Photos: MMFA Ball goes next level, raising more than $2 million

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It was a November night to remember as 1,000 of the city’s top artists, collectors, patrons, philanthropists, business leaders and culture enthusiasts heeded the invite’s call for ’60s and ’70s high glam and exuberance — inspired by the current exhibit of visionary artist Marisol — and descended upon the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts for the much anticipated 63rd annual MMFA Ball.

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Festivities elegantly chaired by Charles Emond, president and CEO of CDPQ, and France Margaret Bélanger, president, sports and entertainment of Club de hockey Canadien, got underway with an expectations-exceeding cocktail reception during which guests also had the opportunity to explore the impressive exhibit Marisol: A Retrospective, making its world première at the museum.

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From there, it was on to the main event: a multi-course experience in gastronomy curated by the Château Frontenac’s renowned chef Gabriel Molleur-Langevin, featuring a menu showcasing the best in Quebec products, brilliantly executed by Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth’s foodie dream team under the masterful direction of Armando Arruda, executive chef Jean-Mark Léon and chef/caterer Pablo Gonzalez.

Equally stirring were the galleries, transformed for the occasion into creative masterpieces by Valentine Hinfray and Alexandra Briand-Soucy as well as gifted artists Cyndie Belhumeur, Nicolas Grenier, MissMe and architecture and urban design firm NÓS.

Next up was a chance to work off all those well-curated calories, thanks to musical maestros Charles Cozy, Dr. MaD, and Royal 5 and the Generation, who had everyone dancing into the wee hours, including a fresh set of young adult patrons who arrived at 9 p.m.

To say that one of the most sought-after tickets on the country’s social circuit — proudly presented by Banque Scotia — was a success is an understatement. VIP guests were over the moon, including Geoff Molson, owner, president and CEO, Club de hockey Canadien, the Bell Centre and Evenko, on scene with legendary Montreal Canadien Yvan Cornoyer; Quebec Premier François Legault and wife Isabelle Brais; Economy, Innovation and Energy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon; artists Pierre Lapointe and designing duo Fecal Matter; homegrown super athlete Laurent Duvernay-Tardif with love, art curator extraordinaire Florence-Agathe Dubé-Moreau; and many more.

As for the final tally of the evening, a staggeringly impactful $2 million plus was raised thanks to lead sponsors like CN, Dunton Rainville, Broccolini and Perrier — funds integral to the ongoing operation and expansion of the museum’s programming, collections, and educational and art therapy programs.

What will they do for an encore?

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