On March 7, 2006, patrons and friends from near and far gathered at New York's St. Regis Hotel for the RNO's 15th Anniversary Gala.

Sophia Loren, John Wyman and Gala Dinner Chair Marianne Wyman [Photo credit: Mary Hilliard] Leadership Sponsor Peter T. Paul, with Jude Blake, donated the fine wines served at the Gala and throughout the 15th Anniversary Tour and Celebration - selections from Grove Street Winery and Peter Paul Wines. [Photo credit: Mary Hilliard]
Meeting the press [Photo credit: Mary Hilliard] [Photo credit: Patrick McMullan]
Leadership Sponsor Tatiana Copeland and Martha Stewart [Photo credit: Patrick McMullan] Leadership Sponsors Conrad and Deborah Hock, with Charles Wittingham [Photo credit: Mary Hilliard]
Marianne Wyman with Gala Committee Chair Elizabeth Stribling and Guy Robinson [Photo credit: Mary Hilliard] Honoree Simonyi with Shelby White and Somers Farkas [Photo credit: Patrick McMullan]
Sponsors Scott and Laurie Oki, who came from Seattle for the Gala [Photo credit: Mary Hilliard] Elaine Sargent, Gerald Tsai and Sharon Bush [Photo credit: Mary Hilliard]

Kate Spade
[Photo credit: Patrick McMullan]
Barclay Butera, and Clo and Charles Cohen [Photo credit: Patrick McMullan] Ethan Ayer and Gala Committee member Jennifer Acker [Photo credit: Mary Hilliard]
Gala Committee member Christa Percopo, with Sponsors Arlene Inch and Russian Arts Foundation Board member Barbara Roach [Photo credit: Mary Hilliard] Ella Krasner and Audrey Gruss [Photo credit: Mary Hilliard]
Russian Arts Foundation Board member Michael Polenske, with Tsevia Mezentseva and Andrey Volgin, guests of Gala Sponsor MTS [Photo credit: Mary Hilliard] Sponsors George and Jenifer Lang [Photo credit: Mary Hilliard]
Gala Committee member Rita Mehos and Charles Grader [Photo credit: Mary Hilliard] Sponsor Mary Ann Pocapalia and daughter Diana Kern, a member of the Russian Arts Foundation Board, with Carlo Ponti [Photo credit: Mary Hilliard]
John and Caroline McCallister, and Kate and Andy Spade [Photo credit: Mary Hilliard] Gala Sponsors from Texas -- Lou Dunn Diekemper, and Mia and Gerry Maddoux [Photo credit: Mary Hilliard]
Lincoln Center Board member Anthony Marshall and his wife Charlene [Photo credit: Mary Hilliard] [Photo credit: Patrick McMullan]
Martha Stewart and Vladimir Jurowksi, RNO Guest Conductor [Photo credit: Mary Hilliard] Gala Committee members April and Roddy Gow, with Jillian Sackler and Dr. Bruce Horton [Photo credit: Mary Hilliard]
Gerret Copeland and Susan Hutchison [Photo credit: Patrick McMullan] Yefim Bronfman [Photo credit: Patrick McMullan]
Nina Kotova [Photo credit: Patrick McMullan] Mikhail Simonyan, accompanied by Tatiana Goncharova [Photo credit: Patrick McMullan]
Carlo Ponti and his mother presenting the RNO Silver Baton [Photo credit: Patrick McMullan] The RNO Strings Ensemble performed the world premiere of Program Dances by Andrey Rubtsov, commissioned by the RNO in honor of Charles Simonyi [Photo credit: Patrick McMullan]
The honoree tries out his Silver Baton [Photo credit: Patrick McMullan] Charles Simonyi receives the score of Program Dances from composer Andrey Rubstov
Marianne Wyman and Russian Arts Foundation president Richard Walker [Photo credit: Patrick McMullan] [Photo credit: Patrick McMullan]