NEW YORK-MARCH 10: ASIA SOCIETY: “A Celebration of Asia Week” on Tuesday, March 10, 2009 at Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue, New York City, NY. Tony-Award winning actor BD Wong served as Honorary Chair for the evening, which featured chic cocktail receptions, and an elegant Collectors’ Dinner for Patrons or festive “Bangkok Nights” supper club with dancing for Young Patrons and music curated by DJ Serebe. The evening featured special performances by the innovative jazz saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa with guitar virtuoso Rez Abbasi and tabla star Dan Weiss, as well as Hao Jing Tian, the world-renowned basso cantante and pioneer in the world of opera since the early 1990s. Guests enjoy privated access to the Museum’s exhibitions Asian Journeys: Collecting Art in Post War America, Yang Fudong: Seven Intellectuals in a Bamboo Forest and Sages of the Bamboo Grove. A live auction transported guests to exotic Asian locales with several extraordinary journeys on offer, the highlight of which is the “Thailand Dream Excursion” crafted by longtime supporters Joan & Edward Marcus. All guests of the Celebration received a Golden Pass, an exclusive insider’s ticket to nearly 20 private gallery previews, curator-led tours, auction house viewings, lectures, and other exceptional events during Asia Week in New York City. Held March 11–20, Asia Week attracts top dealers and collectors of some of the most important Asian art on the market from around the globe. Expected guests at the Celebration of Asia Week benefit included: Honorary Chair BD Wong, Co-chairs Janet Jacobs and Susan Shin, as well as Lois Collier, Scott Delman, Inger McCabe Elliot, Cynthia Hazen Polsky and Leon Polsky, Janet Ross (Mrs. Arthur Ross), Paul Tagliabue and Marie-Helene Weill. Also in attendance were Young Patrons co-chairs Laura Begley, Ida Liu and Diana Sheng Hsu as well as Pooneh Mohazzabi, Wesley Wang and Arden Wohl. Attire for the evening was Asian Chic or National Dress. Tickets for the event were $1,000 for Collectors Dinner and $225 for the Young Patrons (age 40 and under) “Bangkok Nights Supper Club.” For tickets please call (212) 517-ASIA and for information about the events please call (212) 327-9335 or visit http://www.asiasociety.org/asiaweekbenefit PHOTO CREDIT:Copyright ©Manhattan Society.com 2009 by Christopher London | tel: Private |e-mail: ChrisLondon@manhattansociety.com ****NOTE: More notes, id's and select images to follow later this evening*****