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    2019 FIRST NIGHT at The Dallas Opera

    FIRST NIGHT photo by Jason Kindig Photography

    Media Release from The Dallas Opera

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
    Thursday, October 10, 2019

    Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014

    suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org

    THE DALLAS OPERA IS PROUD TO HOST

    FIRST NIGHT 2019

    WITH PRESENTING SPONSOR,

    TOLLESON WEALTH MANAGEMENT

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     KIM AND GREG HEXT, CHAIRS

    CAROL AND DON GLENDENNING, DINNER CHAIRS

    The Winspear Family, Honorary Chairs

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    In Partnership—for the FIRST time—with the Dallas Zoo!

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    The Dallas Opera’s

    Season-Opening Celebrations

    Marking Our Tenth Anniversary in the WOH

    Friday, October 18, 2019

    The Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House

    AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dallas TX

     

    DALLAS, TX, OCTOBER 10, 2019 – The Dallas Opera is proud to present the pinnacle of a two-day celebration to mark the opening of the Dallas Opera’s 2019-2020 “Standing Ovation” Season: FIRST NIGHT, presenting sponsor, Tolleson Wealth Management, on Friday, October 18, 2019 at the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House in the AT&T Performing Arts Center.

    FIRST SIGHT and FIRST NIGHT 2019 are the official opening events of a season-long observance of TDO’s tenth anniversary in the internationally-acclaimed Winspear Opera House.  After more than half a century of legendary performances in the Music Hall at Fair Park, The Dallas Opera moved into a spectacular new venue in the Dallas Arts District in October 2009.

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    Kim and Greg Hext are serving as Chairs for this elegant, eagerly-anticipated evening.

    “In a remarkably short time, FIRST NIGHT has come to represent the quintessential Opening Night celebration with its potent combination of glamour, theatricality, great music, and fine cuisine—in a truly magical setting,” says Chair Kim Hext.

    “Greg and I were so honored to be asked to Chair this year’s FIRST SIGHT and FIRST NIGHT, coinciding with the tenth anniversary of the opening of the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House and performances of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. We would love for this season’s spectacular kick-off events to ‘raise the bar’ on the next decade of Dallas Opera Opening Weekends.”

    Honorary Chairs (as befits the tenth anniversary in one of the world’s most beautiful new opera houses) are the members of The Winspear Family, for whom the opera house is named.

    “We are thrilled to celebrate the memory of Margot and Bill Winspear and their passion for great opera,” explained Honorary Chair Don Winspear. “Our family takes personal pride in my parents’ vision for a world-class opera house, achieved through the hard work and efforts of many, many benefactors, artists and professionals. Together, they created a performance venue that has and will continue to welcome all the people of Dallas for generations to come.”

    For the FIRST time in its ten-year history in the Winspear Opera House, The Dallas Opera will “take a walk on the wild side” and partner with the nationally-renowned Dallas Zoo, which will have special two-and-four-footed representatives present for the Opening Night festivities.

    Zoo sponsors for FIRST NIGHT are Diane and Hal Brierley.

    “We are tremendously excited about this unprecedented partnership and the attention it will bring to the living treasures we have at the Dallas Zoo,” notes Honorary Chair Ellen Winspear.

    “Mozart’s masterpiece includes a charming scene in which a fantastical collection of wild animals is tamed by the sound of a magic flute. Dallas Opera patrons on October 18 will find the live versions in the Winspear even more impossible to resist!”

    The people watching begins at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, October 18, 2019 with a red carpet entrance and private reception.  The arrivals will be followed at 6:00 p.m. with a seated theme dinner carefully prepared by Wolfgang Puck Catering and Chaired by Carol and Don Glendenning.

    “Don and I love to gather friends from near and far to sit down to dine together,” explains Chair Carol Glendenning. “Hosting this superb dinner party is a chance for us to raise a glass with all the many friends of The Dallas Opera, in support of the hard work and phenomenal artistry that make world-class productions, like this fall’s The Magic Flute and The Golden Cockerel, possible.

    “I’m sure we can anticipate an unforgettable culinary experience on Opening Night,” she adds.

    The Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance of Mozart’s The Magic Flute will begin at 8:00 p.m. (please note the special time) featuring a star-studded international cast conducted by Maestro Emmanuel Villaume, The Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director.

    Following the Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance of Sir Peter Hall’s acclaimed production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Magic Flute, FIRST NIGHT celebrations will resume around 11 p.m. with an exuberant After Party featuring the popular dance band, Professor D, and a chance for patrons to hobnob with members of the cast and each other!

    Hand-crafted libations and delicious culinary bites will keep guests of The Dallas Opera energized from the first notes through to the last dance.  Wolfgang Puck Sweet & Savory will provide the delicious noshes, desserts, coffee and specialty cocktails.

    For additional details, visit www.dallasopera.org. To purchase tickets to FIRST NIGHT, or if you have additional questions, please contact Dallas Opera Special Events Manager Tracy Mott at tracy.mott@dallasopera.org.

     

    ABOUT THE DALLAS ZOO

    The Dallas Zoo is dedicated to creating a better world for animals. Named one of the nation’s Top 10 Zoos by USA Today, it is the largest zoological experience in Texas. The zoo has been accredited continuously by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums since 1985, and features a 106-acre park, thousands of animals, and an education department that offers programs for all ages. The zoo is located at 650 S. R.L. Thornton Freeway (I-35 at Marsalis) and is open 364 days a year. For more information, visit DallasZoo.com or call 469.554.7500.

     

    ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA

    One of the leading opera companies in the country, The Dallas Opera has an extraordinary legacy of world-class productions and thrilling premieres featuring the greatest operatic artists of our time. Inaugurated in 1957 with a concert featuring the incomparable Maria Callas, TDO is known for the notable U.S. debuts of a host of legendary artists including Plácido Domingo, Dame Joan Sutherland, Jon Vickers, Franco Zeffirelli, and Sir David McVicar. The company has long been an industry leader and innovator through groundbreaking initiatives like the Hart Institute for Women Conductors, free public simulcasts, acclaimed art song recitals, the national vocal competition, special concerts, and outstanding family and award-winning education programs. TDO’s home is the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, a jewel in the Dallas Arts District. As one of the largest performing arts employers in North Texas, TDO is proudly committed to diversity, onstage and off, and is a major contributor to the economic vitality and international cultural reputation of this region.

     

    2019-2020 SEASON SPONSOR

    The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family

     

    EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

    The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: Elsa von Seggern Foundation;

    Texas Instruments; the City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture; 

    The Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

    American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera.

    Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera.

    Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News.

    All performances in The Dallas Opera’s 63rd International Season will take place in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center, unless otherwise indicated. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. (Opening Night of The Magic Flute begins at 8 p.m.) and Sunday matinees start at 2:00 p.m. unless otherwise stated.  English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance and assistance is available for the hearing impaired.

