Hearts in Action

Women of Substance luncheon honors Houston’s leading ladies of giving

Philanthropy took a bow at the Eighth Annual Women of Substance Luncheon, where Houston’s most dynamic do-gooders gathered at the Post Oak Hotel on November 6 to toast to the power of giving. The event highlighted Houston reVision’s transformative work with at-risk youth.

Paul-David Van Atta, the mastermind behind the event, welcomed the well-heeled crowd before Rev. Trent Pettit delivered the invocation. Luncheon co-chairs April McGee and Paula Sutton, both 2023 honorees, shared words of gratitude and rallied support for reVision’s programs.

KHOU’s Deborah Duncan and tech guru Michael Garfield as emcees spotlighted honorees such as Jacqueline W. Bostic, this year’s Spirit of Substance recipient. She was presented with an angel glass sculpture by Bill Meek, while Trini Mendenhall-Royalty received the Lifetime of Substance honor for her years of philanthropic leadership. Top donors included 2023 luncheon co-chairs and former Women of Substance Dr. Sippi Khurana and Amy Pierce, April and Wells McGee, and 2024 honoree Edna Meyer-Nelson.

Houston reVision CEO Charles Rotramel shared stories of the nonprofit’s impact, from providing emergency housing for 48 youth to serving 7,300 meals and even launching a girls’ soccer team. Youth honoree Bella Chramosta inspired with her work to direct funds to reVision through the Greater Houston Community Foundation’s Giving Circle.

Applause went to Laura Ward and Houston Children’s Charity for outfitting apartments with essential furnishings for the Homeless Youth Program, and to Theatre Under The Stars, led by Hillary Hart, for offering reVision youth complimentary access to productions and acting workshops. A shoutout was earned by Kendall Pierce, daughter of Amy Pierce, who coordinated Christmas gifts and backpacks for reVision youth with support from her employer, BEAR.

The audience was moved by tenor Kenneth Gayle’s performance of “Thankful.” Jeffrey “Bboyjeffro” Louis, a 2024 Olympian, credited reVision with helping him avoid gang life and find success as a professional dancer and University of Houston graduate.

Thanks to the support of Sippi and Ajay Khurana, Jordan Seff, and Melissa Juneau, reVision House was launched, providing emergency and permanent housing, family reconnections, and thousands of meals and haircuts. Additional backing from Susan Boggio, Andrea Bryant, and Bobbi Nau funded reVision’s first girls' soccer team, with Boggio donating $10,000 to sustain the program into 2024.

As the event drew to a close, the 2024 Women of Substance—Lara Bell, Chree Boydstun, The Honorable Theresa Chang, Tena Faust, Melanie Lawson, Tama Lundquist, Marian McClendon, Sneha Merchant, Edna Meyer-Nelson, Leila Perrin, Heidi Rockecharlie, and Jerre Williams—were presented against a backdrop of Warhol-inspired portraits. The striking images, photographed by Gittings under the leadership of Andrew Cordes, were unveiled at a special event hosted by Heidi Turney, general manager of Saks Fifth Avenue.

In total, the luncheon raised more than $300,000 and drew a crowd of more than 350 guests, including Leela Krishnamurthy, Debbie Festari, Kristina Somerville, Jordan Seff, Brigitte Kalai, Sherry Zucker, Donae Chramosta, Laura Davenport, Sidney Faust, Betty Tutor, Leisa Holland-Nelson Bowman, Beth Wolff, Rini Ziegler, Phyllis Williams, Dr. Peter Chang, Anne Neeson, Flo McGee, Judy Nichols, Cindy Burns, Bruce Padilla, Aimee Snoots, Sandra Cooper, Alex Blair, Niki Lassiter, Roslyn Bazelle, Philamena Baird, Angela Bryant, Mandy Kao, Marge Lundquist, Roseann Rogers, Ellie Francisco, Franelle Rogers, Zane Carruth, Chris Kase, Renee Logans, Duke Ensell, Suzanne Ebrahimi, Astrid Van Dyke, Kathi Rovere, Marian Harper, Dejon Hawthorne, John Guess, Cheryl Lawson, and Dr. Monica Williams.

Photo by Priscilla Dickson

Dr. Peter Chang and the honorable Theresa Chang.

fundraisers galas

Curtain Call

Porgy and Bess revival leads stunning launch of HGO’s new season

Photo by Emily Jäschke

The cast of Porgy and Bess with conductor James Gaffigan.

