Midsummer Night in Sweden Raises $2 Million for Washington Opera by John Shaw and Katherine Tallmadge On a spectacular early June evening, the 600 guests attending the 43rd Washington Opera Ball were joyfully immersed in the sounds, tastes and sights of a Midsummer Night in Sweden. The Opera Ball, one of Washingtonís premier social events, was held June 8 at the residence of Swedenís ambassador to the United States, Jan Eliasson. Ambassador and Mrs. Eliasson were gracious and good-humored hosts who said they wanted to provide Washington with a hint of what Sweden is like during the magical season when the sun rarely sets. Each year, the Opera Ball brings together the leaders of the diplomatic, governmental, corporate and arts communities to support the Washington Opera. This yearís ball raised a record-breaking $2 million for the Washington Opera. Again the diplomatic community played a pivotal role in creating an unforgettable evening for those attending the ball. The evening began with intimate dinners at the official residences of ambassadors from 27 nations. Embassies hosting dinners included Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia, and Turkey. The Washington Diplomat was invited to the Luxembourg Embassy, where Ambassador Arlette Conzemius-Paccoud hosted a delightful gathering. Ambassador Conzemius-Paccoud warmly greeted the guests in an elegant reception room and later escorted them into a wood-paneled dining room. She said that Luxembourg was delighted to host the dinner and to contribute to the excellent work of the Washington Opera. The ambassador gave a brief profile of her nation, emphasizing its quiet beauty and important role as a bustling center of banking. Luxembourg also has the distinction of the highest per-capita gross domestic product in the world. She added that while Luxembourg is not always on the itinerary of first-time visitors to Europe, she said she hopes "you will come and visit on your second trip to Europe." Ambassador Conzemius-Paccoud noted that Luxembourg is a founding member of the European Union and NATO, and remains a strong supporter of these organizations and a united Europe. Guests at the embassy were served a delightful meal of grilled shrimp with mango-avocado relish, grilled lamb chops with rosemary, spring vegetables, puff pastry with prunes and orange-strawberry sauce and several superb wines. Suzanne Stephens thanked Ambassador Conzemius-Paccoud on behalf of the Washington Opera and said Luxembourgís hospitality and generosity were fully appreciated. "You have been a wonderful host," she said. After the embassy dinners, the 600 guests converged at the residence of Ambassador and Mrs. Eliasson for dessert and dancing. The ballís guests ambled through the residence and entered the backyard where a massive white tent was set up that transported visitors to a summer evening in Sweden. The rooms in the residence were resplendent with beautiful arrangements of flowers representing the traditional Swedish colors of blue and yellow. Blue delphiniums and yellow roses were complemented by white peonies. The dancing tent was designed so that guests felt they were in a birch tree forest reminiscent of Swedenís rustic landscape. Tablecloths of a shell-design damask evoked Swedenís nautical traditions. A Swedish pastry chef created authentic Swedish desserts including a type of cake reserved for special occasions, the opera tart, which consists of six delicious layers of airy genoise filled with a light vanilla bean custard and decorated with edible 24 karat gold. Ambassador Eliasson greeted the guests as did Princess Christina of Sweden who is the youngest sister of the king. The princess was the guest of honor at the ball and told the guests that the evening at the embassy was an excellent replica of Swedenís fabled midsummer night traditions. "We are very happy to host this historic ball," Ambassador Eliasson said, adding that he hoped all guest would enjoy "this magical, thoroughly enchanting summer evening." The ambassador praised the Washington Opera for helping to "keep music and culture alive" in Washington. He also praised the work of the diplomatic community in supporting this and other worthy charities. "I feel honored to have such a great, wonderful group of friends and colleagues," he said. The ambassador praised the many contributions of Betty Scripps Harvey, the ballís general chairwoman. He said Harvey provided "decisive leadership with a democratic sense." Harvey contributed $500,000 to this yearís Washington Opera Ball. She was joined by a $500,000 contribution from James Kimsey, chairman of the Washington Operaís Board of Trustees and founder of AOL. The Opera Ball is the largest annual fundraiser for the Washington Opera, which must raise half of its $33 million annual budget through contributions to fund the companyís acclaimed productions and educational programs. The Washington Opera is considered one of the top American opera companies and was recently given the designation of the National Opera by the U.S. Congress. This season the company is celebrating its 45th anniversary. Jan Lodal was the ball finance committee chairman. The Womenís Committee of the Washington Opera, chaired by Mrs. Phillip W. Pillsbury Jr, sponsored the ball. "This is a very nice evening for a wonderful cause," said Jon Hannibalsson, Icelandís ambassador. "We are delighted to participate." John Shaw is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat. Katherine Tallmadge is a freelance writer based in Washington.