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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Opera Carolina patrons are used to seeing crimes of passion on stage, especially since many of them recently attended the incredible season opening performance of the Italian opera “Tosca” and its famous finale of death. So guests at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina’s annual gala that’s Charlotte’s most exclusive black tie benefit, loved the clever dark humor of the crime scene that greeted them outside Belk Theater during the cocktail hour. Men dressed as Italian police officers stood watch over a Gucci Fiat where a beautiful young woman lay nearby in a pool of red sequins instead of blood. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Opera Carolina patrons are used to seeing crimes of passion on stage, especially since many of them recently attended the incredible season opening performance of the Italian opera “Tosca” and its famous finale of death. So guests at Bella Notte, including Mayor Anthony Foxx and his wife, Samara, appreciated the clever dark humor of the crime scene that greeted them outside Belk Theater during the cocktail hour. Men dressed as Italian police officers stood watch over a Gucci Fiat where a beautiful young woman lay nearby in a pool of red sequins instead of blood. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Gala chairs Barrie and Matt Benson at the Italian "crime scene" at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Atmosphere during the cocktail hour outside Belk Theater at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Opera singers dressed as waiters were a mini flash mob as they suddenly burst into song while serving dinner.at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala held onstage at Belk Theater amid the set for Opera Carolina's acclaimed production of "Tosca." (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Atmosphere on stage at Belk Theater during Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's annual fundraising gala. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Guests dance to the Big Swing Orchestra on stage at Belk Theater during Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Guests at the Bella Notte after party, called Bar Bella Notte, at Belk Theater. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Guests at the Bella Notte after party, called Bar Bella Notte, at Belk Theater. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    - Laura Mueller
    Regine and Andreas Bechtler at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Laura Mueller)
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    Laura Mueller - Laura Mueller
    Jeff and Gretchen Brown walk by Italian "crime scene" tape at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Laura Mueller)
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    Guests at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Laura Mueller)
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    Congressman Mel Watt and his wife, Eulada, with Mayor Anthony Foxx and his wife, Samara, at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Laura Mueller)
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    Laura Mueller - Laura Mueller
    Commiette member Anne Carter Smith, Opera Carolina Maestro James Meena and gala chair Barrie Benson at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Laura Mueller)
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    Laura Mueller - Laura Mueller
    Betsy Rosen, Peg Povinelli and Hillary Cooper at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Laura Mueller)
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    Laura Mueller - Laura Mueller
    Guests at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Laura Mueller)
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    Laura Mueller - Laura Mueller
    Tatume and Mary Margaret Gressette with Shelly and Adam Landau at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Laura Mueller)
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    Laura Mueller - Laura Mueller
    Angela and Jesse Cureton Jr. at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Laura Mueller)
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    Laura Mueller - Laura Mueller
    Chris and Beth Avery at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Laura Mueller)
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    Laura Mueller - Laura Mueller
    Drs. Sherry and Matt Saxonhouse at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Laura Mueller)
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    Laura Mueller - Laura Mueller
    Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Laura Mueller)
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    Laura Mueller - Laura Mueller
    Gala chair Barrie Benson and John Bossard at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraiser at Belk Theater. (Photo by Laura Mueller)
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    Nazy and Dr. Durham Weeks at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Laura Mueller)
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    Laura Mueller - Laura Mueller
    Liz Hilliard and her daughter, Clary Gray, at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Laura Mueller)
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    Laura Mueller - Laura Mueller
    Robert and Clary Gray at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Laura Mueller)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Todd and Alexandra Holleman at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Stephen and Laura Philipson at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. Gala chair Barrie Benson encouraged women to wear any shade of red. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Paige and Art Roselle at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Congressman Mel Watt and his wife, Eulada, with Maestro James Meena at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Dr. Derek and Judy Raghavan at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Committee member Haley Poole, Parker Shuford and Liz Simmons at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Drs. Ki-Hyun and Sun Shin Chun at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Nicole Bedway with Kathy Taylor at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Cathy and Ned Austin at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Kitty Bray and Laura Vinroot Poole at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Lisa Weisiger and Dargan Perrin at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Mary Margaret Gressette, Shelly Landau and Stephanie Bissell at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Wendy Yang Photography)
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    Wendy Yang - © Wendy Yang Photography
    Parker and Stephen Shuford at Bella Notte, Opera Carolina's fundraising gala at Belk Theater. (Photo by Laura Mueller)
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