    The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talk will begin one hour prior to curtain at most performances. Full and Flex subscriptions are designed to meet the needs of every budget. Prices range from just $57 (for three performances of your choice) to a top orchestra floor price of $777 for all five mainstage productions. Single tickets are priced from $25 to $289 (a few box seats may be higher). For additional information or to make your purchase, call 214.443.1000 or visit www.dallasopera.org.

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    Dolce&Gabbana Will Command Centerstage at FIRST SIGHT 2019

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

    Monday, July 29, 2019

    Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014

    suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org

     

    THE DALLAS OPERA IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE

    THE INTERNATIONAL FASHION HOUSE

    Dolce&Gabbana

    Will be Center Stage in the 2019

    FIRST SIGHT

    Fashion Presentation and Luncheon

    Thursday, October 17, 2019

    The Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House

    At the AT&T Performing Arts Center

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    NorthPark Center, Presenting Sponsor

    Kim and Greg Hext, Chairs for

    FIRST SIGHT/FIRST NIGHT 2019

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    Gourmet Luncheon by Wolfgang Puck Catering

    Ellen Winspear, Fashion Presentation & Luncheon Chair

     

    DALLAS, JULY 29, 2019 – Fashionistas and opera lovers alike are marking their fall calendars for one of the early highlights of the season, The Dallas Opera’s FIRST SIGHT Fashion Presentation and Luncheon (NorthPark Center, Presenting Sponsor) taking place Thursday, October 17, 2019, beginning with a late-morning reception in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center (2403 Flora St., Dallas, TX 75201).  The highlight of the 2019 FIRST SIGHT Fashion Presentation will be head-turning designs created by the acclaimed international design house of Dolce&Gabbana.

    The Chairs for this year’s FIRST SIGHT/FIRST NIGHT, as announced during the Opening Night Dinner last October, are Kim and Greg Hext.

    “I am delighted that The Dallas Opera will be partnering in 2019 with the ultra-sophisticated Dolce&Gabbana brand to enable FIRST SIGHT—which in a few short years has become a firmly established fashion institution—to expand the scope of its influence,” says Kim Hext.

    “I am profoundly grateful to Nancy Nasher and our presenting sponsor, NorthPark Center and, of course, to Dolce&Gabbana for their enthusiastic support of The Dallas Opera’s FIRST SIGHT celebrations.

    “We will have other exciting partnership announcements to share later this summer,” Ms. Hext adds.

     

    Additional Chairs for the upcoming events are:

    • Ellen Winspear, FIRST SIGHT Fashion Presentation and Luncheon Chair
    • Carol and Don Glendenning, Dinner Chairs for FIRST NIGHT
    • Honorary Chairs for 2019 FIRST SIGHT & FIRST NIGHT: The Winspear Family

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    FIRST SIGHT – 2019

    ELLEN WINSPEAR, FASHION PRESENTATION & LUNCHEON CHAIR

    Socialites, benefactors, and avid supporters of the performing arts in North Texas will gather in the C. Vincent Prothro Lobby for a reception, while a superb seated luncheon is meticulously prepared by Wolfgang Puck Catering.  A fashion presentation will follow the reception.

    “This October, the people of Dallas will celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House and the AT&T Performing Arts Center,” explains 2019 FIRST SIGHT Fashion Presentation and Luncheon Chair Ellen Winspear.  “These festivities will showcase the many ways in which these venues have created opportunities for world-class performances and quality entertainment right in the heart of the city.

    “The Winspear Family is tremendously pleased to serve as Honorary Chairs for FIRST SIGHT and FIRST NIGHT, and it is my special privilege to help launch these celebrations on October 17th with support from an amazing array of sponsors and underwriters.

    “FIRST SIGHT is one of my favorite events on the fall calendar and just when I thought it couldn’t possibly top last year—we found a new and exciting partner in Dolce&Gabbana!” she adds.

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    Established in 1985, Dolce&Gabbana is an international leader in the fashion and luxury goods sector.  The founders, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, have always been the creative and stylistic source of all the brand’s activities as well as the drivers behind the development strategies.

    The Group creates, produces and distributes high-end clothing, leather goods, footwear, accessories, jewelry and watches.  The brand is present in the Prêt-à-porter segment with Men’s, Women’s and Children’s collections and has Alta Moda, Alta Sartoria, Alta Gioielleria and Alta Orologeria collections.

    The only activities entrusted to licensee partners are the production and distribution of Eyewear and Beauty lines.

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    Early sales have begun for both FIRST SIGHT (Thurs. October 17, 2019) and FIRST NIGHT (Friday, October 18, 2019).

    FIRST SIGHT tables will range from $5,000 to $25,000.  Individual tickets are also on sale starting at $500.

    For additional information about FIRST SIGHT and FIRST NIGHT or to purchase tables for either event, please visit www.dallasopera.org/firstsight or contact Special Events Manager Tracy Mott at 214.443.1063 or tracy.mott@dallasopera.org.

     

    2019 FIRST SIGHT/FIRST NIGHT CHAIR BIOS

     

    About Kim Hext:

     

    From 1991 through 2012, Kim Hext was a National Spokesperson for Buick Motor Division.  Prior and concurrent to that role, she was a Feature Correspondent on the “Scuba World Television Series” which was syndicated to The Travel and Discovery Channels. Additionally, from 1982 to 1998 she was a Corporate Meeting Planner for Hugh Hunt Productions. Kim was also with the premier Kim Dawson Agency from 1988 to 2008 where she had various modeling and acting roles. Kim’s love of fashion and modeling, as well as her strong philanthropic involvement, has led her to her position as a 2019 NorthPark Luxury Ambassador.

    Kim has made it her life’s work to positively impact the community around her. She currently sits on the Board of Governors for the Texas Ballet Theater and The Dallas Symphony Orchestra.  She serves on the Board of Directors for The Dallas Opera, the Aging Minds Foundation and serves as Vice-Chair of the board for Hope Supply Co. Kim has been involved with a number of other Non-Profits. She is a member of The Crystal Charity Ball Committee and loves the Dallas Zoo.  In 2018, Kim and her husband, Greg, chaired Zoo To Do raising over $1 million for the zoo.

    The American Heart Association is another organization that has been near and dear to Kim’s heart. She was the Cotes du Coeur Gala Co-Chairman in 2017, and helped to raise $4.61 million at the annual Celebrity Chef Dinner and wine auction. Kim has been involved with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra for many years and in 2018, she was the Savor the Symphony Chair for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra League. She continues her involvement as a Board of Governors member and serves on the Development Committee.

    In 2017, Kim began working with The Arts Community Alliance (TACA). She is a member of their Nominating Committee and has served as a Grant Panelist.  She also sits on their Board of Directors. In 2020, Kim will be the Party on the Green Chair.

    In 2003, Kim began volunteering with Dallas Salvation Army Auxiliary.  She has a passion for the Angel Tree Program and has served in the Christmas Distribution Center and as an Angel Tree Volunteer. In 2020, she will be the Dallas Salvation Army Auxiliary’s Fashion Show and Luncheon Chair.

