Local corporations and political heavy hitters, including former Gov. Jim Florio, spent the night “Under a Sapphire Sky” on Saturday, April 1, even though they were really in Hanger 118 of the Teterboro Airport.
The fundraiser for the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra was partially the brainchild of West New York resident Theo Staub, who is the head of Jet Aviation North America. The international firm deals with aircraft sales, charter services, staffing of corporate jet fleets and engineering services.
Each year for the last four, the statewide orchestra has held a “Palace Ball” fundraising gala. Last year, Staub, a fan of both aviation and classical music, proposed the collaboration between Jet Aviation and the NJ Symphony Orchestra.
“It was an outstanding event last year, so they decided to do it here again,” said Staub.
The Symphony Orchestra performs in many different venues around the state.
“We’re the rare animal in the symphony orchestra world; while most orchestras belong to a city, we belong to the state,” said Alice Golembo, the gala coordinator.
$2,500 per person
This year’s gala theme was “1,001 Arabian Nights.” Golembo said, “Ancient Middle Eastern legend stated that the earth rested on a sapphire, whose reflection was seen in the sky, so we made the event all about Arabian nights.”
Tickets for the black tie event cost $2,500, and it had about 250 people in attendance.
Event designer David Mitchell, of Still Life Fine Event Design of Morristown, was given the task of transforming one of Jet Aviation’s airplane hangers into a mystical world worthy of Aladdin.
“This gala is one of our most important fundraisers of the year. It has to be perfect,” said Golembo.
Dubbed as an evening “Under a Sapphire Sky,” Mitchell was able transform the hanger into an Arabian palace. Guests of the gala, including the United Arab Emirates’ ambassador from Washington D.C., were treated to an intimate cocktail hour, followed by a private concert featuring the NJ Symphony Orchestra.
Afterwards, guests could adjourn to the main dining salon, which had been decorated by palm trees, draperies, urns full of flowers and fruits, and throw pillows.
Costumed men and ladies in waiting also strolled the halls.
“I have one night; essentially a few hours, to make a statement,” said Mitchell. “It’s a cross between an art installation and a theatre piece.”
Mitchell also brought in white lights, silk hassocks, and flowers to mimic the fabled sun-bleached deserts of the Middle East.
The fundraising gala supports the organization’s outreach and education programs like the Greater Newark Youth Orchestra and the Newark Early Strings Program.
To highlight the programs, 20 students from the Early Strings Program opened the evening concert, along with the orchestra.
“We want our patrons and sponsors to meet the children who benefit from their continued support,” said Victor Parsonnet, symphony board chairman. “This is the best way to showcase our programs and the state’s talented children.”
Your host
Originally from Switzerland, Staub has been in the world of aviation for most of his life, from learning to fly at 17 to working as the executive director of one of the most prestigious corporate aviation businesses in the world.
“Flying was more of a hobby, so I got into the aviation business in 1975,” said Staub.
An aficionado of classical music as well, Staub played the flute and studied classical as a boy. While in college he even played with a brass orchestra.
So it seemed only natural to help promote the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra.
“We support the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, which does great things in the community, and we are able to promote our services to a target audience away from the hard sell,” said Staub.
However, even a fan of the classics delves into other musical styles, and for Staub, there is nothing like a good Latin beat.
“Other students studied piano or violin, but I switched from flutes to drums,” said Staub, who claims to still bang the bongos from time to time. “Music is a bridge between cultures.”
A bit of an adventurer in his own right, Staub spends his free time downhill skiing, dabbling in underwater photography during scuba diving excursions, and skydive freefalling.
“That’s real aviation,” Staub said. “You don’t even need an aircraft to fly. I feel there are a lot of things to discover in life.”
North American headquarters at Teterboro
Jet Aviation was founded in Switzerland in 1967, and has about 60 facilities around the world, with bases in North and South America, Europe, and the Middle and Far East.
Its services include aircraft sales, charter services, management and staffing of corporate jet fleets and engineering services, among other considerations.
There North American headquarters is located at Teterboro Airport, and also recently opened a new facility in Dubai. There are also plans for facilities in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Russia, China, and India.
Staub first joined Jet Aviation in Zurich in 1992 as the vice president/general manager of Jest Aviation Business Jets. In 2003 he was transferred to Teterboro to head and restructure the North American base.
“It’s been a great experience working in the United States marketplace,” said Staub, who is also a part of the advisory board for the NPAA and on the board of directors for the NATA.
Jet Aviation has hosted other charitable events at their other facilities around the country, most recently including “La Bella Macchina,” which was a fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club of Palm Beach County in Florida.
The pairing of Jet Aviation and the orchestra seemed to work out well, since the orchestra returned for the second year.
“I think that at the end, it has to do with chemistry,” said Staub. “The event also helped change the image of the airport for the community.”