Party Pages: the Diamond Gala was packed with society types and tutus (many tutus)
Anyone wondering where moneyed Toronto arts patrons were on Wednesday night should have checked the Four Seasons Centre, where the city’s old guard convened for the National Ballet of Canada’ s 60th-anniversary Diamond Gala. Outside the centre, models posed in the sweltering heat, fanned by custom-designed tutus as white-haired doyennes, tuxedoed power brokers and a handful of devil-may-care party-goers in canvas shorts walked the red carpet. Inside, guests were treated to performances by the company (including the famously breast- and butt-heavy pas de deux from the ’90s contemporary ballet Herman Scherman )—although some members, like principal dancer Jillian Vanstone and first soloist McGee Maddox, were spotted in the audience, enjoying a night off.
After the show, guests sipped lemon martinis and downed mini cupcakes while boldface names retreated to the VIP lounge. We spotted Jorn Weisbrodt and Rufus Wainwright holding hands and chatting with guests, National Ballet artistic director Karen Kain looking resplendent in navy, and her husband, pantomime impresario Ross Petty, wearing stick-on diamond earrings. And there’s more: real estate magnate Elvio DelZotto and his wife, Marlene, archaeologist Trinity Jackman, society scion Cleophée Eaton, socialite Lynda Prince in a feathered cape straight out of Dynasty, Soulpepper’s Albert Schultz and actor Kristen Thomson, Walrus editor John Macfarlane and philanthropist Roz Ivey, and the Globe and Mail’ s Gabe Gonda and writer Victoria Webster all came out to party. After the cocktails, as guests poured into the theatre for the onstage dinner, principal dancer Guillaume Côté, in a dapper tux, was seen looking through the crowd, likely for his wife, principal dancer Heather Ogden, and first soloist Tina Pereira spent so long gabbing in the lobby that she had to be ushered into the dining room by an event staffer.
145633 Dancers in tutus were everywhere (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) 2012 Diamond Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Diamond-Gala-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Diamond-Gala.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Diamond-Gala.jpg 656 438 [] https://torontolife.com/city/diamond-gala-2012/slide/diamond-gala/ diamond-gala 0 0
145462 The National Ballet of Canada’s Heather Ogden (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) 2012 Diamond Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5281-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5281.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5281.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"2","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1340218188","focal_length":"50","iso":"2000","shutter_speed":"0.00625"} https://torontolife.com/city/diamond-gala-2012/slide/img_5281/ img_5281 0 0
145463 Rufus Wainwright makes an appearance (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) 2012 Diamond Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5244-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5244.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5244.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"2.5","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1340217731","focal_length":"50","iso":"2500","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/diamond-gala-2012/slide/img_5244/ img_5244 0 0
145464 Karen Kain is having a great time at the 60th annual Diamond Gala (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) 2012 Diamond Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5218-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5218.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5218.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"2.5","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1340217573","focal_length":"50","iso":"2500","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/diamond-gala-2012/slide/img_5218/ img_5218 0 0
145465 Dancing without tutus (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) 2012 Diamond Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5216-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5216.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5216.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"2.5","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1340217538","focal_length":"50","iso":"2500","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/diamond-gala-2012/slide/img_5216/ img_5216 0 0
145466 PR gal Amy Burstyn-Fritz and Soho House Toronto’s Markus Anderson (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) 2012 Diamond Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5212-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5212.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5212.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"2.8","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1340217476","focal_length":"50","iso":"2000","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/diamond-gala-2012/slide/img_5212/ img_5212 0 0
145467 The National Ballet of Canada’s Greta Hodgkinson (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) 2012 Diamond Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5196-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5196.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5196.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"2.8","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1340217411","focal_length":"50","iso":"2000","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/diamond-gala-2012/slide/img_5196/ img_5196 0 0
145468 Socialite Cleophée Eaton (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) 2012 Diamond Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5147-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5147.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5147.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"4","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1340216640","focal_length":"50","iso":"1600","shutter_speed":"0.008"} https://torontolife.com/city/diamond-gala-2012/slide/img_5147/ img_5147 0 0
145469 The National Ballet of Canada’s Elizabeth Marrable (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) 2012 Diamond Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5143-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5143.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5143.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"4","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1340216609","focal_length":"50","iso":"1600","shutter_speed":"0.008"} https://torontolife.com/city/diamond-gala-2012/slide/img_5143/ img_5143 0 0
