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Italian Idylls Danielle & John Ellis at SPA Sheridan Williams Soraya McClelland at SPA Chairmen Mary Ann & David McKeithan at SPA Mike & Terrie Turner at Opera Lake Como to Tuscany, due Bellissimo Notti at Houston Grand Opera Ball & Society for the Performing Arts Gala CATHERINE D. ANSPON PENS PARTY NOTES. PHOTOGRAPHY KIM COFFMAN, PRISCILLA DICKSON, ANTHONY RATHBUN, WILSON PARISH. Viva Italia, Indeed, at Opera Ball Villa d'Este, Verdi and all things Italian — including chairs Cynthia and Tony Petrello — came together to inspire an opulent, record-setting night at Houston Grand Opera's Ball at the Wortham Theater Center. The chair signora donned Alexander McQueen for the white-tie occasion, aptly christened Viva Italia Fantasy Ball, and tapped the incomparable Jackson Hicks and Richard Flowers to do respective culinary and decor honors. They channeled the history and beauty of Lake Como's fabled Villa d'Este — now a grand hotel (and favorite destination of the chair couple), the property dates to 1568 and was originally built as the summer residence of Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio. This was one for the party annals: lobster tortellini, braised short rib, 20,000 roses, 8-foot illuminated balloons and performances by the Brookwood Community Bell Choir and the David Caceres Band. And the evening ended on the very highest note, with $2 million raised. Dan & Pat Breen at Opera relaxed splendor. Charlie Williams at SPA Randa Williams at SPA Honoree Margaret Williams at SPA Jana & Scotty Arnoldy at Opera Una Sera di Amore at SPA Gala Tenors, Tuscany and Skyrocket were the leitmotifs for Society for the Performing Arts' beguiling notte, Una Serra di Amore, creatively chaired by Mary Ann and David McKeithan. This bellissimo benefit at the Corinthian honored performing arts patroness extraordinaire (and ardent SPA board member) Margaret Williams, who made a grand entrance on the arm of her steady gent, Jim Daniel. She was introduced, lavishly applauded, then personally serenaded by the Sicilian Tenors, one of the Tuscan-themed evening's headliners. The always impeccable Miz Williams and her dashing uomo later took to the dance floor after the Jackson and Company– catered seated dinner — blanched artichokes, quail with butternut squash stuffing and Robert Hunziker, Christi Gore panna cotta — while at Opera high-voltage Skyrocket performed. Evoking the mood of an Italian idyll, Rebekah Johnson strung minimal strands of white Tivoli lights column to column and added miniature lemon trees and orange roses to the Ceron tabletops, at Opera contributing to the night's grand but Patrick Summers, Lynn Wyatt Perryn Leech at Opera Chairman Cynthia Petrello at Opera Chairman Anthony Petrello at Opera Astley Blair at Opera Donna Bruni, Bob Devlin at Opera Saba Jawda, Matthew Ginzberg at SPA Melissa Epley at SPA Janae & Kenneth Tsai at Opera Chris Miller, Tim Vail, Jeff Smith at SPA Larry & Sharin Norman at SPA Pat Breen Phoebe & Bobby Tudor at Opera Audrey Cochran at Opera June Christensen at SPA Chair Mary Ann McKeithan Maryann Hoffer Mary Lynn & Ferdy Khater at SPA Courtney & John Chapoton at SPA Diane Lokey Farb at Opera Gracie & Bob Cavnar at Opera Beth Madison at SPA Danny & Isabel David at Opera Kari Gonzales at SPA Linda & Willie Chiang at SPA