The Triumphant Return of the Women’s Board Gala

Sunday, July 18th was a perfect evening.  Putting the pandemic in the rear-view mirror, more than 500 guests celebrated the Women’s Board’s annual fundraising gala – an evening, it turns out, that was more than two years in the making.  Emmy, Tony and Grammy award-winning singer-actress Cynthia Erivo was originally scheduled to appear with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, led by Ravinia Chief Conductor and Curator Marin Alsop, for the 2020 Gala which was cancelled when COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the entire Ravinia season.  Fortunately, for the Women’s Board, however, both Ms. Erivo and Ms. Alsop agreed to return this year for a gala program entitled, “Legendary Women’s Voices,” and the evening lived up to its billing.

A review by Heidi Weiss, published on July 19, 2021 at wttw.com, summed up the extraordinary evening:

Arriving onstage in a form-fitting gown with sky-blue accents, an armful of bangle bracelets and fingers bedecked with rings and vampire-like nail extensions, Erivo quickly removed her shoes and proceeded to sing a program of 16 songs about love lost, denied or found, drawing on the iconic hits of Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Shirley Bassey and Mahalia Jackson.  She infused each song with her own distinctive yet faithful interpretations and arrangements, moving easily from torch-like jazz to gospel and also added a few of her own compositions to the mix.

… As the accompanist to Erivo (the British-bred performer of Nigerian heritage who has won London and Broadway acclaim, and who recently received an Emmy nomination for her portrayal of Aretha Franklin in the National Geographic’s “genius” series), the CSO and Alsop proved it could easily compete with the best blues band in this country, while Anthony Walker, Erivo’s brilliant piano accompanist, simultaneously emerged as an undeniable co-star of the evening, supporting the singer at every moment, but also revealing his own masterful gifts at the keyboard.  (Alsop, as well as Stephanie Jeong, the CSO’s exceptional associate concertmaster, were notably enthusiastic partners all along the way, too.)

Along the way Erivo also demonstrated her uncanny vocal range and dramatic intensity.  There was her breathtakingly beautiful performance of “Summertime,” George Gershwin’s aria-like lullaby from “Porgy and Bess.”  She brought the most riveting take I’ve ever heard to “Feeling Good,” the Anthony Newley/Leslie Bricusse classic (putting a notably powerful emphasis on the climactic phrase, “freedom is mine”).  And in her own song, “Glowing Up,” she winningly declared that “the sun’s gonna shine.”  Then, for her encore, there was a rousing take on Aretha Franklin’s anthemic “A Natural Woman,” although Erivo’s performance left you with no doubt that she is a woman of “unnatural” talent.

Following the performance, guests dined on cuisine catered by Food for Thought in a tent beautifully decorated by The Flower Firm.  Co-Chairs for the evening were Mindy Meade DeStefano, Ellen Falkof and Onnie Scheyer.  Chair of the Ravinia Women’s Board is Marilyn Vender.  Funds raised during the evening will benefit the festival’s REACH TEACH PLAY education programs, serving more than 75,000 people throughout the Chicago area each year.