145470 PA on <em>So You Think You Can Dance Canada</em> Gabriella Henderson (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) 2012 Diamond Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5130-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5130.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5130.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"2.2","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1340216554","focal_length":"50","iso":"1600","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/diamond-gala-2012/slide/img_5130-2/ img_5130-2 0 0
145471 The <em>Globe and Mail’</em>s Gabe Gonda and journalist and editor Josh Knelman (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) 2012 Diamond Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5037-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5037.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5037.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"4","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1340215119","focal_length":"50","iso":"1000","shutter_speed":"0.008"} https://torontolife.com/city/diamond-gala-2012/slide/img_5037/ img_5037 0 0
145472 <em>Fashion</em> magazine’s Randi Bergman (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) 2012 Diamond Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5029-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5029.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5029.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"4","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1340215051","focal_length":"50","iso":"1000","shutter_speed":"0.008"} https://torontolife.com/city/diamond-gala-2012/slide/img_5029/ img_5029 0 0
145473 The incomparable Karen Kain (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) 2012 Diamond Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5022-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5022.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5022.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"4","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1340214993","focal_length":"50","iso":"1600","shutter_speed":"0.008"} https://torontolife.com/city/diamond-gala-2012/slide/img_5022/ img_5022 0 0
145474 The <em>Toronto Star’</em>s Derrick Chetty (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) 2012 Diamond Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5021-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5021.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5021.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"4","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1340214985","focal_length":"50","iso":"1600","shutter_speed":"0.008"} https://torontolife.com/city/diamond-gala-2012/slide/img_5021/ img_5021 0 0
145475 Soulpepper’s Albert Schultz with St. Joseph Media’s Tony Gagliano (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) 2012 Diamond Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5019-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5019.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5019.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"4","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1340214976","focal_length":"50","iso":"1600","shutter_speed":"0.008"} https://torontolife.com/city/diamond-gala-2012/slide/img_5019/ img_5019 0 0
145476 Actor Kristen Thomson (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) 2012 Diamond Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_4979-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_4979.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_4979.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"2.8","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1340214382","focal_length":"50","iso":"1600","shutter_speed":"0.0125"} https://torontolife.com/city/diamond-gala-2012/slide/img_4979/ img_4979 0 0
145477 Soulpepper Theatre’s Albert Schultz (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) 2012 Diamond Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_4972-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_4972.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_4972.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"3.5","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1340214291","focal_length":"50","iso":"1600","shutter_speed":"0.0125"} https://torontolife.com/city/diamond-gala-2012/slide/img_4972-2/ img_4972-2 0 0
145478 The Tutu Project, where designers from around Toronto reinterpreted the ballerina staple (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) 2012 Diamond Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_4927-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_4927.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_4927.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"2.2","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1340212697","focal_length":"50","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.004"} https://torontolife.com/city/diamond-gala-2012/slide/img_4927/ img_4927 0 0
145536 Writer Victoria Webster taking in the scene (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) 2012 Diamond Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5168-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5168.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5168.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"3.2","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1340216949","focal_length":"50","iso":"2000","shutter_speed":"0.008"} https://torontolife.com/city/diamond-gala-2012/slide/img_5168/ img_5168 0 0
145537 Luminato’s handsome director Jorn Weisbrodt (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) 2012 Diamond Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5192-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5192.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_5192.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"2.8","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1340217299","focal_length":"50","iso":"2000","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/diamond-gala-2012/slide/img_5192/ img_5192 0 0
145538 Socialite Lynda Prince, <em>Dynasty-</em>style (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani 2012 Diamond Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_4981-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_4981.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_4981.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"4","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1340214422","focal_length":"50","iso":"800","shutter_speed":"0.0166666666667"} https://torontolife.com/city/diamond-gala-2012/slide/img_4981/ img_4981 0 0
Lynda Prince looks incredible… a total standout among other guests.
Derrick Chetty what are you wearing on your collar? Stop that. Srsly, just stop.