NEW YORK-MAY 19: Career Bridges’ 7th Annual Gala Concert and Dinner was held on May 19, 2009 at the Jumeirah Essex House, 160 Central Park South, New York City, NY (Tel: 212.247.0300) The special evening was held With with over 200 guests in attendance, honoring Speight Jenkins, the general director of the Seattle Opera, a national advocate for the support of young opera singers, as well as maestro Julius Rudel, former general director and conductor of the NYC Opera, a man who has discovered many a young opera talent. It introduced 2009 Career Bridges grant winners as well. Also honored were the Metropolitan Opera Chorus, with Chorus Master, Donald Palumbo, and the Career Bridges 2009 Grant Winners who justifiably are dubbed as ‘stellar.’ Attending the glittering event as one of its Honorary chairs, Patrice Munsel, an American coloratura soprano who was the youngest ever to star at the Metropolitan Opera. Also attending was the ever-vivacious Arlene Dahl and husband Mark Rose. The silent auction featured DESIGNS by Rafael Sanchez including a Matisse print bag, a hand-painted dragon fly earrings, a carved rock crystal and Faux Amber pendant necklace worth $6,000, and an assortment of items such as lunch at upscale NY restaurants, dinner at John Livanos’ Molyvos restaurant, Café Des Artistes among others, a week’s accommodations for two at Quisisana in Maine, and two night stay with 4 course dinner at Oheka Castle on Long Island’s Gold Coast. Barbara and David Bender, co-founders, stated "We are so thankful; because of you we are able to continue to provide grants over a three year period for training, and performance opportunities to highly talented young classical singers in order to prepare them to launch their careers. " Photos & Story Courtesy of Lorraine Cancro.