Tribute to the Classical Arts 2009

Serving as master of ceremonies, WWL-TV anchor Angela Hill noted the blossoming of the city's classical arts in her opening remarks at the 15th annual Tribute to the Classical Arts awards luncheon on Monday, Feb. 16, at the Hotel Monteleone.

Awards recognizing lifetime achievement and performances from 2008 offered a broader look at the development of the city's arts community. Accepting the award for Best Ballet Production, Delta Festival Ballet director Joseph Giacobbe recalled being the first ballet company to perform in the Mahalia. Many guest presenters and award recipients thanked the venues that have offered them performance spaces in the interim between post-Katrina flooding and the theater's reopening, including Tulane and Loyola universities and First Baptist Church New Orleans.

Professional dancers and New Orleans natives Ian and Eleanor Carney presented Jacqueline Fry a Lifetime Achievement Award for her career in dance and years teaching ballet. DramaRama was recognized for its commitment to presenting ethnic and contemporary dance. Conductor and guest presenter Jean Montes gave the Arts Education Award to both the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) and Historic New Orleans Collection (HNOC) for their joint project "Music of the Mississippi," which will go on tour to entertain and educate listeners about the state's classical-musical heritage, which dates back to documented opera productions prior to 1800.

The event featured performances by nominated groups and individuals, including Christ Church Cathedral Choir, New Orleans Uptown Brass, which played a piece by J.S. Bach as well as Leonard Bernstein's "America" from West Side Story, a couple of solo pieces by Jefferson Ballet Theatre dancers, an aria from Southeastern Louisiana University's production of The Marriage of Figaro and a short work titled "Trouble" by Newcomb Dance Company.

Tribute to the Classical Arts is sponsored by The Gambit, John and Anne Burr, the Hotel Monteleone, Hall Piano Co., Coleman E. Adler & Sons, Uptown Costume & Dancewear and 89.9 FM WWNO.

2009 Classical Arts Awards

Lifetime Achievement Award
Jacqueline Fry

Arts Education Award
Music of the Mississippi
LPO and HNOC

Special Recognition Award
New Orleans Friends of Music

Outstanding Contribution to Dance Award
DramaRama

Best Classical Music Performance

Resurrection (Mahler Symphony No. 2)
LPO
Carlos Miguel Prieto, conductor
First Baptist New Orleans

Best Chamber Music Performance

Scott Slapin & Tanya Solomon
Duo ViolasTrinity Artist Series
Trinity Episcopal Church, New Orleans

Best Performance of New Classical Music (Contemporary)

Fire and Blood for Violin and Orchestra
Michael Daugherty, composer
Ida Kavafian, violin
Carlos Miguel Prieto, conductor
LPO, "Beethoven No. 2," First Baptist New Orleans

Best Opera Production

Rigoletto (Verdi)
Robert Lyall, conductor
New Orleans Opera Association
McAlister Auditorium, Tulane University

Creative Achievement In Opera

The Marriage of Figaro, opera workshop production
Charles Effler, conductor
Rachel Harris, director
Southeastern Louisiana University Opera/Music Theatre Workshop

Best Choral Arts Presentation

Messiah (Handel)
Symphony Chorus of New Orleans
Steven Edwards, music director
Rebecca Miller, LPO conductor
First Baptist New Orleans

Best Classical Ballet Production

The Nutcracker
Delta Festival Ballet
Joseph Giacobbe and Maria Giacobbe, artistic directors
Dixon Hall, Tulane University

Best Modern Dance Presentation

Happensdance / DramaRama
Happensdance
Jeanne Jaubert, artistic director
Contemporary Arts Center

Best Choreography (new work)

Erin Healan
Bedclothes from Street of Crocodiles
Tsunami Dance Company
Lupin Theatre, NOCCA|Riverfront

Annie Sun Juttner of Jefferson Ballet Theatre performs "Aurora Variation" from Sleeping Beauty.

City Councilwoman Jackie Clarkson, John Burr of the Hotel Monteleone and WWL-TV anchor Angela Hill.

Conductor Jean Montes and New Orleans Ballet Association Director Jenny Hamilton.

Dennis Assaf of JPAS, Dr. Robin Williams of UNO, Steve Kinchen of Hall Piano

Gambit publisher Margo DuBos with AT&T Louisiana President William Oliver, who accepted the Arts Patron Award on behalf of the company.

Robert Nunez performs with New Orleans Uptown Brass.

Colby McCurdy sings an aria from The Marriage of Figaro.

Colby McCurdy (left) and Charles Effler of Southeastern University with Big Easy Foundation Director Gloria Powers.

Ballet dancers Eleanor and Ian Carney with Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Jacqueline Fry (center).

Babs Mollere of the LPO (second from right) and (l to r) Alfred Lemmon, Amanda Wuerstlin and Priscilla Lawrence of the Historic New Orleans Collection accepted the Arts Education Award.