    Kim is so thrilled to be the 2019 First Sight/First Night Gala Chair (along with husband Greg Hext) for the Dallas Opera. She has been involved with the Opera in the past serving on the FIRST SIGHT/FIRST NIGHT Advisory Committee and as a member of the Women’s Council. Kim also serves as a 2019 NorthPark Center Ambassador, a recognition of her commitment to our community.

     

    About Greg Hext:

     

    From 1974 through 1979, Greg Hext was President of a closely held, family-owned corporation, which was diversified in its business endeavors.  In 1979, Greg joined the Houston office of Benson, Wells & Co., a regional CPA firm.  In 1980 the Houston office formed the firm of Shelby, Rucksdashel & Jones (SRJ).  Greg continued with the new firm.

    In 1984, Greg opened the Dallas office of SRJ as Partner-in-Charge. He continued as an Audit and Consulting Partner as well as Partner-in-Charge of the Dallas office until 1989. In 1990, he became the Shareholder in charge of Audit and Consulting, for Chapman, Hext & Co. (CH&Co).  In 2006, Greg assumed the role of majority shareholder of the firm and CEO of the firm and its family of companies.

    Currently he is the CEO and sole shareholder of Chapman, Hext &Co and the family of companies, which consist of White Rock Advisors (WRA), CH Wealth Management and the White Rock Venture Fund.

    WRA is a registered FINRA Broker Dealer and provides Investment Banking services to private and public companies across the United States and globally. CH Wealth Management provides wealth management and investment advisory services to family office and high net worth individuals. The White Rock Venture Fund operates as a family office and invests in companies needing expansion and growth capital. Greg has extensive experience in consulting, merger & acquisition transactions, financial reporting, along with a breadth of experience in corporate finance, debt and equity financing transactions.

    Mr. Hext is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, and various civic and religious organizations.  He also holds a Series 7, 24, 63 and 79 securities licenses. In addition, he sits on various corporate and advisory boards.

    Greg and his wife Kim live in Dallas. They have a son Preston who attends SMU at the Cox School of Business. Greg and Kim are involved with SMU. Kim pursues her passion for philanthropy and sits on the Board of a number of non-profits in Dallas.

     

    About Ellen Winspear:

     

    Ellen Winspear is a native Dallasite having graduated from the Hockaday School. Following her undergraduate degree at TCU, she completed her graduate education at SMU as a Certified Academic Language Therapist.  She then engaged in a successful career as a teacher and private tutor at schools focusing on children with learning differences.

    Ellen has many interests in Dallas ranging from the arts, animals, and education.  She either has or currently serves on the Board of Directors of The Dallas Opera, the Dallas Zoo, the Annette Simmons School of Education at SMU and the Dallas Film Society.  She has served as Chair of First Sight/First Night twice for The Dallas Opera. Ellen and Don also served as NorthPark Ambassadors in 2017.

    Ellen has been married to Don for 38 years.  Together, they have two sons and three grandsons.  The older son serves as a Sergeant First Class in the United States Army.  The younger is also married and is a maritime engineer residing in the area following his education at the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

     

    About Carol and Don Glendenning:

     

    Carol and Don Glendenning have been attending and supporting the Dallas Opera since they married and moved to Dallas 40 years ago after meeting in law school at Stanford.  Don jokes that he was an unwilling attendee of the Opera for the first 17 years, but has enjoyed the last 23.  Carol served on the Board of Directors of The Dallas Opera from 1988-1997 and, again, from 2009 until 2014.

    Carol and Don are also ambassadors for The Dallas Opera, having served as Chairs of the 2013 Dallas Opera Magnifique Gala, and having chaired the Ovation Champagne Dessert Celebrations, part of the celebratory events that opened the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House in 2009. Through Carol’s leadership, Strasburger & Price, now Clark Hill Strasburger, was a supporter of the Dallas Opera Offices Campaign, making it possible for the Opera to enjoy rent-free office space in the Winspear Opera House.  In 2014, Carol and Don received the Juanita and Henry S. Miller, Jr. Founders Award from the Women’s Board of The Dallas Opera.

    Together, Carol and Don are deeply involved in the Dallas community, giving their time and talent to many different organizations encompassing not only the arts, but human rights and social justice, public health, education and the environment.  Currently, Carol serves as a Director of the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Foundation and of North Texas Public Broadcasting, Inc.  Don currently serves as a Director of the SMU Tower Center, the Trinity Park Conservancy, the Texas Trees Foundation and Year Up.  Don was a 2015 recipient of the TACA Silver Cup Award, and Carol and Don are 2019 Recipients of the TACA Founders Circle Award. They recently co-chaired the TACA Silver Cup Award luncheon honoring Opera supporters Margot Perot and Davis Hamlin.

     

    About The Winspear Family, Honorary Chairs:

     

    Music and, in particular, Opera has been a part of the Winspear family for generations.  It has been the foundation for music education, for awareness of the art form and for love.

    Even as university students, both Bill Winspear and Margot Macleod enjoyed opera.  When Bill proposed to Margot, they were listening to an AM Radio.  Just as he reached for the ring, something amazing happened.  Bill had arranged for the radio station to play the trio—their favorite aria from Gounod’s opera, Faust—at that specific time.  So, as the radio personality announced that the following was by special request, Bill got down on one knee and asked Margot to marry him; hence, cementing a lifelong love affair of each other and of opera. The one constant in each of the cities they lived in was their involvement with the local opera company. They were both extremely active on the Opera Boards and guilds of Edmonton, Vancouver, Toronto and ultimately, Dallas.

    While all five children were attending opera by the time they were living in Toronto, some were exposed to the art form many years prior. Don remembers his first opera: Gounod’s Faust from his time in Edmonton.  Despite finding it a “sappy” love story, he was most pleased that it had the devil and demons. Oldest sister Deb remembers that Ermanno Mauro, whom Bill and Margot discovered in Edmonton, was slated to perform at her wedding until he had to decline at the last minute for a performance at La Scala.

    Seven sets of season tickets were purchased in the lower orchestra.  Attendance was compulsory, all homework was to be completed. This was in the early 70’s which predated subtitles, so reading the plot summary beforehand was extremely beneficial.  The children all learned to appreciate the art form that was one of their parents’ biggest passions. Some have continued to support the art in cities around North America with Don and his wife Ellen being ardent supporters of the opera here in Dallas.

    The pinnacle of Bill and Margot’s affection for opera would be their donation of $42 million towards the creation of a world class opera house in Dallas.  In his announcement of the donation, his final words were from the movie, Field of Dreams.  He told those in attendance that “if you build it, they will come.”  And come they have.  They made the donation because, as Bill said, “We love opera, and we love Dallas.”

