D’Oyly Carte Christmas Feast at the Metropolitan Club of New York
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New York, NY — On December 10, 2023, The D'Oyly Carte Foundation, in collaboration with American Industrial Acquisition Corporation (www.aiac.com) and the AIAC Foundation sponsored The D’Oyly Carte Christmas Feast at the Metropolitan Club of New York at noon on December 10. Members of the Board of Trustees and Board of Advisors, along with invited guests attended in elegant holiday attire.
Following a champagne reception, guests were escorted to a private dining room adorned with UK, US, and Commonwealth flags, flowers, and Cadbury Chocolates. A musical interlude was provided by the Paul Enrico trio, in which D’Oyly Carte Foundation guests performed Broadway songs to rousing applause. Bibi Conrad sang “I Feel Pretty” from West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, and Kellen Fowler performed “The Nearness of You” by Hoagy Carmichael and Ned Washington. Dr. Gabby Wild then performed "O Mio Babbino Caro" ("Oh my dear Papa”) a timeless soprano aria from the opera Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini.
L. M. Levie, Chairman of the D’Oyly Carte Foundation, AIAC, and the AIAC Foundation, then rose and offered the following address:
Ladies and gentlemen,
Today, we gather to celebrate a remarkable milestone: the 150th anniversary of the first performance of Trial by Jury, the brilliant operetta by Sir W.S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan. This gem of comic opera, brought to life by the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company, marked the beginning of an extraordinary partnership that forever transformed the world of musical theater.
With wit as sharp as the gavel and melodies as enduring as time, Trial by Jury wove humor, satire, and light-hearted critique into a story that still resonates today. It was not just an operetta but a joyful rebellion against the mundane, inviting us to laugh at the absurdities of life.
The creative genius of Gilbert and Sullivan transcends generations. They taught us that even the most serious of subjects can benefit from the balm of humor, and that art, when infused with humanity and brilliance, has the power to unite, inspire, and endure.
150 years later, their legacy is not just a collection of operettas but a testament to the enduring power of collaboration, vision, and courage.
In their honor, I leave you with this poetic toast:
A Toast to Gilbert & Sullivan
To Gilbert, sharp of wit and keen of pen,
And Sullivan, whose melodies inspire,
We owe the laughter shared by now and then,
A joy that lifts us up and takes us higher.
Their pirates, peers, and lovers take the stage,
With satire bold and humor ever bright.
Their works defy the bounds of time and age,
A legacy that fills the world with light.
With Trial by Jury, they began their art,
A marriage of the clever and the grand.
From comic quip to music’s soaring heart,
They shaped a genre crafted by their hand.
A century and half has passed away,
Yet still their mirth and merriment remain.
Through every note and every word they play,
Their wit and warmth bring sunshine after rain.
So now we lift our glasses in a cheer,
To toast these two who filled the world with glee.
To Gilbert and to Sullivan, friends dear
A timeless gift for all eternity.
About The D’Oyly Carte Foundation
The D'Oyly Carte Foundation is the American affiliate of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Trust Limited, which supports the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. Since 1875, the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company has professionally produced the 14 Savoy operas of Sir W. S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan in the UK, Europe, US, Canada, and Australia, spreading mirth and merriment to millions.
The D’Oyly Carte Foundation’s mission is to support and promote the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company’s UK and international touring, to support regional performance companies, schools, colleges, and universities dedicated to the staging of Gilbert & Sullivan operas, and to generally encourage the popular appreciation of the works of Gilbert & Sullivan.
In 2021 and 2022, the D’Oyly Carte Opera Trust, in collaboration with the Scottish Opera and the State Opera South Australia, produced The Gondoliers and also Utopia, Limited in Glasgow, Inverness, Edinburgh, and London. These performances were greeted by rave reviews. Their lavish performance of the Gondoliers was broadcast throughout the UK on BBC-4 on Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022, and is available on BBC iPlayer and BBC America On Demand. The video trailer is found at https://youtu.be/0hO-Z-za2Vc.
On May 5, 2023, The D’Oyly Carte Foundation presented its Annual Spring Ball at the Metropolitan Club in New York. On June 24, the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company presented a concert called Gilbert & Sullivan a la Carte at Eyot House on D’Oyly Carte Island. D'Oyly Carte Island is a unique two-acre private island in the middle of the River Thames, 17 miles from London. It was the original mansion of Richard D’Oyly Carte.
D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and the D’Oyly Carte Foundation are now planning, in collaboration with Scotish Opera, a grand 2025 production of the 150th Anniversary of Trial By Jury by Gilbert & Sullivan, as well as The Merry Widow by Franz Lehar, which shall be presented throughout the UK and will be available on streaming video. Trial by Jury, is the only known comic opera concerning litigation. As a trained London solicitor himself, Sir W. S. Gilbert lampooned judge, jury, plaintiff, defendant, counsel, and bailiff in this hilarious 40 minute operetta, containing some of G&S’ best melodies and lyrics.
For further information on the work of the D’Oyly Carte Foundation and the D’Oyly Carte Opera Trust Limited, please visit us at:
About the Metropolitan Club
The Metropolitan Club of New York, founded in 1891, stands as one of the most prestigious private clubs in the United States, epitomizing the elegance of Gilded Age New York. Established by financier J.P. Morgan and a group of prominent figures dissatisfied with the restrictive membership policies of other elite clubs, the Metropolitan Club was designed to welcome members based on their prominence and achievements rather than strict lineage or social pedigree. The club’s initial membership included notable business magnates, cultural leaders, and influential politicians, reflecting its founders’ vision of creating a modern hub for society's upper echelons.
