The Crowd: Elton John serenades Segerstrom at 50th annual Candelight Concert
The late Henry Segerstrom was surely smiling down from the heavens above as the 50th anniversary Candlelight Concert held at Segerstrom Center for the Arts unfolded on a recent Friday night, heralding the holiday season in Costa Mesa.
The modern building was ablaze with celebratory laser beams of lights as bustling valets shuttled the stream of automobiles delivering black-tie patrons arriving for the event of the year on the Orange Coast.
A milestone Candlelight Concert would unfold starring the legendary musician representing the dreams and aspirations of a once youthful boomer generation. Sir Elton John, at 77, reportedly ending his globetrotting concert touring, delivered a flashback reminder of the energy and passion of his 1969 debut on the world musical stage.
While the clarity and depth of his rich vocal range is now augmented by high-power delivery, the icon apologized to the audience for the sound levels as he began his concert performance that lasted for more than 90 minutes. There were brilliant moments when the purity of his range thrilled, especially with John’s rendition of his famous tribute to Marlyn Monroe, “Candle In The Wind.”
Before the concert, a welcome reception held on multiple levels of the Segerstrom featured handsomely curated graphics and images of the splendid cultural history and evolution of the Center. The large multigenerational crowd were all very busy chatting, jockeying for photos and toasting the great life in Orange County as champagne flowed.
And it flowed for good reason. The evening was record breaking, raising some $19.2 million in support of SCFTA nonprofit artistic, educational and Orange County community initiatives.
Moving from the receptions into Segerstrom Hall, guests including Howard and Roberta Ahmanson, Idit and Moti Ferder, Mark and Wendy Hales, John and Sherry Phelan, Elizabeth Segerstrom, Sally Segerstrom, Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, Susie and Steve Perry and Jane Fujishige Yada filled a section of the upper orchestra section. The VIP seating fronted a stage constructed over the lower orchestra for Elton John’s incredible band, which included several musicians that have been part of his close musical family for decades.
As the crowd settled, a surprise warm-up act appeared. David Foster, 19 Grammy Award-winning pop composer, sauntered out in nonchalant Foster style as if he just happened to be in the neighborhood, sat at the grand piano and brought the audience into his inner circle.
Praising the rare talent of the headliner to come in a self-deprecating manner, which is not in Foster’s typical wheelhouse, he then delighted the throng by bringing on stage his beautiful and talented wife, Katharine McPhee. She also acted if she had just walked in off the street in a floor-length holiday-red sheath proceeding to sing “Sleigh Ride” with definite country rhythm. Just as Foster invited her to sing another Christmas number, an offstage voice signaled that all was ready for Elton John, and the couple vanished as formal introductions ensued.
Candlelight Concert co-chairs Stephanie Argyros and John Ginger joined Center Board Chair John Phelan and Center President Casey Reitz with heartfelt remarks praising generous donors and sponsors making the evening a success. Argyros, attired in a spectacular glittering ball gown, shared an emotional tribute.
“John and I could not be more honored to celebrate this remarkable milestone with you all tonight,” she said. “As I look around the room, I see the faces of so many pioneers who have helped create positive change in our arts community. My family has been involved in supporting the Center for decades, and together we all have built something truly special.”
She added that she was sorry her parents, Julia and George Argyros, could not attend the event, “but it is the greatest privilege to follow in their footsteps and co-chair this historic event. I know my parents are proud to have my three children here this evening, Gunnar, Lola and Ashley along with my sister, Lisa Argyros, my nephew, G3, my sister-in-law, Shannon, to carry forward their legacy. Tonight is a testament to the collective power of our shared commitment. I want to give thanks to all of the previous Candlelight co-chairs, to the many Segerstrom Center supporters and to everyone in this room for your unwavering support.”
John Ginger, joining his wife, Toni, at the event, followed. “Fifty years of artistic excellence, and 50 years of cultivating this vibrant, art-loving community,” he said of the milestone. “As we celebrate this incredible moment in Segerstrom’s history, we are reminded that this is just the beginning. With your generosity and passion to bring performing arts to Orange County, we will continue to shape a future filled with transformative art, available to all and inspiring countless generations to come. Cheers to 50 more years!”
Après the Elton John concert, the stage parted to reveal a dining wonderland. Tables centered by candelabras were surrounded by shimmering votive candles and arrangements of cloud-white floral blooms, setting the romantic holiday tone.
James Beard Award-winning chef Timothy Hollingsworth, who cut his teeth as chef de cuisine at the French Laundry and went on to win first place in Netflix’s “The Final Table,” crafted a rich variation of dishes for guests to enjoy, in partnership with Patina Catering. The three-course meal menu was a nod to Elton John’s songs and lyrics. The starting course, Tiny Dancer, featured a cauliflower panna cotta topped with caviar. The main course was Earth and Water, a duet of beef tenderloin and lobster tail with King Trumpet mushrooms, leeks and a beautiful bordelaise sauce. For dessert there was A Taste of Love, a gilded chocolate ganache torte.
Hollingsworth has appeared as a guest judge on “Top Chef” and is one of the judges on season 3 of the PBS series “The Great American Recipe.” He was also the owner of Otium, a contemporary American restaurant, and has won multiple awards throughout his career, including the Rising Star Chef Award from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Spotted in the dinner crowd were Eric Crabtree, Malissa Feruzzi Shriver, Tammy and Samuel Tang, Larry and Deborah Bridges, Maralou Harrington, Bernie Griffin, Connie Spenuzza, Kate Levering, Jerrod Blandino, Lisa Middleton, Brian Fink, Barbara Johnson, Dee and Larry Higby, Carol and John Curci.
At the Cinderella hour, the golden glow faded and the revelers departed into the cool December Friday night on the coast. One silver sequin shoe was left behind. Perhaps belonging to a real Cinderella? Or was it one of Stephanie Argyro’s silver pumps? Or perhaps it was one of Elton’s missing silver platform shoes from a 1970s-era concert, an imaginary reminder of a magical and memorable five decades of entertainment from the Rocket Man.
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