

Riccardo Benavides riffs on the opening-night "Turnadot" performance. Catherine Bigelow/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 11 of21 SF Opera Ball designer J. Catherine Bigelow/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 10 of21 Nancy Bechtle (in a terrific Tom Ford gown) and her husband, Joachim Bechtle, at the SF Opera Ball. George Shultz and his missus, Protocol Chief Charlotte Shultz (in a lovely Monique Lhuillier gown) at the SF Opera Ball. Catherine Bigelow/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 9 of21 The Hon. Catherine Bigelow/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 8 of21 Dagmar Dolby (left) and Catherine Geeslin at the SF Opera Ball. Catherine Bigelow/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 7 of21 Honorary Opera Ball chairwoman Cynthia Fry Gunn and her husband, SF Opera Ball Board Chairman, John Gunn. Catherine Bigelow/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 6 of21 Komal Shah (in an exquisite Oscar de la Renta gown) at the SF Opera Ball. Catherine Bigelow/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 5 of21 SF Opera Ball grand patron Dede Wilsey (left) and her pal, Jane Smith at the SF Opera Ball.

Catherine Bigelow/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 4 of21 A Stanlee Gatti-designed floral dragon greeted SF Opera Ball guests in the opera's foyer.

Catherine Bigelow/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 3 of21 Kathy Hilton and her pal, Dr. Nancy Pelosi and her husband, Paul Pelosi, at the SF Opera Ball. Catherine Bigelow/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of21 Rep. 1 of21 Opera Ball cochair Courtney Labe (left) with SF Opera General Director Matthew Shilvock and ball cochair Maryam Mudoroglu.