Architecturally, the Metropolitan Club is a marvel of Renaissance Revival design, housed in a grand limestone building at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 60th Street, overlooking Central Park. Designed by Stanford White of the legendary architectural firm McKim, Mead & White, the club's interiors boast opulent details, including marble staircases, gilded ceilings, and intricate woodwork. Its expansive main dining room and private meeting spaces continue to host a wide array of events, from intimate gatherings to high-profile social and professional engagements. The building's timeless elegance remains a symbol of the club's commitment to preserving its historic legacy while adapting to the evolving needs of its members.
Today, the Metropolitan Club continues to serve as a bastion of tradition and refinement in the bustling heart of New York City. With a membership comprising leaders in finance, law, arts, and philanthropy, the club maintains its commitment to fostering an environment of camaraderie, intellectual exchange, and cultural appreciation. While upholding its storied past, the Metropolitan Club also embraces modernity, offering its members a blend of classic amenities and contemporary services, ensuring its relevance in the ever-changing landscape of the city.
https://www.metropolitanclubnyc.org
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_Club_(New_York_City)
About American Industrial Acquisition Corporation
American Industrial Acquisition Corporation (AIAC) is a diversified industrial group with manufacturing and distribution sites in 24 countries in North America, Europe, and Asia. AIAC has acquired and grown non-core subsidiaries and divisions of Boeing, Siemens, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Johnson Controls, Merck, Pfizer, Astellas, Visteon, Carlyle, Ahlstrom, Tolko, Groupe Suez, Groupe Rexel, and many other leading multinational corporations.
AIAC companies serve companies and governmental entities worldwide in all major sectors, including aviation, space, defense, automotive, truck, rail, marine, petrochemical, solar, nuclear, food, confectionary, beverage, civil engineering and infrastructure, commercial construction, mining, dredging, disaster relief, education, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals. AIAC companies manufacture materials, components, assemblies, packaging, equipment, and finished products. In addition, AIAC companies are exclusive, authorized distributors of leading branded industrial and consumer products and serve as critical suppliers for major airports, schools, hospitals, performing art and sports centers, offices and hotels throughout Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. AIAC is a leading manufacturer of building, street, and highway signage in Europe, signage and illumination structures in North America, and a distributor of electrical products throughout France.
Of note, AIAC purchased Boeing Canada in 2005 and has produced over 10,000 unique components for every Boeing jet plane ever since, reliably serving Boeing from manufacturing facilities in North America. A leader in ultra-high precision jet engine component manufacturing, AIAC companies produce 2,200 fan blades and blisks for each jet engine produced by GE, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce, and Honeywell. AIAC companies produce the critical automotive wire and cable for Tesla, GM, Ford, Chrysler- Fiat, Toyota, and Nissan. In connection with its kraft paper manufacturing interests in Canada and the US, AIAC controls and sustainably manages 22 million acres of Manitoba, Canada forestland, an area equivalent in size to the nation of Hungary.
AIAC companies actively support exploration into outer space, manufacturing critical components for launching and propelling spacecraft and satellites. AIAC customers in this sector include NASA, the European Space Agency, SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Boeing. AIAC companies also lead in the design and manufacture of undersea umbilical cables for worldwide oceanographic research.
Another AIAC affiliate, located in Germany, designs, manufactures and distributes high performance emergency portable power generators required during natural disasters, including extreme climate events worldwide. Clients include government agencies and the International Red Cross.
For further information, please see:
About AIAC Philanthropy
AIAC and the AIAC Foundation and their affiliates support a wide range of nonprofit, nonsectarian, bipartisan organizations which promote international conflict resolution, disaster relief, economic development, environmental sustainability, exploration, and the visual and performing arts.
AIAC supports the following arts and cultural institutions: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, La Societe des Amis de Versailles, the Louvre Museum, the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Morgan Library & Museum, the the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, the Frick Collection, the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., the National Gallery of Ireland, the Fred Jones Jr. Art Museum of the University of Oklahoma, Societa Venezia Per Sempre of Save Venice, the Venice International Foundation the World Monuments Fund, the Baryshnikov Arts Center, the D’Oyly Carte Foundation, the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival, the W. S. Gilbert Society, the Sir Arthur Sullivan Society, and the Gilbert & Sullivan Society, Hall, the Encore Society the Metropolitan Opera of New York, and l’Opera National de Paris, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Royal Academy of Music.
AIAC’s beneficiaries which promote international exchange, dispute resolution, and fair trade include the Appeal of the Nobel Peace Laureates Foundation Inc., the Asia Society, the Atlantic Council, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - Gates Philanthropy Partners, the Bretton Woods Committee, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Carter Center, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Economic Club of New York, the Foreign Policy Association, the Institut Française des Relations Internationales, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Crisis Group, the International Rescue Committee, the Japan Society, the JFK School of Government of Harvard University, the Peterson Institute for International Economics, the Richardson Center for Global Engagement, the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House), the Sierra Club, and the Trilateral Commission.
For further information, see:
https://www.aiac.com/our-values
Media Contact:
Isabel Carro-Toro, Vice President
American Industrial Acquisition Corporation
+34 689 295 827 (Spain)
+ 1 787 244 3175 (USA)
icarro-toro@aiac.com