     

    About NorthPark Center

     

    NorthPark Center is the preeminent shopping center in the Southwest and one of the finest shopping experiences in the world with more than 230 stores and restaurants, including more than 60 market exclusives. Anchored by Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Macy’s, and Dillard’s, NorthPark offers an unparalleled collection of luxury boutiques set amid internationally acclaimed 20th and 21st century art, award-winning architecture, and extraordinary landscaping—as well as a 1.4-acre garden, CenterPark, and a state-of-the-art movie theatre, AMC NorthPark 15. NorthPark consistently ranks as one of the top five performing shopping centers in the United States and is North Texas’ number one visitor destination. NorthPark is conveniently located 7 miles from downtown Dallas and 35 miles from Fort Worth. northparkcenter.com, 214.363.7441, 8687 N. Central Expressway, Dallas, TX 75225.

     

    About The Dallas Opera

    Founded in 1957, The Dallas Opera is an internationally-recognized innovator dedicated to the overall advancement of the operatic art form and the support of established and emerging artists, as well as the education and development of new opera audiences in North Texas—and beyond. These goals are achieved by commissioning and producing world-class opera; through ground-breaking institutes, national competitions and topical programs; and by presenting opera in both traditional and non-traditional formats and venues in order to attract patrons of every age, background, educational level, and ethnicity—while engaging with more than 87,000 people in our community each year.  TDO is equally committed to the task of responsible stewardship and is managed with efficiency and accountability, to the highest possible standards.

     

    2019-2020 SEASON SPONSOR

    The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family

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    EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

    FOR HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS

    Contact Suzanne Calvin, Director of Media and PR at suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org

     

    The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: Elsa von Seggern Foundation;

    Texas Instruments Foundation; the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs; 

    The Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

    American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera.

    Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera.

    Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News.

     

    TICKET INFORMATION FOR THE 2019-2020 DALLAS OPERA SEASON

    All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center unless otherwise indicated. Full and Flex Subscriptions are on sale now; single Tickets range from $19 to $289. Family performance tickets are just $5. For more information or to make your purchase, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org.

    THE DALLAS OPERA 2019-2020 MAINSTAGE SEASON

    The Dallas Opera celebrates its 63rd International Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Dallas Arts District. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 p.m. unless otherwise stated.  English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance and assistance is available for the hearing impaired. With the exception of FIRST NIGHT, The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talk will begin one hour prior to curtain, at most performances.

     

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    Announcing FIRST NIGHT – Season Opening Events! Presented by Deutsche Bank Wealth Management

    THE DALLAS OPERA FIRST NIGHT FESTIVITIES
    BEGIN FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2017 AT 5:30 PM

    THE MARGOT AND BILL WINSPEAR OPERA HOUSE

    AT THE AT&T PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

    Red Carpet Arrival

    Gourmet Pre-Performance Dinner
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    The Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance of SAMSON & DALILA
    by Camille Saint-Saëns

    Curtain Time, 8:00 p.m.
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    Dazzling After Party with Cast

    FIRST NIGHT CHAIRS

    Dianne and Mark H. LaRoe

    Honorary Chairs Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger

                DALLAS, July 26, 2017 –The Dallas Opera announces its magnificent kick-off event of the 2017-2018 Season FIRST NIGHT. Dedicated philanthropists Dianne and Mark H. LaRoe chair the festivities and Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger are Honorary Chairs. The Presenting Sponsor is Deutsche Bank Wealth Management.

                The evening begins with a red carpet entrance outside the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House on Friday, October 20, 2017 at 5:30 p.m. The Pre-Performance Dinner, which starts at 6:00 p.m., will be inspired by the opera Samson & Dalila, and is chaired by Betty and Steve Suellentrop. The event takes place in Sammons Park in an elegant tent, and will be catered by culinary master Wolfgang Puck. Tables for the dinner range from $25,000 to $10,000 with individual tickets available for $1,000. All dinner tickets include After Party tickets. Please visit www.dallasopera.org/firstnight to purchase tickets.

                The Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance of Samson & Dalila by Camille Saint-Saëns begins at 8:00 p.m. in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House. Tenor Clifton Forbis and Russian mezzo-soprano Olga Borodina—in her eagerly awaited Dallas Opera debut!—portray the doomed twosome, trapped in a love affair of biblical proportions that threatens to “bring the house down!” This mesmerizing jewel of the French Repertoire, not seen on our stage since 1971, will be conducted by Emmanuel Villaume, The Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director of The Dallas Opera.

                The dazzling After Party with the cast from 11:00 p.m. to 1:30 a.m is certain to be a highlight of the kick-off events with mingling, dining and dancing with the principal performers of Samson & Dalila. The high energy group Dallas String Quartet will be sure to get party-goers shakin’ on the dance floor with their fusion of classical and contemporary music. The quartet performs with both traditional and electric strings with accompaniment from a guitarist, keyboard player and drummer. They have recorded four albums and performed with top acts including Kenny G and Josh Groban. Wolfgang Puck Sweet & Savory will provide more delicious noshes, desserts, coffee and specialty cocktails.

                The Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House is located in the heart of the Arts District at 2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201.

    First-Night-165-Dress by Salvatore Ferragamo; Jewelry by BVLGARI; Photo by Brandon Lyon (640x427)
    Chairs Mark and Dianne LaRoe; Dress by Salvatore Ferragamo; Jewelry by BVLGARI; Photo by Brandon Lyon

                “The fall is such an exciting time in Dallas and opening night of The Dallas Opera will be a pinnacle in the city for the arts! We have a lot of fun and fascination planned for FIRST NIGHT and we invite everyone to join us! The Dallas Opera’s impact here and internationally continues to exceed expectations and the season opening events are a wonderful time to celebrate its success. There are ways for everyone to take part in the splendor, from a $19 ticket to the opera, to sponsoring a table at the Pre-Performance Dinner. We hope to see you there!” said Chair Dianne LaRoe.

                “We have diverse season planned with a combination of treasured classics and lesser-known works, including a United States premiere, and we hope everyone will find inspiration in our 2017-2018 productions. FIRST NIGHT is the culmination of a tremendous amount of planning and preparation, and opening night always gives us much to celebrate! We are very grateful for the hard work and ingenuity of Dianne and Mark in creating spectacular events for us. We appreciate their support, and that of all of our patrons, in continuing to elevate the company’s reputation, locally, nationally, and internationally,” explains Keith Cerny, The Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO for The Dallas Opera.

                “David and I are delighted to be the honorary chairs for The Dallas Opera’s splendid season opening events, FIRST SIGHT and FIRST NIGHT. The glamorous festivities and productions are always so memorable year after year, and we know this 61st Season will be no exception. Our city’s world-class Opera is rapidly growing in outreach and impact, and we encourage the entire North Texas community to join us in supporting this spectacular treasure,” said Honorary Chair Nancy A. Nasher.

                “Deutsche Bank continues to be a strong supporter of the arts throughout the world” said Mark LaRoe, Head of the Dallas Private Bank office of Deutsche Bank Wealth Management. “We are so proud to again support FIRST NIGHT at The Dallas Opera and focus on our partnership with the Dallas art community. On a personal note, it is a privilege for Dianne and me to collaborate with such a stellar arts organization.”

