In memoriam Patricia Corbett: A sad day for the arts in Cincinnati
Today around 3 p.m., I got a call from the Corbett Foundation that Patricia Corbett had passed away. One cannot begin to express what she and her husband, J. Ralph Corbett have done for music, culture, education and medicine in our region, and even around the country and the world. Few patrons are left in our city and our country who possess Mrs. Corbett's passion and devotion for the arts. I'll never forget following her around CCM onetime for a profile I wrote of her. She was probably in her 90s, even then. We attended a show in Patricia Corbett Theater at CCM, and she sat in the front row (her usual place), beaming and waving down to the orchestra in the pit. Afterwards, she found her way backstage, walking quickly in her little white tennis shoes to find her stars, so that she could congratulate them.
Watch for more in tomorrow's Enquirer, and do post your personal memories here, or on the enquirer's message board.
posted by Janelle Gelfand at 9:30 PM
6 Comments:
at 1/30/2008 09:59:00 AM 
Jeffrey Biegel said...
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at 1/30/2008 10:15:00 AM 
Janelle Gelfand said...
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at 1/30/2008 05:14:00 PM 
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at 1/31/2008 03:16:00 PM 
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at 1/31/2008 03:46:00 PM 
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at 2/01/2008 05:16:00 AM 
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Post a Comment*I met Mrs. Patricia Corbett in the year 2000 when she was only 91 years of age. She had attended the world premiere of Ellen Taaffe Zwilich's "Millennium Fantasy" when Jesus Lopez-Cobos was Music Director for the CSO. She was very kind and commended the new music. Standing in the renovated Music Hall with the 'Grande Lady' who was responsible, along with her husband, for the beauty of this landmark was a very special occasion. She will be missed, though her spirit will dwell in the city of Cincinnati and environs in which her name will remain as part of the advancement of the arts.
With my best wishes,
Jeffrey Biegel
This message from distinguished opera maestro Julius Rudel was left on Cincinnati Opera's voicemail:
"Patricia Corbett was a great friend to me, to the opera and to many musicians. She and her husband did a great deal to generously support the arts. I was very fond of her and mourn her loss."
--Maestro Julius Rudel
Janelle,
Myself (a '98 graduate of CCM's Theater Design & Production's undergraduate stage management program) & another '98 graduate (of CCM's Theater Design & Production's master's program) just learned of beloved patron Patty Corbett's passing. We just talked about how it comforted us to see her in the second row on the center right aisle from the tech booth in PCT (Patricia Corbett Theater) - that's at least where we saw her for productions of BABES IN ARMS in the Fall of 2007 & the Opera Workshop in Jan. 2008. I'll never forget her hopping up on stage after the Opera Workshop production & meeting the lead tenor of that performance. I suddenly felt like I was in Italy at a major opera house with such a beloved patron coming up on stage after the show to meet the lead....& not at a school where we took classes during the day. Now that her actual age has been revealed, I am floored by her energy & activeness during my time at CCM. I would have never guessed that. She probably would like the idea that I guessed her to be in her late sixties/early seventies tops in 1998. No joke. The Patricia Corbett Theater & the J. Ralph Corbett theaters at CCM were so beautiful. The J. Ralph Corebett Theater was the first time I had ever seen actual hardwood floors. Anywhere, much less on a stage. And that picture of her in your Tuesday article - gosh, was she a looker in her day! I had no idea of the depth of her giving throughout Cincinnati & at NKU. And thank you for telling us about the envelopes to the ushers at Christmas. I felt she was that kind of lady, you could just tell. She really cared. She was present & involved. There will be no other like her. Though I hope some try. I love the theater & art community in Cincinnati. I was a part of it for a long time. I just wanted you to know that two CCM grads who have worked for quite a while in Los Angeles, in both television & theater, are thinking about Patty Corbett today.
All the best,
Kim Crabtree
Oh dear. I meant BABES IN ARMS in Fall of 1997 & the Winter Concert in 1998.
The Corbetts were generous and early supporters of CET. We found some priceless video of Pat and J. Ralph when they visited our studios in 1976. You can watch the interview at CETconnect.org.
They both discuss how much the Arts in Cincinnati meant to them and how proud they felt of Cincinnati’s leadership in the Arts as they traveled the country and the world.
Jack Dominic
CET
you truly were an Angel to the Arts. I meant you at the Stonewall Dinner eight years ago. That meant she was ninety-one years old. It was brief but all I know is Patricia Corbett spoke to me! In more ways than one.
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