Cliburn victory feted at gala affair

FORT WORTH -- The hum of excitement shifted into exclamations of delighted surprise as almost 1,000 revelers filled the gigantic tent on the west lawn of the Kimbell Art Museum on Saturday night to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Van Cliburn's historical win at the first International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow during the height of the Cold War.

In every way, this opulent and energy-filled black-tie party was a match for the occasion.

"Classical music has been, for me, my whole life," Cliburn said during a toast. "Governments can come and go but classical music, classical art, is forever."

The massive pavilion, which took two weeks to raise and outfit, seemed anything but temporary, and party planners packed surprises into the program as well as the decor.

Chicago, the legendary rock band, was the surprise entertainment at evening's end. Four Van Cliburn gold medalists played, and the crowd was showered with red, silver and blue streamers.

Black and white faux marble floors glistened under black chandeliers in the tent's impressive foyer. White and gold wooden paneling replicating that used in the palaces of Versailles and St. Petersburg covered the interior walls.

The tent's main room was a fairy tale of shimmering light. It might have been a movie set instead of the scene of another Fort Worth benefit.

Tables draped in black cloths held mirrored tops that reflected the soft glow from circa 1935 brass and crystal chandeliers. Thousands of white blossoms perfumed the air.

Red carpet added a punch of color repeated in the red theater curtain trimmed in gold that adorned the large stage at the north end of the tent.

"It's a palace," arts patron Jean Roach said.

Designer gowns were everywhere. Ballet patron Laila Gleason sported a bright red Valentino, and arts patron Priscilla Martin wore a white Marchesa. Opera fan Suzy Williams pulled out a 20-year-old Oscar de la Renta with a green top and long black skirt.

Van's surprises

In 1958, tensions between the United States and Russia were so intense that Tchaikovsky Competition judges would not present the 23-year-old Cliburn with the gold medal before Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev gave his permission. It was such a groundbreaking moment that when the young Texan returned, New York honored him with a ticker-tape parade.

On Saturday night, revelers took their seats and before dinner watched a seven-minute video of Cliburn's days in Moscow and the famous parade.

No one knew that Cliburn stood in the shadows behind the projection screen. When the film ended, the screen rolled into the ceiling and the spotlight fell on the legendary pianist, who made his way to a table in the center of the room.

He was greeted with thunderous applause and a standing ovation.

"The main thrust of this evening is 200 years of friendship between Russia and the United States ... ," Cliburn said while holding his glass high. "To the people of two great nations, health, happiness and prosperity. God bless you."

Houston party planner Richard Flowers, who insisted that Cliburn was just as surprised by the arrangement as anyone else, engineered the dramatic entrance.

Cliburn was also surprised to see himself in an archival video singing and playing Moscow Nights while Cliburn gold medalists Jose Feghali, Olga Kern, Stanislav Ioudenitch and Jon Nakamatsu played along. The four sat two-by-two at two pianos. Using eight hands and four hearts, they performed in sync with the video.

More surprises

After the dinner, toasts, music and speeches, the band struck up Stars and Stripes Forever and confetti showered the crowd in remembrance of that 1958 New York parade.

While revelers celebrated in the main tent, crews removed some of the paneling in the foyer to reveal a large stage.

Tables, chairs and couches were brought in. Lighting was adjusted to a red glow to transform the space into something that felt like "Club Cliburn."

Just when partygoers thought the night was over, Chicago took the stage and revelers stayed to dance.

Quick facts

The tent's glass windows framed the museum.

It took 225 workers to set up and outfit the main tent and the auxiliary tents.

Two 12-foot-long ice bars flanked a small stage in the foyer.

There were a variety of centerpieces, but all held massive bouquets of white flowers that included hydrangeas, tulips, blooming pears, lilies of the valley and orchids.