Houston Grand Opera launched its 2025-26 season with a soul-stirring statement — one that blended history, harmony, and high jazzy American style — at the season-opening performance of Porgy and Bess, followed by a celebration dinner that felt more like an all-cast reunion than a buttoned-up black-tie din din.

Photo by Emily Jäschke

The cast of Porgy and Bess with conductor James Gaffigan.

Under the direction of Francesca Zambello, the Gershwin classic unfolded on the Wortham Theater Center’s stage in a performance that was both nostalgic and unflinchingly honest. The lush, jazz-meets-classical score had audiences leaning in, and many found themselves marveling at how many of the opera’s melodies live rent-free in cultural memory.

But it wasn’t just the music that captivated. The emotional weight of the story and the conversations it inspired lingered long after the curtain dropped.

HGO general director and CEO Khori Dastoor opened the evening by reflecting on the company’s legacy with Porgy and Bess, which stretches back to a 1976 production that earned both a Tony and a Grammy. This 2025 revival, nearly 50 years later, brought that legacy full circle, honoring the past while setting a tone for the season’s theme: The light we hold.

The production, which runs through November 15, features a powerhouse cast that includes bass-baritone Michael Sumuel as Porgy and soprano Angel Blue as Bess. Soprano Latonia Moore, making her HGO mainstage debut, appears as Serena. Baritone Blake Denson takes on the role of Crown, and tenor Demetrious Sampson Jr. brings charisma to Sportin’ Life. A poignant full-circle moment came with baritone Donnie Ray Albert, who portrayed Porgy in HGO’s 1976 production, returning to the stage as Lawyer Frazier. Opening night was conducted by James Gaffigan, with Richard Bado leading later performances.

The post-performance celebration on Fish Plaza, chaired by Dina Alsowayel and Tony Chase, transformed the space into an elegant nod to Charleston charm. Creams and greens, soft candlelight, and natural textures made for a timeless scene, but it was the congenial vibe that truly stole the show. The mood was chatty, the energy high, and the mission clear: Reconnect, rejoice, and rally behind the power of opera.

During the dinner, Dastoor and artistic and music director Patrick Summers acknowledged the many supporters who brought this night to life. Dastoor offered a poignant nod to Summers as he begins his final season in his current role, transitioning to music director emeritus next year. She also welcomed Astley Blair as HGO’s newly elected board chair, signaling an exciting chapter ahead.

Weeks later, HGO announced Gaffigan’s appointment as the company’s fifth music director — a major milestone in its 70-year history. Gaffigan, a rising star in European opera houses and orchestras, made his American operatic debut at HGO in 2011 and returned this fall to conduct Porgy and Bess. His connection to Houston runs deep, as an alumnus of Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music.

As the night wound down, the cast and creative team received a standing ovation again. And rightly so. The event drew 450 guests and raised $690,000, the second-highest total in HGO Opening Night history.

CultureMap seen were Margaret Alkek Williams, Jana and Scotty Arnoldy, Sylvia Barnes and Jim Trimble, Vivianna Jolie, Elizabeth and Neil Chapman, Rebekka and Damon Chargois, Jane Cizik, Molly Crownover, Misook Doolittle, Marty Dudley, Elaine Finger, Marianne and Joe Geagea, Claire Liu and Joe Greenberg, Janet Gurwitch and Ron Franklin, Alecia Harris, Matt Healey and Denise Reyes, Chris and Morgan Hollins, Elizabeth and Richard Husseini, Teresa and José Ivo, Monica Karuturi and Kumaran Sathyamoorthy, Sarah and Bryant Lee, Karen and Ramon Manning, Nancy McGregor and Neal Manne, Terrylin Neale, Franci Neely, Cynthia and Tony Petrello, Rebecca Rabinow and Matt Ringel, Jill and Allyn Risley, Cora and Judson Robinson, Kelly and David Rose, Anita Smith, Dian and Harlan Stai, Ellen Susman, Marguerite Swartz, Charlene Tombar, Nestor Topchy, Jesse, Brooks, and Sherida Tutor, Marcia and Alfredo Vilas, Donna Sims and Frank Wilson, Gretchen Watkins, Mary-Olga and John Warren, Yuichi and Uny Watanabe, Geraldina and Scott Wise, and Kristina and Enoch Woodhouse.

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