Opera fans fete Wagner’s kin
THE Wagner Society of Hawaii held a reception Tuesday night at the Hawaii Theatre to honor Wolfgang and Gudrun Wagner. Wagner is the grandson of composer Richard Wagner and the great-grandson of Franz Lizst. Wagner, 78, and his late brother, Wieland, re-established Germany's famed Bayreuth Music Festival in 1951, which Wolfgang still directs. The Wagners came from Tokyo, where he directed the Wagnerian opera "Lohengrin." Isle opera lovers such as Larry and Kiyomi Lueck, Jim and Betty Becker, Sarah Richards, Henry Akina, Jean Rolles, Aaron Mahi and Cathy Foy, Mary Foster, Michael Tiknis, Sam Wong and Cliff and Carol Eblen attended the reception, catered by Glenn Chu's Indigo. The Frau would have loved this one. Asked by guests if I am a Wagnerite, I said that I prefer Frank Sinatra. Despite stern looks, I was allowed to stay. Larry Lueck, head of the local Wagner Society, said a dinner for the Wagners, with entertainment, will be held at the Kahala Mandarin tomorrow. Cost is $100. Call Lueck at 373-5330 ...
MEMBERS of the Bolshoi Ballet were invited to have a Thanksgiving meal at the Hard Rock Cafe Thursday. Today, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., is the last day to see the Bolshoi at the Concert Hall ... Jim Nabors' Christmas special is on tap Friday and next Saturday at the Hawaii Theatre. Emma Veary, Karen Keawehawaii and others will add holiday musical cheer ... Bill Cox has recovered from a Nov. 13 liver operation and swings back into action with his Over the Hill Gang Jass Band tonight at a private party ...
Tossing out the turkeys
AL VINCI'S Ilikai Coconuts Comedy Club crew did their bit to feed the hungry on Thanksgiving. Last Saturday, they tossed "the turkeys out of the state capitol." Refrigerated turkeys with prominent politicians' names were tossed from the Capitol Beretania entrance into a net held by members of Helping Hands Hawaii. The 20 turkeys were distributed to the hungry ... Model-actress Theresa San Nicolas raised enough money to feed 72 families on Thanksgiving. Next year it's 100 or bust, Theresa says ...BEAUTIFUL: Carl Smigielski, owner of Sandwich Isles Realty, was getting instructions on judging the Miss Hawaii USA contest just before the recent competition at Diamond Head Theatre when his cellular phone rang. It was a broker with an offer for a listing. The broker rushed to the site, handed Carl the offer, and it resulted in a sale ... David Soares, wildly passionate about Notre Dame football, mailed Mamo aloha shirts to Irish coach Bob Davie, Assistant Athletic Director George Kelly and team chaplain Father James Riehly before they left South Bend, Ind., so they could have an isle look ...
Surprise for Kevin
TWO of my nieces, Karen Armstrong and Yvonne Hyland, brought my sister Beverly Yeager's ashes home from the mainland last week to be placed with those of my parents. Bev died about six months ago, and since Karen, a veepee with Princess Cruises in L.A., was coming to town to give a speech, the women brought the ashes. Father Joseph Priestly conducted a warm family service for Bev. Later, Karen and Yvonne learned that a nephew they had never seen, Kevin Pedersen, was working at Sam Choy's at Diamond Head. Bert Thomas took them to Sam's and they asked for Kevin, the son of their step-brother, Ramrod Pedersen and his wife, Pat. When Kevin came to the table, the women floored him by saying, "We are your aunts!" Poor Kevin didn't know what to think ...