Mercedes T. Bass

When Mercedes Bass enters any concert hall, there is always a flourish of excitement.  Ushers rush to open her box.  On cue, there is an imaginary drum roll as she takes her seat.  The audience swivels around, looks up and acknowledges the patron saint of classical music is in the house. Then, the conductor raises his baton.

There is always truth in jest, as this exaggerated entrance has been repeated for decades in New York, Aspen and Fort Worth.

Mercedes is applauded for her encyclopedic knowledge of music and herculean philanthropy.  She is famous for her striking beauty, inclusion on the International Best Dressed list, wit and charm. She is a world class hostess.

Among her many affiliations, she is the Chairman of the Board of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, where her thirty years of support was instrumental in making them one of America’s finest.

Mrs. Bass is also Vice Chair, Board of Trustees and Executive Committee of the Carnegie Hall Corporation. When in New York she famously fills her box night after night entertaining and tutoring her loyal friends, who religiously end the evening in the bar of Majorelle for burgers and fries reliving the performance.

Mercedes is also Managing Director, Board of Trustees and Executive Board at the Metropolitan Opera.  Her support of the opera is legendary including the Mercedes T. Bass Grand Tier dining terrace named in her honor.

While Mercedes was on the Executive Committee Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the American Academy of Rome, she was the driving force behind the restoration of the historic Villa Aurelia and its expansive gardens in Rome.

Lastly, she is a life Trustee, and former Chairman of the Board of the American Friends of Covent Garden.

Mercedes celebrated her 80th Birthday this year and is every inch a beloved Grand Dame of Cultural Society.

Apart from her multiple passions, she also makes time for her friends in New York, Aspen and Fort Worth, Texas which is where she calls home!