Save Venice, the leading American nonprofit dedicated to preserving the artistic heritage of Venice, Italy, hosted its highly anticipated annual fundraiser, Un Ballo in Maschera, at the Plaza Hotel’s iconic Grand Ballroom. Often compared to the Met Costume Gala for its spectacular fashion and cultural significance, the event sold out once again, welcoming over 500 guests for an opulent evening of masked revelry, seated dinner, and dancing.
This year’s theme, The Banquet of Cleopatra, drew inspiration from Giambattista Tiepolo’s lush 18th-century feast paintings, capturing the grandeur of the fabled meeting between Mark Antony and Cleopatra. Guests embraced the spirit with elaborate costumes and artistic masks, creating a visual tableau as stunning as any Venetian festival.
Throughout the evening, the spirit of preservation and celebration danced hand in hand. Among the evening’s activities was a ceremony judged by style icon and former J.Crew President Jenna Lyons, who also stars on The Real Housewives of New York. Lyons’s fashion influence is credited with bringing a “geek chic” aesthetic to American mainstream fashion.
Jenna Lyons awarded “Most Creative Mask” to Yu-Chi Lyra Kuo, and “Most On-Theme Mask” to Devin Finzer, an American entrepreneur whose costume captured the opulence of Cleopatra’s legendary banquet. Yet it was Bonnie Comley’s historically rooted and fashion-forward interpretation that truly embodied the night’s ethos: honoring the past while celebrating its enduring beauty.
Bonnie Comley was awarded “Most Venetian Mask”. Comley wore a vintage silver sequin mermaid gown by Norman Norell, a designer revered for his timeless elegance and the subject of the 1972 Met Gala. Her mask—a silver bauta-inspired piece—paid homage to centuries of Venetian history. The bauta, characterized by its full-face coverage and lack of a mouth opening, was not merely decorative; historically, it served as a social equalizer in Venice, allowing citizens of all classes to mingle without revealing their social status. Worn by women at the theater by mandate and celebrated for its freedom and anonymity, the bauta perfectly suited Comley, who is both a three-time Tony Award winner and CEO of BroadwayHD.
Founded in 1971, Save Venice has funded the conservation of over 2,000 works of art and architecture across Venice, ranging from delicate paintings to monumental buildings. Following the devastating floods of November 2019—the second-worst in Venice’s history—the organization established the Immediate Response Fund, ensuring that emergency relief and preventive conservation efforts could be implemented swiftly to protect the city’s vulnerable treasures. Save Venice also fosters education through the Rosand Library & Study Center, exhibitions, fellowships, and publications, all of which advance the scholarship of Venetian art and history.
With its exquisite setting, dazzling guests, and dedication to saving Venice’s irreplaceable cultural patrimony, the Save Venice Un Ballo in Maschera once again proved why it stands as one of New York’s most glamorous and meaningful events.