The Dallas Opera Announces FIRST NIGHT Lineup

Opening Night of the Season holds the promise of something exciting, awe-inspiring and new! FIRST NIGHT presented by The Dallas Opera offers an evening of spectacular events to kick off the 2014-2015 "Heights of Passion" season with fun and flair.

The festivities will begin on the lawn outside of the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House on Friday, October 24, 2014 at 5:30 p.m. with a red carpet entrance featuring models in custom-designed gowns based on the themes of this season's operas. They continue with a sumptuous black-tie Pre-Performance Dinner at 6:00 p.m., co-chaired by Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger and catered by Wolfgang Puck in Sammons Park in a fabulous tent enhanced by décor inspired by the opera. The Dallas Opera's production of The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a charming comedy, begins at 8:00 p.m. in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, as well as at Klyde Warren Park where last year's live opening night simulcast attracted thousands!

Following the Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance, party-goers will adjourn to an exclusive FIRST NIGHT After Party with the cast, co-chaired by Jenifer Strauss and Robert Weatherly. DJ Lucy Wrubel will be spinning tunes sure to get party-goers rockin' and dancin' through the night. Wolfgang Puck Sweet & Savory will nourish the night with a variety of flavorful offerings including breakfast delights and an open bar.

The Winspear Opera house is located at 2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX, 75201.

"What could be more special than opening night at the opera - the art form that combines some of the most beautiful music ever written, magnificent voices and acting, intriguing sets and costumes, and the powerful Dallas Opera Orchestra? We invite everyone to join us to support this remarkable company and get immersed in the excitement of the events!" explains Ms. McBee, Co-Chair.

"This is an evening not to be missed! From the wonderful Pre-Performance Dinner, to the superb opera, and then the lively After Party, we have planned a very memorable FIRST NIGHT for you. We believe you'll be thrilled you took part in these fantastic festivities whether you're a seasoned opera patron or a newcomer. All are welcome!" said Mr. Even, Co-Chair.

Jeffrey Horn, Event Architect for FIRST NIGHT, is the CEO of Triad Event Solutions. According to Horn, his signature style combines artistic sensibility with a hint of whimsy, and provides the perfect foundation for creating a meaningful experience for guests. "FIRST NIGHT is a playful evening of cocktails and dinner on the lawn! Couture fashion, footlights and folly fill the red carpet. Love abounds, a gilded age is celebrated, and cupid's arrows ignite passion for the 2014 -2015 Season beneath a starry sky! The After Party completes the gala with sweet tunes spun by a little bird in a gilded cage, late night sweet treats and sips," promises Horn about the fantastic event he's designing.

"This is the most exhilarating time of year for The Dallas Opera. Our kick-off events are the pinnacle of the season and offer an array of enticing elements for everyone to enjoy. Opening night at the opera is always very special -- one of the most incredible nights of the year. It's an opportunity for attendees to walk the red carpet, take part in spectacular events, experience the splendor of a night at the opera, and much more. Join our family and be a part of this amazing array of activities and celebrate our 'Heights of Passion' Season," explains Keith Cerny, The Dallas Opera's CEO and General Director.

The "red carpet entrance" to the opera will feature the FIRST SIGHT Fashion Show consisting of opera-inspired designs by Elizabeth Anyaa, Michael Faircloth, Abi Ferrin, Khahn Nguyen, Edo Popken, and Nicolas Villalba. The custom gowns will be on display, worn by models posing as mannequins. These lovely couture pieces will be auctioned individually by international auction house Heritage Auctions as a fundraiser for The Dallas Opera, a non-profit arts organization, beginning on October 24. The gowns will be available for purchase on their website www.ha.com until November 9, 2014. For more information, call 877-HERITAGE (437-4824).

The enchanting Pre-Performance Dinner will be enjoyed on Friday, October 24, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. Patrons of the black-tie affair will delight in the unique ambiance created by Jeffrey Horn. Wolfgang Puck's gourmet menu, inspired by The Marriage of Figaro, is certain to tantalize the tastebuds. Tables for the dinner range from $25,000 to $7500 with individual tickets available. All dinner tickets include After Party tickets.

The Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's, The Marriage Of Figaro, opens on the evening of Friday, October 24 at 8:00 p.m. in the the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House. The simulcast fun at Klyde Warren Park begins at 6:00 p.m. with a "Worst Bridesmaid's Dress EVER!" contest, "Bouquet Toss" with prizes, and the Three Stooges 1945 classic short film "Micro-Phonies." The thrilling opera will be simulcast live at 8:00 p.m. from the Winspear Opera House. Visit www.dallasopera.org/simulcast for more information.

Figaro loves Susanna, but he's not the only one. In a single crazy, romantic day, doors will be locked and unlocked, disguises donned, kisses exchanged and innermost hearts revealed-to some of the most memorable music Mozart ever composed. Leading this merry band is Italian bass-baritone Mirco Palazzi (Figaro), who charmed us out of our seats as Leporello in The Dallas Opera's 2010 production of Don Giovanni and Austrian soprano, Beate Ritter, a European favorite in her American debut as the lovely Susanna.

This stellar international cast also includes Canadian baritone Joshua Hopkins as Count Almaviva. His melancholy Countess will be portrayed by the much-discussed Australian soprano, Nicole Car, in her exciting American debut. Mezzo-soprano Emily Fons, as the love-struck Cherubino. Another world renowned mezzo, Britain's Diana Montague will be making her TDO debut as Marcellina, and performing the role of Doctor Bartolo, Kevin Langan, one of America's most sought-after basses. Conducted by our distinguished Music Director Emmanuel Villaume and staged by acclaimed Dallas Theater Center Artistic Director Kevin Moriarty (The Lighthouse)-this Figaro could very well be a marriage made in heaven!

Performances will continue on October 26(m), 29, November 1, 7 & 9(m), 2014 in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House. All evening performances besides the Opening Night of the Season will begin promptly at 7:30 PM. Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 PM. A free, pre-performance lecture ("The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talks") will be conducted one hour prior to curtain at most performances.

The FIRST NIGHT After Party, Friday, October 24, 11:00 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., begins as the opera ends with entertainment maven DJ Lucy Wrubel rocking the house so guests can dance the night away. The Marriage of Figaro cast members will be on hand to mix and mingle with the guests. Patrons will enjoy a fabulous breakfast bar including chicken and waffles, decadent desserts and Opera-inspired specialty drinks. Tickets for the After Party are $125 per person.

FIRST SIGHT/FIRST NIGHT Sponsors:

$10,000 and above

Diane and Harold M. Brierley

Deloitte

Nicholas Even

Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger

Linda and Milledge A. Hart lll

Haynes and Boone

Caroline Rose Hunt

Liz and Scott Kimple

Holly and Tom Mayer

NorthPark Center

Katherine and Michael Phillips

St. Michelle Wine Estates

Betty and Steve Suellentrop

Jacquelin and Phillip Taylor

$5,000 and above

Lee Bailey

Nancy and Clint Carlson

Cindy and Charlie Feld

Elizabeth and Scott Kimple

Northern Trust

Marnie and Kern Wildenthal

Ellen and Don Winspear

$2,000 and above

Heather Wiese Alexander and Scott Alexander

Simona Beal

Debbie and David Burch

Debra Witter and Scott Chase

Mary and Richard Covington

Arlene and John Dayton

Patricia Donosky

Amy and Vernon Faulconer

Susan and Mark Geyer

Wanda Gierhart

Kaki and Shelton Hopkins

Suzelle Smith and Don Howarth

Myra and Robert L. Hull

Tina and Goran Klintmalm

Lynn and Allan McBee

Kim and Greg Miller

Tincy Miller

Joyce and Harvey Mitchell

Lynn and Presley Mock

Robert A. Olson

Anne and Steven Stodghill

Joanna and Peter Townsend

Ellen and Robert Vladem

For more information or to purchase tickets to FIRST NIGHT, visit www.dallasopera.org/firstnight. All single tickets for individual opera performances are subject to availability. Tickets may be purchased at the door -- throughout the 2014-2015 Season -- or in advance by calling 214.443.1000. Subscriptions and single tickets are available for purchase online throughout the season at www.dallasopera.org.

All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center unless otherwise described. Single Tickets range from $19 to $275 and Flex Subscriptions are on sale starting at $75. Family performance tickets are just $5. For more information or to make your purchase, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org.

To post a comment, you must register and login.