What a weekend!! The opening of the new Nazareth Arts Center was billed as the “event of the season” for the Rochester community. In every respect it lived up to this billing. On Friday, September 25, 2009 over five hundred people - many more than the three hundred we expected - attended the opening of the new Art Gallery at the Nazareth College Arts Center. They were in for a real treat. The artwork by Bill Stewart and Nazareth faculty member Kathy Calderwood is spectacular. With its hardwood floors, curved walls and open ceiling, the gallery space itself is a perfect setting for displaying the art.
The black-tie gala on Saturday night was an extraordinary evening. Six hundred guests filled the Jayne Summers Hall, the Lipson Lounge and the lobby off the Sands Pavilion. Musical entertainment throughout the building added to the enjoyment during the reception. Channel 10 televised live, interviewing a number of guests and bringing the gala into the homes of thousands in the area.
The program for the evening could not have been better. Rochester Children’s Theatre opened with a delightful recap of the Arts Center project from beginning to end. Following a showing of Channel 10’s production on the history of the Arts Center, Rochester City Ballet treated the audience to two beautiful pieces. The highlight was Garth Fagan Dance’s world premiere of a dance with live music by the Ying Quartet. Following the concert the artistic directors and performers joined the guests for a dessert reception.
Throughout the entire evening it was clear that the opening was a celebration not only for the College but for the larger Rochester community as well. Indeed, many local leaders joined the hundreds of local residents in recognizing the importance of the Arts Center to the area. Everyone who has seen the new Arts Center agrees that Nazareth now has the finest visual and performing arts venue in the region. This is wonderful for the College’s theater, music and art programs. And, it is equally terrific for the thousands of people in the area who will enjoy programs at the Arts Center for years to come. As Mayor Duffy shared in a note to me, “the Arts Center is a jewel for our community.”
Click here to see multimedia of the event, including photo galleries and local coverage.
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