La Bella Notte Patrons Party Hits the High Notes Before the Main Event

At the height of the Victorian era, parlor games and live entertainment flourished in well-heeled society. And on an evening that felt like walking back in time, Friends of Nashville Opera nodded to this tradition. Jessica and Johnny Rich opened their beautiful home to host the La Bella Notte Patrons Party — complete with a delicious buffet, riveting conversation and, of course, operatic parlor entertainment.

As guests arrived, servers expertly passed trays of hors d’oeuvres from Johnny Hafner Catering. Revelers visited and shared how they’d fared during the ice storm. Around the living room, easels displayed posters highlighting the exciting auction items on offer.

After the reception, guests gathered in the front room, just as they might have done over a century ago, to hear remarks from board president Kathleen Evers and Nashville Opera CEO and artistic director John Hoomes. Both offered thanks, and John shared the early success of Little Red’s Most Unusual Day — a traveling children’s opera that retells the Brothers Grimm story Little Red Riding Hood.

The highlight of the evening came when all five Mary Ragland Emerging Artists students performed beautifully for the room. Tenor Louis Tiemann opened, performing “Questa o quella” from Rigoletto. Mezzo-soprano Hailey Cohen took on “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle” from Carmen. Benjamin Pessognelli took to the piano and performed Maurice Ravel’s beautiful “Miroirs, M. 43: III. Une barque sur l’océan.” In one of the most dramatic and fun performances of the evening, bass Noah Mond performed “La Calunnia” from Il Barbiere di Siviglia. And soprano Elizabeth Fisher concluded the entertainment, singing “O mio babbino caro” from Gianni Schicchi.

Guests debriefed on the performances, enjoying a buffet supper while musing over their favorite moments from the evening.