What started 17 years ago as the valiant effort of a young opera singer-cum-Bering Omega Community Services volunteer has bloomed into quite the smashing social musicale. Saturday's "Sing for Hope: An Evening of Art Songs and Arias" fundraising soirée — which at its inception raised $2,000 at Ovations Theater — brought in a whopping $250,000 from an au courant black-tie assemblage with a penchant for all things fine and fabulous.

The humble and sassy Camille Zamora didn't realize that the inaugural Houston concert meant to honor and cherish her close friend Frank Logan, who died of HIV/AIDS and spent his last days at the Omega House hospice, would stretch into a Houston-New York initiative where the arts serve as a catalyst for good doing.

So significant are her contributions that Mayor Annise Parker took on the responsibility to present and surprise the artsy entrepreneur with the first Camille Zamora Award, adding another coat of sentimentality to an already emotionally charged evening.

Pair Zamora with co-founder Monica Yunus, and not only does the duo prove that two sopranos can get along on one stage, but also that they can program Mozart with jazz hands, twirling batons and sparkling show tunes.

Chairs Angelica and Ed Chapman and Dr. Roland Maldonado and Joel Bickley orchestrated the three-tiered charity bash, which celebrated Bering Omega's 25th anniversary. The packed evening began with cocktails and dinner at the Houston Club honoring Gabriela and Daniel Dror.

Spotted at Sing for Hope were chef/restaurateur David Cordúa with his girlfriend Sylia Gallegos (sorry ladies, the young bachelor is off the market), Carlos Vicente, DiverseWorks' Sixto Wagan and Ars Lyrica's Matthew Dirst, dentist Dr. Bruce Smith and therapist Tony Carroll (who call themselves dental and mental), Jeffrey Hoffman, Jeff Shell, Lori Freese, Diane Caplan, Edward Sanchez, Heidi and Steven Skiff, Dr. Ed Cordray, Matthew Barré, Capital One Bank sponsors Paul Pettie and Annella Meoyer, Michael Coppens and Houston's First Lady Kathy Hubbard.

Sing for Hope diners were subsequently shuttled to Wortham Theater Center for the musical program and a bubbly post-concert on-stage dessert reception.

Then came the third act of the evening. Hosted by Bering Omega's young professionals board, the first-ever "Sing for Hope After Party: A Venetian Masquerade" morphed the Houston Club into an en vogue hot spot where masked guests were greeted by sexy costumed fantasy personages, Grey Goose martinis and thump-thumping grooves care of DJ Synplicity.

Masterminded by chairs Nick Espinosa, Liz Gorman and Jerry Guerrero and honoring Brian O'Leary, the sultry affair brought out such notables as Lauren Levicki, Cynthia Conner, Dr. Owen McCormack, Carlos Meltzer and the newly engaged Nicole Laurent and Joey Romano for a dance bacchanal that lasted until the wee hours of the morning.