                “The beginning of a new season for The Dallas Opera is always an exciting time for this great city. It is an honor and a joy to be part of this two day event, and work with this talented team once again,” said designer Larry Leathers.

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    ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA

    Founded in 1957, The Dallas Opera is an internationally-recognized innovator dedicated to the overall advancement of the operatic art form and the support of established and emerging artists, as well as the education and development of new opera audiences in North Texas—and beyond. These goals are achieved by commissioning and producing world-class opera; through ground-breaking institutes, national competitions and topical programs; and by presenting opera in both traditional and non-traditional formats and venues in order to attract patrons of every age, background, educational level, and ethnicity—while engaging with more than 87,000 people in our community each year.  TDO is equally committed to the task of responsible stewardship and is managed with efficiency and accountability, to the highest possible standards.

    ~~~~

    2017-2018 SEASON SPONSOR

    The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family

    Announcing FIRST NIGHT – Opening Night Events!

    THE DALLAS OPERA’S 2016-2017  SEASON OPENING NIGHT EVENTS

    FIRST NIGHT!
    Presented by Deutsche Bank Wealth Management

    ~~~~

    FESTIVITIES BEGIN FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2016 AT 5:30 PM
    THE MARGOT AND BILL WINSPEAR OPERA HOUSE
    AT THE AT&T PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

    Red Carpet Arrival
    Gourmet Delights by Wolfgang Puck

    ~~~~

    The Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night
    Performance of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin
    Curtain Time, 8:00 p.m.

    Glittering After Party with Cast

    FIRST NIGHT CHAIRS
    ELLEN AND DON WINSPEAR

     Honorary Chairs Joyce and Harvey Mitchell

    DALLAS, August 2, 2016 – Celebrating its dazzling 60th Season, The Dallas Opera presents FIRST NIGHT—part of the magnificent kick-off of the 2016-2017 Season.

    Devoted philanthropists Ellen and Don Winspear chair the festivities and Joyce and Harvey Mitchell are Honorary Chairs. The Presenting Sponsor is Deutsche Bank Wealth Management. 

    Patrons will be immersed in the celebrity treatment with a red carpet entrance outside the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House on Friday, October 28, 2016 beginning at 5:30 p.m. A lovely tent in Sammons Park is the setting for the elegant Pre-Performance Dinner which starts at 6:00 p.m. Creative culinary genius Wolfgang Puck will cater the event which is chaired by Matrice Ellis-Kirk and Ambassador Ron Kirk.

    The Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin begins at 8:00 p.m. in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House.

    The celebrations continue with the FIRST NIGHT After Party with the cast from 11:00 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. The dancing and dining with the principal performers of Eugene Onegin is sure to be a highlight of the kick-off events!

    The Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House is located in the heart of the Arts District at 2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201.

    “Don and I are extremely honored to chair this year’s season opening events. Both of our parents were so deeply involved with the opera, we see this as a way to honor them in addition to the entire opera family who have made the past 60 years possible, said Ellen Winspear.

    “Sixty years is a tremendous milestone for The Dallas Opera! The growth of this company, from Maria Callas’ 1957 inaugural concert to current day when we beam our productions around the globe by satellite, is a testimony to the innovation we have experienced and our dedication to ensuring that opera remains appealing and relevant,” added Don Winspear.

    FIRST NIGHT - The WINSPEAR FAMILY - Photo by Lara Bierner L-R Erika and Frank Winspear, Don and Ellen Winspear, Ryan and Catherine Winspear (800x533)
    FIRST NIGHT Elegance and Excitement! (L-R) Erika and Frank Winspear, Event Chairs Don and Ellen Winspear, Ryan and Catherine Winspear (Photo by Lara Bierner, FIRST NIGHT 2015

    “We certainly have much to celebrate as we begin our 60th Season!  Not only are we proud to present a diverse group of classic and lesser-known operas this season, but we are honored to reflect on all the success of the previous decades. It is also a unique opportunity to express our thanks to our many dedicated patrons and sponsors who have supported this company throughout the years. It is through their commitment to this magnificent art form that we continue to bring the experience of international caliber opera to North Texas. Please join us!” explains Keith Cerny, the Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO for The Dallas Opera.”

    The ambiance of the black-tie Pre-Performance Dinner will be inspired by the opera Eugene Onegin, and catered by Wolfgang Puck. Tables for the dinner range from $25,000 to $7,500 with individual tickets available for $1,000. All dinner tickets include After Party tickets. Please visit www.dallasopera.org/firstnight to purchase tickets.

    “Deutsche Bank has always been an engaged partner in support of the arts community in Dallas,” said Mark LaRoe, Head of Dallas Private Bank office Deutsche Bank Wealth Management. “On a personal note, FIRST NIGHT at The Dallas Opera is one of the highlights of the year for Dianne and me.”

     In Tchaikovsky’s lush opera, Eugene Onegin, innocence and passion collide. Set in 19th century Russia, a naïve young country girl becomes smitten with an aristocrat, Onegin. Tatyana (soprano Svetlana Aksenova) confesses her love in a letter to the arrogant Onegin (baritone Andrei Bondarenko) who rejects her affections. Pride and jealousy lead to a confrontation between Onegin and his friend Lensky (Stephen Costello), who is in love with Tatyana’s sister Olga (Kai Rüütel), resulting in a fatal duel. Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director Emmanuel Villaume will lead The Dallas Opera Orchestra in this beautiful Israeli Opera production.

    Performances will continue on October 30(m), November 2 and 5, 2016 in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House. All evening performances (other than the Opening Night of the Season) will begin promptly at 7:30 p.m.  Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 p.m. 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 After Party offers a fun opportunity to mingle with the incredible performers of Eugene Onegin while enjoying the fabulous entertainment of the Hunter Sullivan Big Band. A very popular group in Dallas, it specializes in danceable Big Band classics. The fete also features delectable noshes, desserts, coffee and specialty cocktails by Wolfgang Puck Sweet & Savory.

