H.E. Ambassador Said Jawad Attends Opera Gala
Washington Times
02/13/2006
Opera gala sings praises of 'Edo'
February 13, 2006
THE EVENT: The Women's Committee of the Washington National
Opera's "Midwinter Gala in the Ancient City of Edo"
(as Tokyo was known until 1867).
THE SCENE: "Nobody can say you are fair-weather friends,"
gala chairwoman Frances Norris chirped to opera stalwarts as
the Japanese-themed extravaganza got under way Saturday night.
So what if snow and sleet were blowing outside? There was plenty
of time to enjoy the party before the heavy stuff really piled
up later. And who wanted to miss the spectacle of throbbing
Taiko drummers and koto (zither) players welcoming guests to
the Mellon Auditorium's warm confines, to say nothing of sake
and heaping trays of sushi and tempura at the ready? Japanese
cultural demonstrations -- calligraphy, origami (paper folding)
and a performance by two dancing Sony robots -- proved diverting
distractions as well, along with a Japanese feast (grilled cod
with miso, mushroom dashi, braised duck), dancing to a live
rock band and the inevitable silent and live auctions.
DIPLOMATS GATHER: Japan's Ryozo Kato was first among equals
in a sizeable contingent of ambassadors, many of whom voiced
concerns about recent violence related to cartoon depictions
of the prophet Muhammad in the Western press.
"Hamid Karzai, our president, has pointed out that Muhammad
is too large a personality to be insulted by a cartoon,"
Afghan Ambassador Said Jawad said after noting that the Taliban
was behind civil unrest in his country. Asked why Morocco has
had relatively few disturbances, Moroccan Ambassador Aziz Mekouar's
reply was notably concise: "We don't allow it," he
said.
PARTY DOLLS: The invitation specified "black-tie or national
dress," which ensured utmost costumed finery from stalwart
supporters. Nina Pillsbury was striking in red Hanae Mori couture,
Toni Gore incomparable in a magnificently embroidered uchikake
wedding robe. ("My husband is telling everyone it's worth
a million dollars and that he's my security guard," she
said with a laugh.)
"I'm his geisha, he's my samurai," kimono-clad Rebecca
Burton teased as her husband, Larry, showed off a warrior's
bandanna on his forehead.
BESTDRESSED: Patricia Oxley, who required the services of a
professional dresser to correctly don her elaborate uchikake,
kimono and bunkin takashimada (wig) ensemble.
"I got them all on E-Bay," Mrs. Oxley enthused. Later,
her husband, Rep. Michael G. Oxley, revealed that she had nixed
his plan to come as a sumo wrestler -- the first time the powerful
House Financial Services Committee chairman has been overruled
in recent memory.
-- Kevin Chaffee
