THE CROWD:

The Pacific Symphony celebrated its 30th anniversary season opening in grand style, welcoming a full house in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall.

The occasion was marked by the inaugural performance on the William J. Gillespie Concert Organ installed in the concert hall following a multi-year and multimillion-dollar project.

Principal donor insurance heir William J. Gillespie of Laguna Beach was in attendance to accept the applause of the crowd when thanked publicly by an ebullient Carl St. Clair conducting the opening night performance.

Acclaimed organist Paul Jacobs offered an opening segment by Dupré, Prelude and Fugue in B Major, Op.7, No 1 to the enchantment of the audience.

The concert also included the world premiere of a piece by Theofanidis, a 40-year-old composer who created “Rex tremendae majestatus” for organ, brass and percussion. The Pacific Symphony orchestra was superb on this night joining Jacobs and the organ, which is surely a member of the orchestra as well.

Prior to the concert, a gala dinner was staged in the Samueli Theatre attracting a sold out crowd of some 500 symphony patrons raising $115,000 for the organization.

Dinner chairwoman Carol Lee, a later day Doris Day resplendent in a shimmering powder blue St. John dinner suit greeted the crush with big smiles and warm hugs. Lee was joined in the effort by her equally glamorous and hard-working co-chairwomen Linda Maggard and Pat Steinmann. The triad of nonprofit power took the stage in Samueli and were presented with sprays of white roses for their efforts.

Meanwhile the crowd in black tie enjoyed dinner served by Patina in between standing ovations of appreciation for big donors including Gillespie and long-time symphony backers Sandy Segerstrom and John Daniels along with extended members of the late Hal and Jeanette Segerstrom family.

Also making the evening possible were committee members Debra Kirwan, Eve Kornyei and the elegant Marcia Brashier, who assisted creating the themed décor that took on an ocean-friendly palate.

Large golden shells were filled with peach colored roses centering tables covered in coordinating linens. Ruth Ann and John Evans, Catherine and James Emmi, Gianna and Demetrio Kerrison, and Fran and Cash Cashen were also actively involved supporting the affair.

Spotted in the crowd were Elizabeth and John Stahr, Doug and Lynn Freeman, Pat and Bill Podlich, Ted and Janice Smith, Cathy and Michael Haynes, Pat and Richard Allen, Darrell and Marsha Anderson, Patricia and Otis Cranford, Rita and Ira Goldberg, Dee and Larry Higby, Darrellyn and David Melilli, Mary Jean Simpkins, Pamela Paul, and PSO boss John Forsyte and his wife, Michelle.

THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.