Opera on the Great Lawn 2017
In the True Spirit of Virginia Robinson: Opera on the Great Lawn A truly magical, balmy summer evening of music and dining was presented as “Opera on the Great Lawn” at the Virginia Robinson Gardens on Saturday night, June 24, 2017. Ann Petersen and her husband, Dr. Leslie Pam, graciously orchestrated the event to share their love of opera with the Friends of Robinson Gardens and guests. The magnificent voices of Ashley Faatoalia (Tenor) and Katherine Giaquinto Powers (Soprano) were accompanied by the brilliant musicians, Douglas Sumi on piano and Helen Zheng Altenbach, who played the cello. They performed a selection of opera’s “greatest hits,” including O Mio Babbino Caro from Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini, Una Furtiva Lagrima from Elixir of Love by Gaetano Donizetti, and, Soave Fanciulla from La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini. The evening was reminiscent of the many times over the years Virginia Robinson offered her…
Fellows Thank You Dinner 2017
A Golden Evening at the Fellows Thank You Dinner Bathed in golden light, the breathtaking gardens at Virginia Robinson Gardens provided a magical setting for the annual Fellows Thank You Dinner. This party is held in appreciation of the Fellows’ generous support of the preservation of our legendary Robinson Gardens and the very popular children’s and adult education programs. The dinner capped off a year of extraordinary events, created by our very special and talented Chair Jeanne Anderson who gives so much of herself selflessly to the Friends of Robinson Gardens. From a lovely garden tour in Ojai, a lecture by Jeff Hyland on legendary estates in Beverly Hills, a private tour of the Lichtenstein exhibit and lunch at the Skirball Museum, an extraordinary tour of Regina and Bruce Drucker’s magical gardens and home filled with beautiful antiques, to an inspirational tour of the mansions and gardens in Newport, Rhode…
Legendary Beverly Hills 2017 Garden Tour
A Spectacular Event: Legendary Beverly Hills 2017 Garden Tour Thanks to our extraordinary, passionate, and incredible Garden Tour chairs Maralee Beck, Leslie Kavanaugh, and our special angel Jeanne Anderson, the Legendary Beverly Hills Garden Tour and Showcase Estate was simply fabulous. It was a true labor of love, and not possible without the help of over one hundred volunteers and our very dedicated and talented Garden Tour Committee. All of the gardens this year, rarely open to the public, were truly legendary. The Goetz Estate was designed in 1938 by famed architect Gordon B. Kaufmann, who also built Greystone. The gorgeous Georgian Revival manor was the long-time home of Edie Goetz, the daughter of MGM mogul Louis B. Mayer. With a world-class art collection of paintings by Van Gogh, Renoir, Picasso and others, Edie entertained royally. Her home was the center of Hollywood social life at the highest level. The…