Leading figures from the world of business and art flocked to the East End’s most famous gallery last night for a fundraising opera event with a 1920s theme.
The Whitechapel Gallery was transformed into an Art Deco ballroom for the evening.
Nadja Swarovski, executive board member of fine crystal chain Swarovski, sponsoring the event, was among those to receive a red carpet reception.
An impressive �335,000 was raised for the gallery’s education programme which works with thousands of children every year.
Artists Tracey Emin, Rachel Whiteread, Pam Hogg and Dinos Chapman, musician Beth Orton and the gallery’s director Iwona Blazwick also attended.
The main hall was transformed into a scene of opulence for the event, with grand chandeliers that were used in Oscar-winning film Black Swan shipped in and a full length curtain formed from hundreds of Swarovski crystal strands adorning the main stage.
Renditions of scenes from operas Tosca and La boh�me were staged and, later on, bidding wars took place during an art auction led by Sotheby’s Oliver Barker.
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