Dallas Opera Announces Fashion Show, FIRST NIGHT and More!

Get out your dancing shoes, try on the tux, and select your most stylish ensemble or your most outlandish Carmen costume, as Dallas gets ready for a fabulous new season of opera during a particularly fashion-forward month of October!

The Dallas Opera will present an extraordinarily diverse 57th International Season, "By Love Transformed," sponsored by Texas Instruments Foundation, which will officially kick off when the curtain rises on Friday, October 25, 2013 at 8:00 p.m. (please note the unusual curtain time). The Dallas Opera's 2013-2014 Season will open with Georges Bizet's 1875 masterpiece CARMEN in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. Single tickets for the Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance and subsequent Sundaymatinees and evening performances begin at the low price of just $19 and are on sale now.

Full season subscriptions are now available for as little as $76 for all four outstanding mainstage productions. The Dallas Opera also has two-performance and three-performance subscriptions available as well.

FIRST NIGHT festivities, presented by NGP Energy Capital, get underway at 5:30 p.m. on the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House Red Carpet at the AT&T Performing Arts Center located in the Dallas Arts District. The lavish dinner is 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. followed by Carmen at 8:00 p.m. The emcees will be faces-and voices-you already know and love, and celebrity guests that evening will include a contingent of top-tier fashion designers accompanying their head-turning models. Together, they will elevate people-watching to the status of art with their "opera-inspired" couture gowns!

Special pre-performance activities will take place in front of a giant outdoor screen in Klyde Warren Park in the Dallas Arts District, including a "Carmen Costume Contest" for men, women and pets-and a "Toreador Song Sing-a-long." The public is invited to bring a blanket and a picnic basket, and enjoy the evening's events as they unfold at our free simulcast of CARMEN.

The Dallas Opera is proud to present this star-studded revival of Georges Bizet's colorful, sensual and passionate nineteenth-century masterpiece starring French mezzo-soprano Clémentine Margaine in her American debut; tenorsBrandon Jovanovich, who last captivated us as Pinkerton, and Bruno Ribeiro (making his company debut) will be singing Don José; Soprano Mary Dunleavy as Micaëla; and Dwayne Croft as Escamillo the Toreador.

Conducted by internationally renowned Dallas Opera Music Director Emmanuel Villaume and staged by acclaimed director Chris Alexander. With English subtitles projected onto the screen, you won't miss a moment of the exotic action, passion, drama, or romance!

Season two-pack subscriptions for our mainstage productions begin at the low, low price of $50. Take your pick of two mainstage productions you've been yearning to see. Season three-pack subscriptions start at just $75. For more details, contact Dallas Opera Ticket Services, 214.443.1000 or purchase online at dallasopera.org.

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FIRST SIGHT, a fashion show and luncheon, presented by J.P. Morgan, will take the spotlight the day before we officially open on Thursday, October 24, 2013 in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. This first-time event will feature the work of five internationally renowned designers and their spectacular interpretations of the operas that comprise this "By Love Transformed" Season. Additionally, ESCADA, an international brand known for their beautiful and luxurious designs will present its own fashion preview.

The pre-show reception begins at 10:00 a.m. setting the mood for the fashion show on the Shannon and Ted Skokos Stage. Opera-inspired creations will trod the runway, followed by the ESCADA show, Resort 2014 and concluding with a sit-down luncheon by Puck Catering at 11:45 a.m. in the C. Vincent Prothro Lobby.

For more information about reserving your seats for FIRST SIGHT/FIRST NIGHT, contact Special Events Manager Tracy Mott at tracy.mott@dallasopera.org.

October's Calendar of Events also includes "Dallas Opera Perspectives" at the Meadows Museum on the campus of SMU, Tuesday, October 8th at 6:30 p.m. General Director and CEO Keith Cerny welcomes TDO's newly appointed Music Director, Emmanuel Villaume, for a discussion focused on Bizet's CARMEN as well as Maestro Villaume's personal exploration of the great Spanish masterpieces in the Meadows Museum Collection.