    ~~~~

    QUICK FACTS

    2016-2017 FIRST SIGHT/FIRST NIGHT
    PRESENTED BY THE DALLAS OPERA
    FIRST SIGHT Fashion Show and Luncheon
    NorthPark Center Presenting Sponsor
    Thursday, October 27, 2016
    11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

    Kick-Off Event for 60 Year Celebration
    Chairs: Ellen and Don Winspear
    Honorary Chairs: Joyce and Harvey Mitchell
    Luncheon Chairs: Tiffany Divis, Kara Goss, Rhonda Marcus
    Featuring: Fashions by Italian Luxury Brand Versace
    Catering: Wolfgang Puck
    Location: Winspear Opera House
    Tickets: Start at $300
    www.dallasopera.org/firstsight

     

    FIRST NIGHT
    Deutsche Bank Wealth Management Presenting Sponsor
    Pre-Performance Dinner and After Party
    Friday, October 28, 2016
    5:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

    Celebrating the 60th Year of The Dallas Opera
    Chairs: Ellen and Don Winspear
    Honorary Chairs: Joyce and Harvey Mitchell
    First Night Dinner Chairs: Matrice Ellis-Kirk, Ambassador Ron Kirk
    Featuring: Red carpet glamour; gourmet black tie dinner prior to the Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance of Eugene Onegin
    Location: Sammons Park in Front of the Winspear Opera House – Tent
    Catering: Wolfgang Puck
    Tickets start at $1000
    www.dallasopera.org/firstnight

     

    AFTER PARTY
    Friday, October 28, 2016; 11:00 pm to 1:30 am

    Location: Sammons Park in Front of the Winspear Opera House – Tent
    Featuring: The Hunter Sullivan Big Band
    Catering: Wolfgang Puck Sweet & Savory, Open Bar
    Tickets: Included with First Night Ticket Purchase

    ~~~~

    EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT EVENTS AT THE DALLAS OPERA
    IS CONVENIENTLY AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7
    VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG AND CHECK THE CALENDAR LISTINGS

    2016-2017 DALLAS OPERA SEASON

    EUGENE ONEGIN
    By Pyotr I. Tchaikovsky
    October 28, 30(m), November 2, 5, 2016

    MOBY-DICK
    By Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer
    November 4, 6(m), 9, 12, 18, 20(m), 2016

    MADAME BUTTERFLY
    By Giacomo Puccini
    March 10, 12(m), 15, 18, 24, 26(m), 2017 

    THE TURN OF THE SCREW
    By Benjamin Britten
    March 17, 19(m), 22, 25, 2017 

    NORMA
    By Vincenzo Bellini
    April 21, 23(m), 26, 29, May 7(m), 2017

    Season subscriptions are on sale and prices start at $95 for all five opera productions. The benefits of becoming a Dallas Opera subscriber include substantial savings off single ticket prices, priority seating, lost ticket replacement, ticket exchanges and invitations to special events. For more information, please contact the friendly staff in The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214-443-1000 or visit us online at www.dallasopera.org.

    ______________________________________________________________________

    The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: TACA, City of Dallas, Office of Cultural Affairs; the Texas Commission on the Arts and The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).  American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera.  Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera.  Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News.  A special thanks to the Elsa von Seggern Foundation for its continuing support.

     

    EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA
    IS AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7.  VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG
    FOR HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS
    Contact Suzanne Calvin, Director of Media and PR at suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org
    Or Celeste Hart, Communications Manager at celeste.hart@dallasopera.org

     

    ###

     

     

     

    FIRST SIGHT/FIRST NIGHT CO-CHAIRS ANNOUNCED!

    The Dallas Opera is Proud to Announce

    THE APPOINTMENT OF CO-CHAIRS ELLEN AND DON WINSPEAR

     FOR FIRST SIGHT/FIRST NIGHT

    EXCITING KICK-OFF EVENTS FOR TDO’S 2015-2016 SEASON!

    “Seeking the Human Element”

    ~~~~

    DALLAS, JUNE 2, 2015 – The Dallas Opera is thrilled to announce the Co-Chairs for the eagerly anticipated 2015-2016 FIRST SIGHT/FIRST NIGHT events: Ellen and Don Winspear; Honorary Co-Chairs are Mrs. Micki Rawlings and The Honorable Michael S. Rawlings.

    The Dallas Opera’s 2015-2016 Season “Seeking the Human Element” kicks off on Thursday, October 29, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. with the exhilarating FIRST SIGHT Fashion Show and Luncheon, NorthPark Center presenting sponsor. This fantastic event features five custom styles inspired by the season’s operas, created by internationally renowned designers from Dallas, as well as fashions by British designer Mulberry.

    Don and Ellen Winspear 1 web(321x400)

    The excitement continues with the elegant events of FIRST NIGHT, presenting sponsor Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management. The Pre-Performance Dinner will be held on Friday, October 30, 2015 in Sammons Park in front of the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center.  Patrons will enjoy celebrity treatment with a red-carpet arrival that begins at 5:30 p.m. which also features models showing the opera-inspired designs revealed at FIRST SIGHT. 

    A delectable, three-course gourmet dinner prepared by Wolfgang Puck Catering begins at 6:00 p.m. in a lovely, adorned party
    tent on the lawn. It precedes the much awaited Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance of the world premiere of Great Scott by Jake Heggie and Terrence McNally at 8:00 p.m. (note the unusual curtain time). The fun and festivities continue at the FIRST NIGHT After Party immediately following the performance, with popular DJ Lucy Wrubel rockin’ the tunes to get patrons groovin’ on the dance floor.

    “We are thrilled to Co-Chair FIRST SIGHT and FIRST NIGHT and to represent such a stellar organization. The Dallas Opera continues to bring exceptional arts and entertainment to North Texas and the world premiere of Great Scott is a perfect production to kick-off a spectacular season! We invite everyone to take part in these fantastic events and share in the magnificence that this company brings to our community and the world stage!” said Mrs. Winspear.

    “Ellen and I invite everyone to our season opening, regardless of whether you are a first-time or long-time lover of opera! This company is creating magic, not just with its phenomenal opera productions, but with its outreach efforts like the simulcasts, family and education programs that reach thousands. Come join in all the festivities and experience the excitement while supporting this great arts organization!” added Mr. Winspear.

    “We couldn’t be more delighted to have Ellen and Don Winspear at the helm of FIRST SIGHT/FIRST NIGHT!” said Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Keith Cerny. “Their passion for our organization and willingness to share their extraordinary talents will ensure an outstanding opening for our bold upcoming season! The generosity of the Winspear family has contributed greatly to The Dallas Opera’s ongoing growth and viability and we are truly grateful for their leadership!”

     

    Ellen Winspear is a native of Dallas who graduated from the Hockaday School.  Following her undergraduate degree at Texas Christian University, she completed her graduate education at Southern Methodist University as a Certified Academic Language Therapist. She has many interests ranging from the arts and animals to education. She either has served or currently serves on the Board of Directors of The Dallas Opera, the Dallas Zoo, the Annette Simmons School of Education at SMU and the Dallas Film Society. She has been married to Don for nearly 35 years and they have two sons. Their older son serves in the United States Army at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, where he lives with his wife.  The younger graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy and is a maritime engineer in Lafayette, Louisiana.

     

    Donald Winspear is president of Crescent Research, Inc., a full service market research company headquartered in Dallas, Texas.  Crescent conducts strategic marketing research for a variety of different companies across multiple industry sectors, including many Fortune 100 companies. He is currently on the Board of The Dallas Opera having previously served as Chairman of the Board of Directors.  He also serves on TDO’s Executive Committee and Finance Committee.  Mr. Winspear has also served as a committee member on the Board of Directors of The Dallas Opera Foundation.  He has served on the Board of Directors for the AT&T Performing Arts Center and currently serves on both the Executive Committee and Programming Committee.  Mr. Winspear has lectured at both the undergraduate and graduate levels at area universities on the topics of marketing research and entrepreneurialism.

