Out There :: Classy People, Classy Art

When you hear the phrase "the ladies who lunch," do your thoughts automatically turn to Out There? No? Well, get a load of these boldface names: San Francisco Opera General Director David Gockley, San Francisco Opera Guild President Karen J. Kubin, San Francisco Opera Ball 2014 Co-Chairmen Teresa Medearis and Cynthia L. Schreuder and Neiman Marcus General Manager Alan Morrell hosted "the extraordinary Bay Area Social Press Corps" for an elegant luncheon at the Rotunda of Neiman Marcus last week, and OT was there.

We were seated across the table from Gockley and stellar San Francisco Chronicle columnist Leah Garchik, along with a host of equally luminary bylines, including Miss Catherine Bigelow , Carolyne Zinko , San Francisco Examiner arts editor Leslie Katz, Chronicle arts editor Leba Hertz, and others. It was quite the gathering of ink-stained wretches, the fare included lobster and champagne, and we were honored to find ourselves included.

In his remarks Gockley gave us a taste of what's in store for us over SF Opera's opening weekend, just a few short weeks away. Once again it will be a one-two-three punch over those three days: First, the opening-night salvo of Vincenzo Bellini's "Norma"; then, the Saturday-night premiere of the season's second production, Carlisle Floyd's "Susannah"; and finally, Opera in the Park on Sunday, 1:30 p.m., in Golden Gate Park's Sharon Meadow.

We're looking forward to what Gockley called the "stunning bel canto tragic piece" Norma, starring American soprano Sondra Radvanovsky. "It's only two and a quarter hours, so we can all get back to the Ball," he joked. He also whetted our appetite for the company premiere of "Susannah," "by a composer I have championed my entire career, Carlisle Floyd. The opera represented the U.S. in the Brussels World Fair in the mid-1950s. To my mind, it's among the top five American operas - #1 being, of course, "Porgy and Bess" - and it's as American as can be."

We also chatted with J. Riccardo Benavides of Ideas Event Decor & Production, who is designing this year's Opera Ball, "Passione." The party will have an ancient Roman theme, given the period setting for "Norma," and Benavides promised some surprise touches. We're calling every legionnaire and centurion in town that we know, and asking to borrow some armor.

Big Shoe

Out There was also in the house for the opening of "Shoerageous" at Creativity Explored last Thursday night, a nonprofit visual arts center where artists with developmental disabilities create, exhibit and sell art. Works in various mediums by over 20 artists celebrated the "shoeness" - the very essence - of footwear. It was a festive idea for a group show, and the jazz combo Dance Ambience made the party musical by playing a lively set blending gypsy, swing and jazz on fiddle, clarinet, guitars and bass.

Curated by Creativity Explored artists Joseph "J.D." Green and Gerald Wiggins with assistance from visual arts instructor Paul Moshammer, the show made us realize how iconic shoes are. But we enjoyed all of the art in the larger studio space beyond the show as well. These artists are creating work that makes up in exuberance and spirit what it might lack in subtlety or polish. (Through Oct. 1 at Creativity Explored, 3245 16th St., SF.)

Coming attractions: Beginning next week in Arts & Culture are two issues of Fall Arts previews. Our arts writers will be offering a few of the highlights they foresee on their beats, including in theatre, film, art museum shows and galleries, dance, opera and classical music in concert, and more. Counting down until the new season, we remain, your queer uncle Out There.