58th Annual YPO Gala: Vegas Live

Young Patronesses of the Opera hosted its 58th annual gala “Vegas Live“, the city’s oldest and most established black-tie affair, that each year kicks-off the Miami social season. For Vegas Live the JW Marriott Hotel Miami does a disappearing act becoming Caesars Palace for the evening complete with Elvis impersonators, Vegas showgirls, and Rat Pack crooners.

Miami High rollers and starlets joined gala chair ladies; Patricia Mederos, Kimberly Criser, Leatrice Damus, Connie Danluck, and Gretchen Kirtley, for a fun-filled evening of dining, dancing and wagering at a silent auction with such exciting prizes as a luxurious Chinchilla fur stole, valued at $1800, to benefit YPO’s mission of furthering opera education in South Florida. Also in the cards was a special tribute to Past President and Life member, Louise Todaro, who devoted 53 years of service to the organization, helping many of YPO’s education programs, especially the very successful In-School Opera Program.

Founded in l955, YPO is supported by a group of women to advocate educational music programs and the Florida Grand Opera, the gala’s proceeds will fund music and opera educational programs, including a Girl Scout Workshop for more than 500 Girl Scouts and an annual teachers’ workshop which offers continuing education credits for 150 Miami-Dade and Broward County teachers on opera education in the classroom. Each year YPO’s dedicated group of volunteers brings professional youth opera performances to more than 25,000 elementary school students.

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Published by South Florida Nights Magazine | Read the article