Fashion

Carnegie Hall’s Opening Night Gala Spotlighted the Power of Music

When the first orange-tinged leaves appear in Central Park, New Yorkers knows the Carnegie Hall fall season is just around the corner, too. On Thursday evening, the historic venue opened its doors to mark the start of its autumn program with a performance by the Berliner Philharmoniker.When the first orange-tinged leaves appear in Central Park, New Yorkers knows the Carnegie Hall fall season is just around the corner, too. On Thursday evening, the historic venue opened its doors to mark the start of its autumn program with a performance by the Berliner Philharmoniker.

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When the first orange-tinged leaves appear in Central Park, New Yorkers know the Carnegie Hall fall season is just around the corner, too. On Thursday evening, the historic venue opened its doors to mark the start of its autumn program with a performance by the Berliner Philharmoniker.

Led by chief conductor Kirill Petrenko and featuring star tenor Jonas Kaufmann, the night’s show under the Hall’s gilded ceilings and boxes was an international display of talent. In the heart of midtown Manhattan, the German orchestra performed a program of Italian music spanning Verdi, Leoncavallo, and Respighi, among others. A raucous standing ovation—and surprise brass musicians emerging from the wings—proved no translator was needed to manage the combination of different cultures at play, as they were all united by the rousing emotion of the opera.

“It was beautiful,” Constance Wu, a longtime classical music enthusiast, told Vogue. “It was a very pastoral, woodland-type of program, which is a wonderful thing to listen to as summer turns to fall. It was a cool, dusky vibe, and the sound was incredible.”

After the performance, the celebrations continued at Cipriani 42nd Street for the event’s annual gala. With a celestial ‘Where the Stars Align’ theme, guests including designer Prabal Gurung, Peter Sarsgaard, Doris Wong, Jessica Joffe, Lena Hall, and Eletra Wiedemann were surrounded by vibrant sunflowers and flickering candlelight under the venue’s soaring columns.

Alongside a menu of baked tagliolini, lamb, and soft vanilla meringue cake, attendees viewed presentations spotlighting the Hall’s youth programs, digital platforms, and efforts to expand its music education worldwide. Additional evening highlights included remarks from Chairman of the Board of Trustees Robert F. Smith and New York Senator Chuck Schumer, who revealed that $5 million had been raised so far to support various initiatives for young talent at the venue.

“Carnegie Hall has been my saving grace,” Gurung told Vogue, sharing that he attends performances in a bid to find inspiration during heartbreak or creative blocks. “It feels like it’s just you and the musicians. It is so cathartic, inspiring, and magical. It’s quintessentially New York, because what it does is it allows people to be themselves.”

Of course, a glamorous night out like this requires a black-tie ensemble that’s both formal and enchanting. Many attendees opted for all-black as well as strapless gowns, and off-the-shoulder dresses elevated by dark jewels, floral patterns, and mixed textures. Actor Geneva Carr paired her flowing black number with a leather jacket, drop earrings, and a black crystal-covered flap bag from Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel collections. Tony-winning actor Hall wore what she called an “absolutely top-tier” Akris dress with metallic-trimmed chiffon squares. Wong and Wiedemann shone in sequined and feathered Gurung dresses that made a glamorous statement. In a sustainable move, Wu slipped on a dark lace dress and Mary Jane heels from her own closet for the event—which also overlapped with news that her hit film Crazy Rich Asians will continue as an HBO series that starts filming next year.

On the menswear side, guests opted for classic dark tuxedo jackets and bowties. Others brought flair to their look with brooches, jewelry, or eyewear. To his credit, Gurung did all three, jazzing up a tuxedo jacket he made himself with a floral pin, oversized 1970s-esque aviators, and diamond studs from his mother. Emily in Paris star William Abadie, who first attended the gala as a friend of Cinema Society founder Andrew Saffir years ago, reinterpreted the dress code with an eye-catching white Brioni tuxedo jacket. “I knew that the men were going to be mostly wearing all-black,” Abadie told Vogue. “So I went against type. I had a private laugh because a white tuxedo is still considered a tuxedo, and it’s still ‘black tie.’ But I happened to arrive a little bit late and entered the room when everybody was seated, and I quickly noticed I was probably the only one wearing a white tuxedo tonight.”

With its ethereal theme and emphasis on finding community through music, the gala drew attention to Carnegie Hall’s projects and the importance of championing artistic crafts. Naturally, as a true New York City institution, it also emphasized the Hall’s fabled standing as a rich and storied musical establishment for over 130 years. “It’s like the Empire State Building,” said Hall. “It’s like Grand Central Station. What would you do without it? It enriches this city with needed architecture, artwork, the architecture of art. The architecture of music, which is very necessary. Each building or institution in this city has a job, and Carnegie Hall’s job is to enrich this entire city and the boroughs with music.”