Grand Re-Opening Gala

Joan Wood celebrates with the crowed at the Opening Night Gala.

Joel Fedder, Building Committee Chair, with Architect Killis Almond

Victor Passero, Ed Watts, Robin Cote, Clark Wright, and David Otterness of Willis Smith Construction with Executive Director Susan Danis.

Per-Erik Lindqvist, Wolfgang Berz, Alexandra Berz, Sandra Lindqvist.

Dr. Angelo Fatta, Virginia Toulmin, Dory Vanderhoof, Joan Wood.

Renovation Team

Scott Merritt and Matthew Bower of the National City Private Client Group, welcome the audience to the newly renovated theater.

Marc Scorca, CEO of OPERA America, introduces the renovation team.

The Sarasota Opera Staff: Ken Kwiatkowski, Sarah Thomas, Ben Dick, Courtney Balok, Jeanne Smith, Jessica Plaut, Kyle Daniels, Melissa Lane, Rita Chamberlain, Patricia Horwell, Susan Ashcraft, Becky Taylor, Karl Hesser, and Richard Russell.

Subcontractor on the renovation.

Andy Dorr, George McGonagill, Jorge Rivera and Julius Davis of VoltAir Consulting Engineers, Greg Cahanin, Hank Lam, and Ken Garcia and Larry Fried of Abel Garcia Architects.

Chris Sprague and Todd Hensley of Schuler Shook Theater Planners and Carlos Rivera and Russ Cooper of Jaffe Holden Acoustics.

Dennis and Connie Towers of McKinley Griffen Design & Advertising (left) along with the decorative painting team from Dean Tippin Studios and Decorative Effects Inc. Lead by Martha Tippin and Susan Nilon (right)

Willis A. Smith Construction management team: Warren Simonds, Fred Cavaluzzi, John LaCivita, and David Sessions.

Willis A. Smith Construction field team: Victor Passero, Clark Wright, Ed Watts, Superintendant Robin Cote, and Project Manager David Otterness.

Project Architect: Killis Almond, FAIA of Killis Almond and Associates.

Sarasota Opera Executive Director, Susan T. Danis

Opera House Ribbon Cutting

The Opera House is wrapped with a large gold ribbon. With a few snips from donors representing the 1500 supporters of the project, audiences were welcomed into the theater.

Virginia Toulmin

Betsy Bagby

Victoria and Harry Leopold

Bill and Casiana Schmidt

Alisa and Ernie Kretzmer

Maestro Victor DeRenzi and Susan Danis address the crowd. Jerry Waterman and Virginia Toulmin look on.

Audiences entering the Opera House for the first time.

First Notes

To celebrate the re-opening, Opera supporters were welcomed to the theater by Susan Danis and Maestro DeRenzi for a 'First Notes' dinner followed by a dress rehearsal of 'Rigoletto'.

Alisa and Ernest Kretzmer

Executive Director Susan Danis finishes a tour of the construction site with patrons Alisa and Ernest Kretzmer.

Patrons Tour the Theater

Donors to the Building on the Vision campaign to renovate the Opera House take a tour to see how work is progressing.

Bud Borax, Scott Collins, Ron Davis and a friend, Roz Sedlesky, a Friend of Sandra Davis, and Mrs. Davis.

Carol and Larry English, Susan Danis, Casiana Schmidt, Laurie Smith and Dr. Shaikund, Bill Schmidt, and Scott Merritt of the Nation City Private Client Group.

Construction Tour

Executive Director Susan Danis tours the theater with past Board Chair Edward Bavaria, his wife Jane, and their friend Joan Stonecipher.

Casiana and Bill Schmidt

Donors Casiana and Bill Schmidt on a tour of the Opera House with Executive Director Susan Danis (center). The renovated auditorium will be named the William E. Schmidt Opera Theater in their honor.

Merrill Lynch

Executive Director Susan Danis and Controller Ken Kwiatkowski of Sarasota Opera on a tour of the theater with Managing Director Larry Fraczak and Executive Assistant Sheila Pearson of Merrill Lynch.

Sheila Pearson, Susan Danis, Larry Fraczak, Ken Kwiatkowski

The Private Client Group of National City Corporation

Thank you to The Private Client Group of National City Corporation for their generous support of the Building on the Vision campaign. For the full story click here.

Susan T. Danis, Sarasota Opera Executive Director, with Matt Bower and Scott Merritt of the Private Client Group of National City outside the Opera House.

Hank and Suzanne Foster

Donors Hank and Suzanne Foster with Executive Director Susan T. Danis (center)
on a tour of the construction site.