Before taking Kansas City’s breath away during another one of her world-class opera performances, Renée Fleming graced the home of John and Jackie Middelkamp for a night of bliss and remembrance.

The exhaustive list of the Middlecamp's involvement would consume an entire page. But to give a few highlights, Jackie has chaired the Symphony and Lyric Opera balls and the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance’s Crescendo gala, and John serves on the boards of the Lyric Opera and Harriman-Jewell.

 There was a blaze of true star power last October when Renée Fleming stepped into the foyer accompanied by pianist Bradley Moore. The soprano, dressed in a chic red-and-black ruana that coordinated beautifully with Jackie’s deep fuchsia jacket, was in town for her sold-out performance for the 2010 Harriman-Jewell Series.

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