The annual fundraising event returned to the Filene Center stage for the first time since 2019.
Vienna, Virginia (September 27, 2022) – On Friday, September 24, Wolf Trap Ball Co-Chairs Alka and Sudhakar Kesavan and Kevin and Kate Robbins welcomed over 750 guests to celebrate the end of Wolf Trap’s summer season. The annual Wolf Trap Ball was held onstage at the Filene Center and raised $1.8 million in support of Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts’ arts and education programs. The theme for this year’s celebration was “Wolf Trap In Bloom.” Guests and décor filled the space with vibrant colors and illustrious florals. Wolf Trap Opera alumna, Ann Toomey, soprano, accompanied by Christopher Cano, piano, opened the program with renditions of “America the Beautiful” and “Everything’s Comin’ Up Roses!”
“More than 50 years ago, Catherine Filene Shouse had a bold, visionary idea—an unprecedented pairing of the arts and the national parks. That idea, and her singular act of philanthropy, were the seeds for the long-standing partnership that has grown and blossomed ever since,” said Arvind Manocha, president and CEO of Wolf Trap Foundation. “This summer we were back in full force, because of the support of everyone in this room and across the region, and we are grateful for it.”
Guests included members of the U.S. Congress including Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA); members of the Virginia General Assembly and Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, as well as philanthropic leaders and executives from national and international businesses.
Inspired by the beauty of Wolf Trap National Park, the Filene Center stage was transformed into a garden of blooming flowers and botanicals with the help of Silver Lining Design Group, Plants Alive, and Flowers at 38. Guests explored Wolf Trap’s newly upgraded backstage area; enjoyed roaming creative entertainers from Carbone Entertainment, including close-up magic with an illusionist; cuddled with puppies in the Wellness Room, courtesy of Wolf Trap Animal Rescue; and sipped specialty libations created by Cocktail Curations. After-dinner entertainment featured a dance party with The Party Rockers, and a back stage lounge experience with DJ Les Talusan.
The Wolf Trap Ball benefits the Foundation’s renowned arts and education programs, including the Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts and Wolf Trap Opera. The event was supported by 2022 Season Underwriters Dan and Gayle D’Aniello, and Leading Supporters Capital One, Dr. Gary D. Mather and Christina Co Mather, and MicroStrategy. Host sponsors included Jan Brandt, Shashikant and Margaret Gupta, The Boeing Company, and KPMG. Cherry Bekaert served as the Dance Party Sponsor. Diamond level sponsors were Hillary and Tom Baltimore, Kimberly Engel Haber and Brett Haber, Nancy Laben and Jon Feiger, Kevin and Kate Robbins, Karen and Fred Schaufeld, Kevin and Beth Smithson, Blue Delta Capital Partners, CNSI, L.F. Jennings, Noblis, Northrop Grumman, PwC, SOSi, and Tickets.com.
About Wolf Trap
Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, produces and presents a full range of performance and education programs in the Greater Washington area, as well as nationally. Wolf Trap features three performance venues: the outdoor Filene Center and Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods, both located at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, and The Barns at Wolf Trap, located down the road from the national park and adjacent to the Center for Education at Wolf Trap. The 7,028-seat Filene Center is operated in partnership with the National Park Service and annually showcases an extensive array of diverse artists, ranging from pop, country, folk, and blues to classical music, dance, and theatre, as well as multimedia presentations, from May through September. The Barns at Wolf Trap is operated by Wolf Trap Foundation year-round, and during the summer months is home to the Grammy-nominated Wolf Trap Opera, one of America’s outstanding professional training programs for early career opera singers. Wolf Trap’s education programs include the nationally acclaimed Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods, a diverse array of arts education classes, grants, and a nationally recognized internship program.
Media Information:
High-resolution images are available here.
Contact (not for publication):
Morgan Elwell, Media Relations Manager
O) 730.255.4096 or morgane@wolftrap.org
Jo LaBrecque, Vice President, Communications and Marketing
O) 703.255.1997 or joannl@wolftrap.org