The Virtual Gala

By Rebecca Winzenried

Gauging the success or failure of an orchestra gala, that glitzy fundraising concert bookended by a cocktail reception and dinner, is usually pretty straightforward: a sum-total contribution to the coffers is calculated from ticket and table sales, auction bids, sponsorships, and a general sense of just how good a time was had by all.

But like everything else in the year 2020, the calculation has been upended, tossed out the window, thrown down the drain. With live performances curtailed and large-scale social gatherings verboten, galas, too, have gone virtual.