Valentine’s Day was just a few days ago, so consider this a love note to four amazing woman and one vital organization.

On Feb. 11, the Durango Arts Center honored four Sweethearts of the Arts, women who have significantly enriched our lives in music and theater.

The ladies were operatic soprano Gemma Kavanagh, Durango Choral Society Music Director and Fort Lewis College professor emerita Linda Mack, FLC professor emerita, flutist and former Durango Children’s Chorale Artistic Director Rochelle Mann and longtime Durango High School Theater Director and current community theater guru extraordinaire Mona Wood-Patterson.

They all looked totally splendid, living up to the invitation’s request of “theatrically elegant” attire. It almost seems unfair that four such talented women are so beautiful, too, but there you go. Part of that beauty comes from their generosity of spirit, which makes anyone more lovely.

I don’t have space to repeat their bios, but let’s just say major cities would kill to have their talents in their communities, and all four have established sterling reputations well beyond La Plata County’s borders. There are other common themes – all are gourmet cooks, two almost became ballerinas instead of musicians, all have worked overseas. The esteemed group includes a Fullbright scholar, a nationally known developer of children’s musical education materials, a woman who has both performed and conducted at Carnegie Hall and another known on two continents for her stunning voice and philanthropy.

If you want to know who’s whom, you’ll just have to stop by the Durango Arts Center between now and Feb. 25 to visit the exhibit in the Barbara Conrad Gallery.

It’s also a chance to revisit previous Sweethearts of the Arts, including the late Stanton Englehart, Mary Ellen Long and the Ballantine family. Diane Becket and Jeannie Berger curated the exhibit, which Long designed. While the exhibit will be up until the 25th, a closing reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday.

Many kudos go to the organizing committee, who worked on the event for the last year. The committee included Chairwoman Julia Dodd, Laurie Barker, Becket, Berger, Linda Bunk, Michele Hegenwald, Lisa Mackey, Kathy Myrick, Diane Panelli, DAC Executive Director Sheri Rochford Figgs, Peggy Sharp, Dawn Spaeder, Karen Thompson and Dan White.

The evening began with a reception that went far beyond my idea of heavy appetizers – Hegenwald and caterer Chuck Norton both went all out, but especially Hegenwald. (I recognize her style.)

Here’s the menu: salmon, sliders, massive fruit and vegetable platters, chicken rolls with grilled pineapple, crab-artichoke dip, green chile-artichoke dip, an extensive antipasto tray, brie in puff pastry with cherry-jalapeño sauce, caviar with shallot cream crostini, foie gras on lettuce leaves, hot pork sausage balls, sauteed game hen potstickers, chilled London broil with horseradish sauce, sherried crab cakes and mini-beef Wellingtons. Dessert included lovely chocolate cookies from the Yellow Carrot and Hegenwald’s red velvet cake.

Ska Brewing Co. presented a specially labeled Sweetheart of the Arts brew, which guests enjoyed at the party before the honorees each went home with a bottle as a souvenir. Stan Crapo of Star Liquors made sure there was plenty of vino on hand.

After everyone had enjoyed some serious schmoozing and noshing, it was into the DAC Theatre for the actual honoring part. DAC President of the Board Terry Swan welcomed the guests and turned the mike over to Mistress of Ceremonies Indiana Reed.

Every single one of these women has touched not only our lives as a community, but the lives of young people in more ways than I can count, and that was clear in the tributes.

Kavanagh’s frequent partner in crime, also known as her duet partner, Nan Wagner, sent her accolades from Oregon before Kavanagh’s daughter Molly Sullivan told her mom how much she admired her. Then it was on to some bawdy Irish humor from Kavanagh’s sister, Audrey Haller, who flew in from the San Francisco area. It was all humor aside when she talked about how Kavanagh is her idol before serenading Kavanagh – and us – with the “Irish national anthem,” also known as “Danny Boy,” a cappella. I have to resort to a cliché on this, as it was one of those moments when you could have heard a pin drop.

Then it was on to Mack, with a surprise video from Evan Shinners. The young Juilliard grad had his first professional gig as a pianist right here on the stage at the Community Concert Hall at FLC, courtesy of Mack. He played a bit of Bach as an homage. Her very own FLC Chamber Choir gave a romantic rendition of “My Romance,” as led by C. Scott Hagler. Hagler also organized the entertainment portion of the evening.

Choir members Kevin Bell, Shauna and Steve Blaylock, Ginny Davis, Lindsay Emery, Megan Lopez, Billy Pinto, Rachel Saul Pollack, Katie Ratko, Jeffery Reynolds, Shelby Sayer, Adam Sowards, Dawn Spaeder and Liza Tregillus had couples reaching to hold hands as they listened to the beautiful rendition of Rodgers’ and Hart’s classic love song from the 1935 musical “Jumbo.”

It shows how much they admire their fearless leader for these folks to learn the song, get all dressed up and give up their Saturday night to sing one song.

Rosalind Simpson, a harpist from Santa Fe who is a frequent performer in local concerts, shared some thoughts about her many collaborations with Mann, before Mann’s students Delana Pleasants and Cassie Robel, played a suite of flute duets. They confessed to “sneakily” getting the honoree herself to provide them with the music for the performance.

After a quick step offstage, they returned with other former music education students Katrina Hedrick, Zack Jones, Lech Usinowicz and Rachel Taulbee (fresh off a cruise ship where she sings for a living). Accompanied by Evan Suiter on bass and Neil Hemphill on djembe for what was, for me, was the high note in an evening of high notes, a rendition of the American folksong “Little Liza Jane.”

Their arrangement highlighted music-education techniques including my new word for the day, solfege, hand signs for each pitch on the musical scale, and echoing melodic and rhythmic patterns.

Wood-Patterson was fêted by former students in both drama and comedy, beginning with video compliments from Adam Fontana and Austin Hohnke, before Kyle Downs, Rachel Talley and Joey Panelli performed monologues.

The grand finale was one of the showstoppers, “A Stud and A Babe” from Wood-Patterson’s current show “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.” (The last performance is at 7:30 p.m. today, and it’s a thoroughly entertaining evening.) It featured ErikAndersson and Rachel Saul Pollack.

My only complaint about the event is that each of these women deserved their own evening for the countless hours of entertainment they have provided us over the years and the impact they have had on the arts for generations to come.

They’re Sweethearts of the Arts every day of the year.

Celebrating their birthdays at the same time of year as some notable presidents are Madeline Shaline, Dick Pearson, Maryann Fassett, Debbie Chilcoat, CarolTreat, Ellen Patterson, Betsy Petersen, Stan Crapo, Herb Folsom, Odette Zenizo, Tony Senters, Kyle Odin, Mark Bauer, Jeffrey Ugai, Ru Huot, Elizabeth Wancura, Dan Howell, Pat Mahan, John Serwe, Fred Reiter, Rose Reiter, JoeyKloepfer, Derek Pansze, David Wylie, Jim West, Greg Jamison and Patrick Cunnion.

Here’s hoping a bit of the Valentine’s Day glow is still shining for the anniversaries of Don and Kathryn Simonsen, Tom and Marian Townsend, Scott and Julie McCallister and Jim and Nan Wassmund.

For information about upcoming events and fundraisers, check Local Briefs.

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