Portland Opera’s Flora + Fauna Fall Ball Raises Over $1 Million

Portland Opera - Flora + Fauna Fall Ball - Garrett Downen Photography

Portland, OR. More than 350 supporters joined forces for Portland Opera’s Flora + Fauna Fall. The September 14th benefit, at the Sentinel Hotel featured a performance by Broadway star Sutton Foster. Portland Opera raised over $1 million dollars. Organizers say proceeds from the Flora + Fauna Fall Ball will strengthen Portland Opera’s ability to serve audiences throughout the region, by supporting operational costs as well as special programming and projects. (Photo credit, Garrett Downen)

Flora + Fauna Fall Ball Entertainment Sponsor Ellyn Bye and guests arrive at the Sentinel Hotel.
Photo by Garrett Downen/Portland Opera.

Originally scheduled to take place at the Portland Art Museum, the event venue was changed to the Sentinel Hotel just over a week prior to the event after part of the ceiling in the Art Museum’s Kridel Grand Ballroom collapsed.

Christine Richardson, Portland Opera’s Costume Director, and Ruth Poindexter, former Portland Opera Board of Directors member during the Welcome Reception of the Flora + Fauna Fall Ball. Photo by Garrett Downen/Portland Opera.

Flora + Fauna Fall Ball Entertainment Sponsor Dorothy Piacentini poses for photos with family and friends. Botanica Floral Design and Anthropologie designed an immersive lounge and portrait studio in the Sentinel’s Library. Gia Goodrich of VEV Studios directed and photographed portraits for guests.

Flora + Fauna Fall Ball co-chairs Bill Sweat and Donna Morris, proprietors of Winderlea Vineyard and Winery, pose in the Portrait Lounge. After the event, they released a thank you message. “On behalf of the board of directors and the Flora + Fauna Fall Ball gala committee, we are so grateful to everyone who came together to make this event such a success for Portland Opera.” Photo by Gia Goodrich.

Mistress of Ceremonies Poison Waters enlivens the festivities.

Guests bid on auction items during the Flora + Fauna Fall Ball.

Sue Dixon, Portland Opera’s interim general director, welcomes guests to the Flora + Fauna Fall Ball. Photo by Garrett Downen/Portland Opera.

“I am overwhelmed by the generosity of our community who came together to support Portland Opera as we embark on this next chapter,” said Sue Dixon, Portland Opera’s interim general director. “Portland’s civic pride was on display this weekend, as was the importance of opera to this community.”

Governor Kate Brown and First Gentleman Dan Little, Senator Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, and Brian Rogers, executive director of the Oregon Arts Commission, were among the honored guests. Platinum entertainment sponsors included: Joanne M. Lilley; Arlene Schnitzer and Jordan Schnitzer, Directors of The Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation; Ellyn Bye and Dream Envision Foundation; and Dorothy Piacentini. Bill Sweat and Donna Morris, Proprietors of Winderlea Vineyard and Winery, served as co-chairs for the event, joined by committee members Sona Andrews, Kregg Arntson, Chris and Kathryn Hermann, Cameron Kurosu, Patricia Norris MD, Justine Thede Occhipinti, and Kathryn Wheeler.

From Portland Opera:

Portland Opera exists to inspire, challenge, and uplift our audiences by creating productions of high artistic quality that celebrate the beauty and breadth of opera.

Since 1964, Portland Opera has contributed to the cultural, artistic, and economic landscape of the city and region that we love. We celebrate the beauty and breadth of the opera repertoire with performances that take place in the Keller Auditorium, Newmark Theatre, and the Gregory K. and Mary Chomenko Hinckley Studio Theatre at the Hampton Opera Center. The company is also a committed educational partner, touring fully staged operas to schools and community centers throughout Oregon and SW Washington region each year, in addition to a host of other efforts designed to make opera accessible for all.

Elisa Klein

I’ve been a professional journalist and writer since 1987, (and long-time reporter for KOIN-TV.) As a nationally published reporter, with a Master’s Degree in Journalism, I love to report positive news and information. Journalism has also connected me with another non-profit where I served as a leader; the Northwest’s biggest writer’s organization: The Willamette Writers.