    In addition to his role at Crescent Research, he is active with the Boy Scouts of America and a former Scoutmaster of Troop 577.  Mr. Winspear has also held a number of leadership roles with his church, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Dallas, including the Board of Directors of the church foundation.  

    ~~~~

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

    For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit:

    https://dallasopera.org/support/special-events/first-night/.

     

    QUICK FACTS

    FIRST SIGHT Fashion Show and Luncheon

    NorthPark Center Presenting Sponsor

    Thursday, October 29, 2015; 11:00 am to 1:30 pm

    Co-Chairs – Ellen and Don Winspear

    Honorary Chairs – Mrs. Micki Rawlings and The Honorable Michael S. Rawlings

    Fashion Show Producer and Chair – Rhonda Sargent Chambers

    Luncheon Chair – Mrs. Micki Rawlings

    Event Architect – Jeffrey Horn

    Event Designer – Larry Leathers

    Winspear Opera House Lobby

    Cost: Tables start at $10,000. Individual tickets for $250.00

    Featuring: Fashion Show by Mulberry Boutique at NorthPark Center; Unveiling of Opera-Inspired Designs

    All proceeds benefit the Dallas Opera

     

    FIRST NIGHT – Presenting Sponsor Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management

    Pre-Performance Dinner

    Friday, October 30, 2015; 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm

    Co-Chairs – Ellen and Don Winspear

    Honorary Chairs – Mrs. Micki Rawlings and The Honorable Michael S. Rawlings

    Dinner Chairs Anne and Steven Stodghill

    Sammons Park in front of the Winspear Opera House – Tent

    Cost: Tables starting at $25,000. Individual tickets for $1,000.00 (All Dinner tickets include After Party ticket)

    (Opening night Opera performance tickets sold separately)

    Featuring: Three-course gourmet dinner and “red carpet” arrival (Dessert at the After Party)

    Black Tie

    All proceeds benefit The Dallas Opera

     

    After Party

    Friday, October 30, 2015; 11:00 pm to 1:30 am

    Co-Chairs – Ellen and Don Winspear

    Honorary Chairs – Mrs. Micki Rawlings and The Honorable Michael S. Rawlings

    Sammons Park in front of the Winspear Opera House – Tent

    Featuring: DJ Lucy Wrubel, Wolfgang Puck Sweet & Savory, Open Bar

    ~~~~ 

    TEXAS INSTRUMENTS, 2015-2016 SEASON SPONSOR FOR THE DALLAS OPERA’S “SEEKING THE HUMAN ELEMENT” SEASON 

    Ticket Information for the 2015-2016 Dallas Opera Season

    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 will be available July 15.  Full and Flex Subscriptions are on sale now starting at $75.  Family performance tickets (available June 1) 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.

     

    THE DALLAS OPERA 2015-2016 FALL SEASON INFORMATION

    The Dallas Opera celebrates its Fifty-Ninth International Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Dallas Arts District. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 p.m. unless otherwise stated.  English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance and assistance is available for the hearing impaired.  The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talk will begin one hour prior to curtain, at most performances excluding FIRST NIGHT of the season.

     

    GREAT SCOTT by Jake Heggie

    October 30, November 1(m), 4, 7 & 15(m), 2015

    A Thrilling Dallas Opera World Premiere!

    Libretto by Terrence McNally*

    Time: Present Day

    Place: A Major American City

    Conductor: Patrick Summers

    Stage Director: Jack O’Brien*

    Production Design: Bob Crowley

    Lighting Design: Brian MacDevitt*

    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman

    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

    Starring: Joyce DiDonato* (Arden Scott), Ailyn Pérez (Tatyana Bakst), Frederica von Stade (Mrs. Edward “Winnie” Flato), Nathan Gunn (Sid Taylor), Anthony Roth Costanzo* (Roane Heckle), Kevin Burdette (Eric Gold), Michael Mayes* (Wendell Swan).

    A Brand-New Dallas Opera Production!

     

    TOSCA by Giacomo Puccini

    November 6, 8(m), 11, 14, 20 & 22(m), 2015

    A passionate and timeless masterpiece in a beloved period production

    An opera in three acts first performed in Rome, Italy on January 14, 1900

    Text by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa after Victorien Sardou’s 1887 French-language play, La Tosca

    Time: Early 19th century

    Place: Locations in and around the City of Rome

    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume

    Stage Director: Ellen Douglas Schlaefer*

    Production Design: Ulisse Santicchi

    Lighting Design: Marie Barrett

    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman

    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

    Children’s Chorus Master: TBA

    Starring: Emily Magee (Floria Tosca), Giancarlo Monsalve* (Mario Cavaradossi), Raymond Aceto (Baron Scarpia), William Ferguson (Spoletta), Dale Travis* (A Sacristan) and Ryan Kuster (Angelotti).

    One of The Dallas Opera’s Most Popular!

     

    BECOMING SANTA CLAUS by Mark Adamo

    December 4, 6(m), 9 & 12, 2015

    An Eagerly Awaited Dallas Opera World Premiere!

    Libretto by the composer, Mark Adamo.

    Time: Where time divides into “before” and “after”

    Place: An Elven kingdom in the far, far north

    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume

    Stage Director: Paul Curran

    Production Design: Gary McCann*

    Video Design: Elaine J. McCarthy

    Lighting Design: Paul Hackenmueller*

    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman

    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

    Starring: Jennifer Rivera* (Queen Sophine), Juan José de León (Prince Claus), Matt Boehler* (Donkey)

    Another New Dallas Opera Production

     

    * Dallas Opera Debut

    ** American Debut

    FIRST NIGHT 2014 at The Dallas Opera

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
    DATE: SEPTEMBER 4, 2014
    Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014 Or Celeste Hart 214.443.1071
    suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org celeste.hart@dallasopera.org

    EXCITEMENT AND THRILLS ABOUND!
    THE DALLAS OPERA’S
    SEASON OPENING NIGHT EVENTS

    FIRST NIGHT!

    2014-2015 “HEIGHTS OF PASSION” SEASON
    ~~~

    EVENTS BEGIN FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2014 AT 5:30 PM
    THE MARGOT AND BILL WINSPEAR OPERA HOUSE
    AT THE AT&T PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

    Red Carpet Arrival
    Tantalizing Gourmet Dinner
    The Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro
    Curtain Time, 8:00 p.m.
    Free Live Simulcast in Klyde Warren Park
    Rockin’ And Dancin’ After Party

    FIRST NIGHT CO-CHAIRS
    LYNN MCBEE AND NICHOLAS EVEN

    DALLAS, SEPTEMBER 4, 2014 – 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, please 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, LLP
    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, please 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.

    TEXAS INSTRUMENTS FOUNDATION, SEASON SPONSOR
    FOR THE DALLAS OPERA’S “HEIGHTS OF PASSION” SEASON
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    EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA
    IS CONVENIENTLY AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7
    VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG AND CHECK THE CALENDAR LISTINGS

    Ticket Information for the 2014-2015 Dallas Opera Season

    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.

