A high-wattage crowd flocked to Swan’s Way, Denise Rich’s six-acre Southampton abode, for “A Glittering Night Under the Stars: A Celebration of The Best in The Hamptons,” co-hosted by the song-writer/fund-raiser, along with William Curtis, CEO of Curtco Robb Media, benefiting the G&P Foundation for Cancer Research.
The foundation was established in memory of Denise’s daughter, Gabrielle Rich Aouad, a talented actress and writer who died of AML Leukemia in 1996 at the age of 27, after bravely battling and overcoming Hodgkin’s disease just four years earlier. The festivities raised $1.4-mil for the foundation.
Included in the throng: Patti Allen, Star Jones and fiancé Al Reynolds, Dr. Stephen Nimer, Rev. Al Sharpton, Ashanti, Russell Simmons, Alan and Karin Wilzig, Dan Wassong, Howard Lutnick, Patricia Duff, Rick and Kathy Hilton, Charlene and Jimmy Nederlander, Candy and Mark Udell, Marilyn Crawford, Laura Hunt, Nurit Kahane-Haase, Michelle Rella, Marlyne Sexton, and Denise Wohl. The evening’s emcee was Lorraine Bracco.
Christie’s Senior VP George McNeely led an auction of exclusive, over-the-top items. The highlight was a Rolls-Royce Centenary Phantom, one of 35 in the world designed for the British motor-car company’s 100th anniversary, boasting unexpected luxuries like a sterling-silver-capped umbrella (that pops out of the rear passenger door!) and a silver “Spirit of Ecstasy” mascot. Starkey Laboratories’ William Austin nabbed this $350,000 deluxe sedan for a whopping $550,000.
During cocktails, guests had a chance to get up close and personal with an array of exceptional quality goods, including a Predator 55 Sun Seeker yacht, one-of-a-kind diamonds from London Jewelers and Michael Beaudry, a $5-mil Ross-Royce 100EX convertible, elegant timepieces from Piaget and Audemars Pignet, and limited-edition jewels for the home from Jay Strongwater.
The evening concluded with live performances by Tina Novak (“Best New Artist” at the Winter Music Conference International Dance Music Awards), Tony-nominated Daphne Rubin-Vega, and Grammy Award–winning vocalist Michael Bolton, who performed his crowd-pleasing rendition of Puccini’s “Nessun Dorma” from Turandot. The legendary balladeer added the aria to his repertoire after performing it in an all-star ensemble at Luciano Pavarotti’s Modena, Italy, 1995 charity concert, recorded as Pavarotti & Friends Together for the Children of Bosnia, before Princess Diana, a crowd of 15,000, and millions of live television viewers.
One occupancy note: This summer season, Swan’s Way has actually been leased to 19-year-old Russian heiress and model Anna Anisimova for an impressive $550,000! Anisimova and her mother were more than happy to turn over the grounds of the estate for the evening for such a worthwhile cause. (Coincidence—or not: Anna’s father, Vasily Anisimov, a top international metals trader, just happens to be an associate of Denise’s ex-husband, Marc Rich, with whom she claims to have absolutely no contact?)
Later on, some of the guests flocked to the Star Room for the after-party, where Bolton was spotted laying the charm on the ladies, but, much to our surprise, the crooner left the bash solo. All in all, it was a “Rich” success!
