Come one, come all…
To Solheim’s Masqduerade Ball!
With summer speeding by it’ll be Halloween before we know it, which means it’s almost time to slip on our masks—the glamorous, mysterious, romantic kind!
This October 28, Solheim Senior Community celebrates our Centennial with our first ever Masquerade Ball, and you are invited! The theme is “Unmasking Solheim’s Second Century,” which you can interpret in any fabulous way you like.
Whether your mask exudes wit or whimsy, we’ll be dining and dancing to live entertainment with a real-time auction and a special bling raffle. The wine will flow and our spirits will glow. We’ll be hiding our faces but strutting our stuff!
Masquerade balls have a long, storied history. Italy’s Venice Carnival began in 1162 to celebrate the Republic’s independence. Masked balls remained popular with visiting European aristocracy until both the balls and the wearing of face-concealing masks were banned by Napoleon in 1797. Not until 1979 did the Italian government restart their masquerade tradition, and now it’s one of the world’s most colorful celebrations.
From the 15th century, masked balls became popular throughout Europe to celebrate Carnival Season, the period preceding Lent. Elaborate masks were more than adornment; hiding one’s identity was a deliberate part of the fun. On the sin side, the cloaking of one’s identity gave license to scandalous behavior. On the virtuous side, face masks effectively blurred social divisions, providing equal status for the night.
Masquerade balls also gave rise to forbidden love. Romeo and Juliet first met behind masks at a ball.
Modern history is replete with fantastical masquerade balls.
In 1923 Paris, American expats Gerald and Sara Murphy threw a masquerade ball on a large barge on the Seine in celebration of Igor Stravinsky’s new ballet, Les Noces. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Cole Porter, Jean Cocteau and Pablo Picasso made merry until the sun rose.
In 1966 Manhattan, author Truman Capote threw the legendary Black and White Ball in the Plaza Hotel’s Grand Ballroom. Capote’s 540 closest friends—simply everyone who was anyone—wore their most elegant black and white evening wear. Masks were required.
Not to be outdone, the baroness Marie-Helene de Rothschild threw the 1972 Surrealist Ball at her French country estate. Invitations were printed backwards, requiring a mirror to decipher them, and called for “black tie, long dresses and surrealist heads.” In keeping with the theme, the marvelous Audrey Hepburn wore a bamboo birdcage over her head.
Solheim Senior Community’s Masquerade Ball makes history on Saturday, October 28 at the La Canada Flintridge Country Club. Should you be inspired to sponsor or underwrite our 100th Anniversary ball, you and your guests could enjoy premier VIP seating and concierge table service, as well as named recognition in our event program, our website and our newsletter.
It's no mystery what your generous gifts will support! Solheim’s Charitable Care fund allows our seniors who have outlived their financial resources to remain in the care and comfort of their loving Solheim home. A gift of even $1000 makes a beautiful contribution to a life well-loved.
So mark your calendars and start planning your mask. Will it be witty or winsome, romantic or ravishing? Will it cover your eyes or your entire face? (No mask? We’ll have you covered with a complimentary one at the door.)
We’ll be swanning around in cocktail attire being our most glamorous selves—or maybe someone else entirely. Let’s make Solheim’s Masquerade Ball one for the ages. Whomever you decide to be, we cannot wait to not recognize you!
Visit www.solheimsenior.org/masqueradeball for more information and opportunities.