Born To Be Blue - Live / Take 1

Well, good evening

Uh, it is my great pleasure to welcome you all this afternoon

Here at the Lyric Opera House in Washington D.C., uh...

On a very special occasion: The 50th anniversary of our first

Broadcast right outside your doors just two years ago today

From the small auditorium within the building where we are

Gathered with you tonight for what has been an incredibly exciting

Year and I can't thank each one of you enough who have made that

Possible by returning members or new supporters whose generosity

Makes such events as these absolutely indispensable to us

We're also grateful for the support which continues to flow

Into the foundation's programs through contributions like

Yours along with other generous gifts to help preserve

The legacy of Carnegie Hall itself; its students, the

Artists who perform here; our friends in WGBH and PBS Studios

We're grateful for your support of all that we do to help preserve

This great institution which has been a beacon of musical excellence

Since 1898 when Carnegie Hall was opened by President Theodore

Roosevelt as part of the nation's bicentennial celebrations and we

Are so grateful for your ongoing financial assistance now

More than ever through the Foundation's support of programs

Like this one tonight and others that help make Carnegie

Hall a leader in arts education across our country as well

Internationally; we are so grateful indeed because without

All of your generous contributions none would be possible

So it is with great pleasure therefore today on behalf of

Everyone here at Carnegie Hall including myself am happy to

Announce special thanks from those who have made their gifts

Available publicly before us by way of acceptance of gratitude

The Howard Marks Family of Cleveland, Ohio whose generosity

Supports programming such as this evening' s program; Mr

And Mrs

Thomas J

Beckwith and their children Emily and

Matt, donors of $50 each; William A

Brockman III of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, donor of $1000; Charles M

Duffield of Scranton, Pennsylvania,who has donated another

Thousand dollars via check and again very gratefully received