    THE DALLAS OPERA 2014-2015 SEASON INFORMATION
    The Dallas Opera celebrates its Fifty-Eighth International Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Dallas Arts District. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 p.m. unless otherwise stated. English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance and assistance is available for the hearing impaired. The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talk begins one hour prior to curtain, at most performances excluding FIRST NIGHT of the season.

    THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    October 24 (The Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance), Oct. 26(m), 29, November 1, 7 and 9(m), 2014
    In a single crazy, romantic day, doors will be locked and unlocked, disguised donned, kisses exchanged and innermost hearts revealed—to some of the most memorable music Mozart ever composed.
    An opera in four acts first performed in Vienna on May 1, 1786
    Text by Lorenzo Da Ponte after the 1784 play La folle journée, ou Le mariage de Figaro by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais
    Time: The late 18th century
    Place: Aguasfrescas near Seville, Spain, the Almaviva’s country house
    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
    Stage Director: Kevin Moriarty
    Production Design: John Bury*
    Lighting Design: Mark McCullough
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Choreography: Joel Ferrell*
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Starring: Mirco Palazzi (Figaro) , Beate Ritter** (Susanna), Joshua Hopkins (Count Almaviva), Nicole Car** (Countess Almaviva), Emily Fons (Cherubino), Diana Montague* (Marcellina), Kevin Langan (Doctor Bartolo), Doug Jones (Don Basilio), Angela Mannino (Barbarina), Adam Lau* (Antonio) and Jon Kolbet (Don Curzio).
    Production Owned by Lyric Opera of Chicago

    SALOME by Richard Strauss
    October 30, November 2(m), 5, 8, 2014
    Once in a great while, the term “over the top” doesn’t seem nearly high enough.
    An opera in one act first performed in Dresden, Germany on December 9, 1905
    Hedwig Lachmann’s German translation of Oscar Wilde’s French language play
    Time: During the time of Jesus Christ
    Place: King Herod’s palace on the Sea of Galilee
    Conductor: Evan Rogister*
    Stage Director: Francesca Zambello
    Original Production: Francesca Zambello
    Scenic Design: Peter J. Davison*
    Costume Design: Anita Yavich
    Lighting Design: Mark McCullough
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Choreography: Yael Levitin*
    Starring: Deborah Voigt* (Salome), Robert Brubaker (Herod), Greer Grimsley* (Jokanaan), Susan Bickley* (Herodias), Scott Quinn (Narraboth), Heather Johnson* (Herodias’Page), Bradley Garvin (First Nazarene), Grigory Soloviov* (First Soldier), Jason Grant (Second Soldier), Joseph Hu (First Jew), Jay Gardner (Second Jew), John Robert Lindsey (Third Jew), Steven Haal (Fourth Jew), Patrick Guetti* (Fifth Jew), Tyler Simpson* (Second Nazarene), NaGuanda Nobles (A Slave) and Matthew Stump* (A Cappadocian).
    Production Owned by Washington National Opera

    A RARE DALLAS OPERA DOUBLE BILL:

    LA WALLY by Alfredo Catalani
    January 30, February 1(m), 4 and 7, 2015
    The Climactic Final Act!
    First performed in Milan, Italy on January 20, 1892
    Text by Luigi Illica after Wilhelmine von Hillern’s story, Die Geyer-Wally
    Time: Around the year 1800
    Place: The Austrian Alps
    Conductor: Anthony Barrese
    Stage Director: Candace Evans
    Scenic Design: Robert Brill
    Costume Design: David C. Woolard
    Lighting Design: Christopher Akerlind
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Starring: Latonia Moore (Wally), Carl Tanner* (Giuseppe Hagenbach) and Jennifer Chung (Walter)
    A Brand-New Dallas Opera Production!

    With EVEREST by Joby Talbot
    January 30, February 1(m), 4 and 7, 2015
    A Dallas Opera World Premiere!
    Text by Gene Scheer
    Time: Modern Day
    Place: In the Death Zone on Mount Everest
    Conductor: Nicole Paiement
    Stage Director: Leonard Foglia
    Scenic Design: Robert Brill
    Costume Design: David C. Woolard
    Video Design: Elaine J. McCarthy
    Lighting Design: Christopher Akerlind
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Starring: Andrew Bidlack (Rob Hall), Sasha Cooke (Jan Arnold), Kevin Burdette* (Beck Weathers) and Craig Verm* (Doug Hansen).

    LA BOHÈME by Giacomo Puccini
    March 13, 15(m), 18, 21, 27 and 29(m), 2015
    A passionate and timeless masterpiece in a beloved period production
    An opera in four acts first performed in Turin, Italy on February 1, 1896
    Text by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica after Henry Murger’s novel Scènes de la vie de bohème
    Time: mid-19th century
    Place: The Latin Quarter of Paris, France
    Conductor: Riccardo Frizza*
    Stage Director: Peter Kazaras
    Scenic Design: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
    Costume Design: Peter J. Hall
    Lighting Design: Thomas C. Hase
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Children’s Chorus Master: Melinda Cotton
    Starring: Ana Maria Martinez (Mimi), Bryan Hymel (Rodolfo), Davinia Rodriguez* (Musetta), Jonathan Beyer (Marcello), Alexander Vinogradov* (Colline), Stephen LaBrie (Schaunard) and Stefan Szkafarowsky (Benoit).
    One of the Dallas Opera’s Most Popular!

    IOLANTA by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
    April 10, 12(m), 15 and 18, 2015
    A rarely performed Tchaikovsky gem, set in Medieval Provence!
    First performed in St. Petersburg, Russia on December 18, 1892
    Text by Modest Tchaikovsky based on the Danish play King Rene’s Daughter by Henrik Hertz
    Time: The 15th century
    Place: Provence, a mountainous region in Southern France
    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
    Stage Director: Christian Räth
    Scenic Design: Christian Räth
    Costume Design: Susan Cox
    Video Design: Elaine J. McCarthy
    Lighting Design: Thomas C. Hase
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Starring: Ekaterina Scherbachenko* (Iolanta), Sergey Skorokhodov* (Count Vaudémont), Joanna Mongiardo* (Brigitta), Lauren McNeese (Laura), Tamara Mumford* (Marta), Andrei Bondarenko** (Robert, Duke of Burgandy), Mikhail Kolelishvili (Renè, King of Provence), Andrew Bidlack (Alméric), Vladislav Sulimsky** (Ibn-Hakia) and Jordan Bisch (Bertrand).
    Another New Dallas Opera Production

    * Dallas Opera Debut
    ** American Debut
    ______________________________________________________________________________________
    The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: Texas Instruments Foundation, TACA, City of Dallas, Office of Cultural Affairs; the Texas Commission on the Arts and The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera. Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera. Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News. A special thanks to the Elsa von Seggern Foundation for its continuing support.

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