nearly one year to making the event not only a memorable party but also a fundraising success for San Francisco Opera Guild’s education programs.
Scenes from Opera Ball in the Garden of Good and Evil, a celebration to welcome San Francisco Opera’s 91st season:
Click here for Red Carpet Bay Area’s coverage of San Francisco Opera’s Bravo! Club opening night gala.
Photos by Drew Altizer Photography
— More Red Carpet Bay Area coverage of San Francisco Opera Ball events: