FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, July 29, 2019
Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014
suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org
THE DALLAS OPERA IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE
THE INTERNATIONAL FASHION HOUSE
Dolce&Gabbana
Will be Center Stage in the 2019
FIRST SIGHT
Fashion Presentation and Luncheon
Thursday, October 17, 2019
The Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House
At the AT&T Performing Arts Center
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NorthPark Center, Presenting Sponsor
Kim and Greg Hext, Chairs for
FIRST SIGHT/FIRST NIGHT 2019
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Gourmet Luncheon by Wolfgang Puck Catering
Ellen Winspear, Fashion Presentation & Luncheon Chair
DALLAS, JULY 29, 2019 – Fashionistas and opera lovers alike are marking their fall calendars for one of the early highlights of the season, The Dallas Opera’s FIRST SIGHT Fashion Presentation and Luncheon (NorthPark Center, Presenting Sponsor) taking place Thursday, October 17, 2019, beginning with a late-morning reception in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center (2403 Flora St., Dallas, TX 75201). The highlight of the 2019 FIRST SIGHT Fashion Presentation will be head-turning designs created by the acclaimed international design house of Dolce&Gabbana.
The Chairs for this year’s FIRST SIGHT/FIRST NIGHT, as announced during the Opening Night Dinner last October, are Kim and Greg Hext.
“I am delighted that The Dallas Opera will be partnering in 2019 with the ultra-sophisticated Dolce&Gabbana brand to enable FIRST SIGHT—which in a few short years has become a firmly established fashion institution—to expand the scope of its influence,” says Kim Hext.
“I am profoundly grateful to Nancy Nasher and our presenting sponsor, NorthPark Center and, of course, to Dolce&Gabbana for their enthusiastic support of The Dallas Opera’s FIRST SIGHT celebrations.
“We will have other exciting partnership announcements to share later this summer,” Ms. Hext adds.
Additional Chairs for the upcoming events are:
- Ellen Winspear, FIRST SIGHT Fashion Presentation and Luncheon Chair
- Carol and Don Glendenning, Dinner Chairs for FIRST NIGHT
- Honorary Chairs for 2019 FIRST SIGHT & FIRST NIGHT: The Winspear Family
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FIRST SIGHT – 2019
ELLEN WINSPEAR, FASHION PRESENTATION & LUNCHEON CHAIR
Socialites, benefactors, and avid supporters of the performing arts in North Texas will gather in the C. Vincent Prothro Lobby for a reception, while a superb seated luncheon is meticulously prepared by Wolfgang Puck Catering. A fashion presentation will follow the reception.
“This October, the people of Dallas will celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House and the AT&T Performing Arts Center,” explains 2019 FIRST SIGHT Fashion Presentation and Luncheon Chair Ellen Winspear. “These festivities will showcase the many ways in which these venues have created opportunities for world-class performances and quality entertainment right in the heart of the city.
“The Winspear Family is tremendously pleased to serve as Honorary Chairs for FIRST SIGHT and FIRST NIGHT, and it is my special privilege to help launch these celebrations on October 17th with support from an amazing array of sponsors and underwriters.
“FIRST SIGHT is one of my favorite events on the fall calendar and just when I thought it couldn’t possibly top last year—we found a new and exciting partner in Dolce&Gabbana!” she adds.
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Established in 1985, Dolce&Gabbana is an international leader in the fashion and luxury goods sector. The founders, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, have always been the creative and stylistic source of all the brand’s activities as well as the drivers behind the development strategies.
The Group creates, produces and distributes high-end clothing, leather goods, footwear, accessories, jewelry and watches. The brand is present in the Prêt-à-porter segment with Men’s, Women’s and Children’s collections and has Alta Moda, Alta Sartoria, Alta Gioielleria and Alta Orologeria collections.
The only activities entrusted to licensee partners are the production and distribution of Eyewear and Beauty lines.
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Early sales have begun for both FIRST SIGHT (Thurs. October 17, 2019) and FIRST NIGHT (Friday, October 18, 2019).
FIRST SIGHT tables will range from $5,000 to $25,000. Individual tickets are also on sale starting at $500.
For additional information about FIRST SIGHT and FIRST NIGHT or to purchase tables for either event, please visit www.dallasopera.org/firstsight or contact Special Events Manager Tracy Mott at 214.443.1063 or tracy.mott@dallasopera.org.
2019 FIRST SIGHT/FIRST NIGHT CHAIR BIOS
About Kim Hext:
From 1991 through 2012, Kim Hext was a National Spokesperson for Buick Motor Division. Prior and concurrent to that role, she was a Feature Correspondent on the “Scuba World Television Series” which was syndicated to The Travel and Discovery Channels. Additionally, from 1982 to 1998 she was a Corporate Meeting Planner for Hugh Hunt Productions. Kim was also with the premier Kim Dawson Agency from 1988 to 2008 where she had various modeling and acting roles. Kim’s love of fashion and modeling, as well as her strong philanthropic involvement, has led her to her position as a 2019 NorthPark Luxury Ambassador.
Kim has made it her life’s work to positively impact the community around her. She currently sits on the Board of Governors for the Texas Ballet Theater and The Dallas Symphony Orchestra. She serves on the Board of Directors for The Dallas Opera, the Aging Minds Foundation and serves as Vice-Chair of the board for Hope Supply Co. Kim has been involved with a number of other Non-Profits. She is a member of The Crystal Charity Ball Committee and loves the Dallas Zoo. In 2018, Kim and her husband, Greg, chaired Zoo To Do raising over $1 million for the zoo.
The American Heart Association is another organization that has been near and dear to Kim’s heart. She was the Cotes du Coeur Gala Co-Chairman in 2017, and helped to raise $4.61 million at the annual Celebrity Chef Dinner and wine auction. Kim has been involved with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra for many years and in 2018, she was the Savor the Symphony Chair for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra League. She continues her involvement as a Board of Governors member and serves on the Development Committee.
In 2017, Kim began working with The Arts Community Alliance (TACA). She is a member of their Nominating Committee and has served as a Grant Panelist. She also sits on their Board of Directors. In 2020, Kim will be the Party on the Green Chair.
In 2003, Kim began volunteering with Dallas Salvation Army Auxiliary. She has a passion for the Angel Tree Program and has served in the Christmas Distribution Center and as an Angel Tree Volunteer. In 2020, she will be the Dallas Salvation Army Auxiliary’s Fashion Show and Luncheon Chair.
Kim is so thrilled to be the 2019 First Sight/First Night Gala Chair (along with husband Greg Hext) for the Dallas Opera. She has been involved with the Opera in the past serving on the FIRST SIGHT/FIRST NIGHT Advisory Committee and as a member of the Women’s Council. Kim also serves as a 2019 NorthPark Center Ambassador, a recognition of her commitment to our community.
About Greg Hext:
From 1974 through 1979, Greg Hext was President of a closely held, family-owned corporation, which was diversified in its business endeavors. In 1979, Greg joined the Houston office of Benson, Wells & Co., a regional CPA firm. In 1980 the Houston office formed the firm of Shelby, Rucksdashel & Jones (SRJ). Greg continued with the new firm.
In 1984, Greg opened the Dallas office of SRJ as Partner-in-Charge. He continued as an Audit and Consulting Partner as well as Partner-in-Charge of the Dallas office until 1989. In 1990, he became the Shareholder in charge of Audit and Consulting, for Chapman, Hext & Co. (CH&Co). In 2006, Greg assumed the role of majority shareholder of the firm and CEO of the firm and its family of companies.
Currently he is the CEO and sole shareholder of Chapman, Hext &Co and the family of companies, which consist of White Rock Advisors (WRA), CH Wealth Management and the White Rock Venture Fund.
WRA is a registered FINRA Broker Dealer and provides Investment Banking services to private and public companies across the United States and globally. CH Wealth Management provides wealth management and investment advisory services to family office and high net worth individuals. The White Rock Venture Fund operates as a family office and invests in companies needing expansion and growth capital. Greg has extensive experience in consulting, merger & acquisition transactions, financial reporting, along with a breadth of experience in corporate finance, debt and equity financing transactions.
Mr. Hext is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, and various civic and religious organizations. He also holds a Series 7, 24, 63 and 79 securities licenses. In addition, he sits on various corporate and advisory boards.
Greg and his wife Kim live in Dallas. They have a son Preston who attends SMU at the Cox School of Business. Greg and Kim are involved with SMU. Kim pursues her passion for philanthropy and sits on the Board of a number of non-profits in Dallas.
About Ellen Winspear:
Ellen Winspear is a native Dallasite having graduated from the Hockaday School. Following her undergraduate degree at TCU, she completed her graduate education at SMU as a Certified Academic Language Therapist. She then engaged in a successful career as a teacher and private tutor at schools focusing on children with learning differences.
Ellen has many interests in Dallas ranging from the arts, animals, and education. She either has or currently serves on the Board of Directors of The Dallas Opera, the Dallas Zoo, the Annette Simmons School of Education at SMU and the Dallas Film Society. She has served as Chair of First Sight/First Night twice for The Dallas Opera. Ellen and Don also served as NorthPark Ambassadors in 2017.
Ellen has been married to Don for 38 years. Together, they have two sons and three grandsons. The older son serves as a Sergeant First Class in the United States Army. The younger is also married and is a maritime engineer residing in the area following his education at the United States Merchant Marine Academy.
About Carol and Don Glendenning:
Carol and Don Glendenning have been attending and supporting the Dallas Opera since they married and moved to Dallas 40 years ago after meeting in law school at Stanford. Don jokes that he was an unwilling attendee of the Opera for the first 17 years, but has enjoyed the last 23. Carol served on the Board of Directors of The Dallas Opera from 1988-1997 and, again, from 2009 until 2014.
Carol and Don are also ambassadors for The Dallas Opera, having served as Chairs of the 2013 Dallas Opera Magnifique Gala, and having chaired the Ovation Champagne Dessert Celebrations, part of the celebratory events that opened the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House in 2009. Through Carol’s leadership, Strasburger & Price, now Clark Hill Strasburger, was a supporter of the Dallas Opera Offices Campaign, making it possible for the Opera to enjoy rent-free office space in the Winspear Opera House. In 2014, Carol and Don received the Juanita and Henry S. Miller, Jr. Founders Award from the Women’s Board of The Dallas Opera.
Together, Carol and Don are deeply involved in the Dallas community, giving their time and talent to many different organizations encompassing not only the arts, but human rights and social justice, public health, education and the environment. Currently, Carol serves as a Director of the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Foundation and of North Texas Public Broadcasting, Inc. Don currently serves as a Director of the SMU Tower Center, the Trinity Park Conservancy, the Texas Trees Foundation and Year Up. Don was a 2015 recipient of the TACA Silver Cup Award, and Carol and Don are 2019 Recipients of the TACA Founders Circle Award. They recently co-chaired the TACA Silver Cup Award luncheon honoring Opera supporters Margot Perot and Davis Hamlin.
About The Winspear Family, Honorary Chairs:
Music and, in particular, Opera has been a part of the Winspear family for generations. It has been the foundation for music education, for awareness of the art form and for love.
Even as university students, both Bill Winspear and Margot Macleod enjoyed opera. When Bill proposed to Margot, they were listening to an AM Radio. Just as he reached for the ring, something amazing happened. Bill had arranged for the radio station to play the trio—their favorite aria from Gounod’s opera, Faust—at that specific time. So, as the radio personality announced that the following was by special request, Bill got down on one knee and asked Margot to marry him; hence, cementing a lifelong love affair of each other and of opera. The one constant in each of the cities they lived in was their involvement with the local opera company. They were both extremely active on the Opera Boards and guilds of Edmonton, Vancouver, Toronto and ultimately, Dallas.
While all five children were attending opera by the time they were living in Toronto, some were exposed to the art form many years prior. Don remembers his first opera: Gounod’s Faust from his time in Edmonton. Despite finding it a “sappy” love story, he was most pleased that it had the devil and demons. Oldest sister Deb remembers that Ermanno Mauro, whom Bill and Margot discovered in Edmonton, was slated to perform at her wedding until he had to decline at the last minute for a performance at La Scala.
Seven sets of season tickets were purchased in the lower orchestra. Attendance was compulsory, all homework was to be completed. This was in the early 70’s which predated subtitles, so reading the plot summary beforehand was extremely beneficial. The children all learned to appreciate the art form that was one of their parents’ biggest passions. Some have continued to support the art in cities around North America with Don and his wife Ellen being ardent supporters of the opera here in Dallas.
The pinnacle of Bill and Margot’s affection for opera would be their donation of $42 million towards the creation of a world class opera house in Dallas. In his announcement of the donation, his final words were from the movie, Field of Dreams. He told those in attendance that “if you build it, they will come.” And come they have. They made the donation because, as Bill said, “We love opera, and we love Dallas.”
About NorthPark Center
NorthPark Center is the preeminent shopping center in the Southwest and one of the finest shopping experiences in the world with more than 230 stores and restaurants, including more than 60 market exclusives. Anchored by Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Macy’s, and Dillard’s, NorthPark offers an unparalleled collection of luxury boutiques set amid internationally acclaimed 20th and 21st century art, award-winning architecture, and extraordinary landscaping—as well as a 1.4-acre garden, CenterPark, and a state-of-the-art movie theatre, AMC NorthPark 15. NorthPark consistently ranks as one of the top five performing shopping centers in the United States and is North Texas’ number one visitor destination. NorthPark is conveniently located 7 miles from downtown Dallas and 35 miles from Fort Worth. northparkcenter.com, 214.363.7441, 8687 N. Central Expressway, Dallas, TX 75225.
About The Dallas Opera
Founded in 1957, The Dallas Opera is an internationally-recognized innovator dedicated to the overall advancement of the operatic art form and the support of established and emerging artists, as well as the education and development of new opera audiences in North Texas—and beyond. These goals are achieved by commissioning and producing world-class opera; through ground-breaking institutes, national competitions and topical programs; and by presenting opera in both traditional and non-traditional formats and venues in order to attract patrons of every age, background, educational level, and ethnicity—while engaging with more than 87,000 people in our community each year. TDO is equally committed to the task of responsible stewardship and is managed with efficiency and accountability, to the highest possible standards.
2019-2020 SEASON SPONSOR
The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family
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EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
FOR HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS
Contact Suzanne Calvin, Director of Media and PR at suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org
The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: Elsa von Seggern Foundation;
Texas Instruments Foundation; the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs;
The Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera.
Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera.
Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News.
TICKET INFORMATION FOR THE 2019-2020 DALLAS OPERA SEASON
All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center unless otherwise indicated. Full and Flex Subscriptions are on sale now; single Tickets range from $19 to $289. Family performance tickets are just $5. For more information or to make your purchase, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org.
THE DALLAS OPERA 2019-2020 MAINSTAGE SEASON
The Dallas Opera celebrates its 63rd International Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Dallas Arts District. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 p.m. unless otherwise stated. English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance and assistance is available for the hearing impaired. With the exception of FIRST NIGHT, The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talk will begin one hour prior to curtain, at most performances.
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