The 52nd Candlelight season officially began with Candlelight Kickoff on Thursday, August 6, hosted by co-chair Kate Levering-Jahangiri and her husband, Reza Jahangiri at their stunning Newport Beach home overlooking the Back Bay, with a record-breaking turnout.
The gathering offered guests a celebratory preview of the Center’s annual fundraising gala, set for Friday, December 4.
This spring, Segerstrom Center for the Arts announced board members Kate Levering-Jahangiri and Jaynine Warner as co-chairs of the 52nd Annual Candlelight Concert. Kicking off this year’s Candlelight season with them at the helm is an exciting moment for the Center. Their leadership, generosity, and passion for the arts will help make the 52nd Candlelight Concert a truly memorable evening while advancing the Center’s mission.
Jaynine Warner shares, “As we celebrate the Center’s 40th Anniversary this September, Katy and I are deeply honored to serve as this year’s co-chairs. We recognize that we are merely just the current stewards of something truly extraordinary. Our responsibility is to honor all those who came before us while carrying the torch of Candlelight’s legacy forward, working to ensure that this remarkable tradition continues to inspire generosity in support the Segerstrom Center.”
Kate Levering-Jahangiri said, “It is a privilege to join Jaynine in leading this iconic event. We are also thrilled to announce our 4th annual Candlelight Master Class. On Thursday, December 3, in the Samueli Theatre, six talented local high school students will have the rare opportunity to perform for an audience and receive direct, personal guidance and mentorship. As an actress myself, I can’t imagine a more inspiring experience for a young artist.”
One of Orange County’s most cherished philanthropic traditions, this annual event continues to bring together the Center’s most dedicated supporters to raise funds for its educational and community programs. As the Center celebrates its 40th anniversary season, the Candlelight Concert remains both a cornerstone celebration and a meaningful expression of the community’s enduring commitment to the arts, ensuring the Center remains a vibrant cultural home for generations to come.
During the kickoff, guests gathered under French Quarter-inspired streetlamps, a nod to the “Moonlit Bayou” theme of December’s gala, for moving remarks celebrating the Candlelight tradition and showed their support by underwriting special event elements. These generous donations from the Center’s arts advocates play a huge role in making this event the Center’s largest fundraiser year after year, measurably growing arts education and community programming in Orange County.
Live music filled the air with classic New Orleans favorites such as “Iko” and “Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans,” as some guests danced and others posed with masquerade masks in a black and white photobooth.
Inventive cuisine was served with a Cajun flair by chefs Christopher Roman and Andrew Miley, of Fork, Knife & Spoon, including lobster po’boys, a Southern-inspired charcuterie with pimento cheese and house pickles, and chicory coffee and chocolate pudding shooters. Drinks included crisp white wines by Jessup Cellars and Handwritten Wines, generously donated by Kelly and Jim Mazzo, and champagne provided by Clé Cachée, the new luxury champagne by Christina Haack who was also in attendance.
Calligrapher Michelle Tieu was onsite engraving candles donated by Voluspa. The event culminated with guests gathered around the family piano for a rousing sing-along, a tradition in the Jahangiri home, illuminating the lively spirit of the evening and the building excitement for this year’s Candlelight Concert and its remarkable legacy of philanthropy and community.
Candlelight Concert is Segerstrom Center for the Arts’ longest-running annual fundraising tradition, bringing together community leaders and arts supporters to raise critical funds for the Center’s nonprofit artistic, educational, and community programs. Now in its 52nd year, Candlelight remains a defining celebration of philanthropy and the power of the arts in Orange County.
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