News

NEWS RELEASE

Santa Fe’s own Nancy Zeckendorf co-founder and Chairman of the Lensic Performing Arts Center, past President of The Santa Fe Opera and the person credited by Charles MacKay, General Director of the Opera with heading the campaign to build the beautiful and world renowned Santa Fe Opera received the AgeNation Life Achievement Award on stage at the Lensic on Saturday Night prior to the performance of Ethel Merman’s Broadway.

Mayor David Coss, Robert Glick Executive Director of the Cristus St. Vincen’ts Foundation, Martin Markinson, President of the Empower New Mexico Board of Directors and AgeNation Co-Founders, George and Sedena Cappannelli participated in the presentation in which congratulatory messages from Joseph Pelosi President of the Julliard School, Charles MacKay, Senators Jeff Bingaman, Tom Udall and Governor Bill Richardson were read. Governor Richardson concluded by thanking Mrs. Zeckendorf, “for the many, many ways in which you contribute to making our State and our Capitol city one of the most vital and thriving centers for the arts in America”.

The ANLA Award, designed and donated by Nambe reads, “As co-founder of The Lensic Performing Arts Center and as its Chairman you have made an invaluable contribution to the artistic and cultural life in Santa Fe. Your contributions as President and Chair of The Santa Fe Opera, President of Dance Notation Bureau and Vice President of the Board of American Ballet Theatre have also enriched the lives of so many.

Through your performances as a principal dancer with the Metropolitan Opera and your appearances with the Santa Fe Opera, on Broadway, in summer stock and on television you have also served as a source of inspiration and example of artistic excellence. For all of this we honor you”.

Following the presentation and the performance of Ethel Merman’s Broadway, a special post-theater champagne and chocolates VIP reception followed at the Chamisa Courtyard and Ballroom at The Santa Fe Hilton. The reception was made possible through the generosity of the Hilton management and staff.

AgeNation Life Achievement Awards are presented to individuals whose life and body of work both in their primary careers as well as in their relationship with their community at large serve as inspiring examples of what is possible for people in the second half of life as well as to younger individuals who may have limited perspectives of what older individuals can and do achieve.

Through A Broadway Series and other special events, Empower New Mexico seeks to raise both awareness and funds to underwrite efforts that inform, inspire and engage individuals in the second half of life on the critical challenges and important opportunities facing them as a result of the demographic revolution that will soon find 50% of our population here in New Mexico and around the country over 50 years of age for the first time in history.

For more information visit: www.agenation.com or call 505.982.5753

### End ###