On Sunday, October 20th at 3:00 p.m. in Hamon Hall you have a chance to meet the cast of CARMEN at "Dallas Opera Guild's Opera Insights." TDO Artistic Director Jonathan Pell will lead the discussion while you get an in-depth look at the history, the people, and the creative minds behind our upcoming production of CARMEN.

TDO's popular family opera JACK AND THE BEANSTALK will be making a stop at the Winspear onSaturday, October 26, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. The C. Vincent Prothro Lobby of the Margot & Bill Winspear Opera House in the AT&T Performing Arts Center will open at 12:30 p.m. for a host of hands-on crafts and activities, as well as an encore of our new TDO Kids Book Club, hosted by popular Dallas/Fort Worth area actor and director B. J. Cleveland reading Paco and the Giant Chili Plant and The Giant and the Beanstalk.

Single tickets for this event are on sale now for just $5 apiece!

A list of the major Dallas Opera-sponsored-or-related events for the month of October may be accessed below or by visiting our website, dallasopera.org. For more information, you are encouraged to contact the friendly professionals atDallas Opera Ticket Services, 214.443.1000. You can access even more information online, 24/7, at dallasopera.org.

October Calendar of Events

1.) Tuesday, October 8, 2013

"Dallas Opera Perspectives" at the Meadows Museum

Join Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Keith Cerny and new Music Director Emmanuel Villaume at the Meadows Museum for a discussion about Bizet's Carmen and Villaume's personal perspectives on select Spanish masterpieces from the museum's world-renowned collection.

Time: 6:30pm

Where: Meadows Museum 5900 Bishop Blvd, Dallas, TX 75205

Cost: FREE, with RSVP, http://dallasopera.org/rsvp/

2.) Sunday, October 20, 2013

Dallas Opera Guild Opera Insights - Carmen

Learn about Georges Bizet's Carmen during a panel discussion with the cast and production team, moderated by Dallas Opera Artistic Director Jonathan Pell.

Time: 3:00pm

Where: Hamon Hall, Winspear Opera House 2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201

Cost: FREE, no RSVP required, simply come and enjoy!

3.) Thursday, October 24, 2013

FIRST SIGHT Fashion Show and Luncheon, presented by J.P. Morgan

The Shannon and Ted Skokos Stage becomes a fashion runway as designers debut their stunning interpretations of the 2013/2014 Dallas Opera Season followed by an elegant luncheon in the lobby of the Winspear Opera House.

FIRST SIGHT/NIGHT Chair: Lynn Mock; Fashion Show Chair: Rhonda Sargent Chambers; Luncheon Chair: The Women's Board; Event Architect: Jeffrey Horn FPLtd; Event Designer: Larry Leathers. For more information please contacttracy.mott@dallasopera.org.

Schedule:

10am Reception

11am Fashion Show

11:45pm Luncheon

Where: Winspear Opera House 2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201

4.) Friday, October 25, 2013

FIRST NIGHT Pre-Performance Dinner and After Party presented by NGP Energy Capital.

Sammons Park, leading into Winspear Opera House, will be transformed into a glamorous setting to celebrate the Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance of Carmen. Dine and toast the success of the new Dallas Opera season and meet the cast after the performance!

FIRST SIGHT/NIGHT Chair: Lynn Mock; Event Architect: Jeffrey Horn FPLtd; Event Designer: Larry Leathers. Please contact tracy.mott@dallasopera.org for more details.

Schedule:

5:30pm cocktails and dinner

7:30pm move into Winspear 8pm performance Carmen**

11:00 pm After Party with the cast of Carmen, featuring live music and dancing

**opera tickets sold separately, excepting the Platinum package

Where: Winspear Opera House 2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201

5.) Friday, October 25, 2013

Carmen - Opening Night Simulcast at Klyde Warren Park

Sung in French with English Supertitles. In partnership with Klyde Warren Park and with support from The Dallas Arts District.

Join the Dallas Opera as it presents a live simulcast of Bizet's Carmen. Happening rain or shine!

We hope you'll join us and share in the drama as it unfolds onstage. Performance begins at 8:00 but come early to enjoy the pre-party which will include a "Toreador Song Sing-a-long" and "Carmen Costume Contest." Sign up to receive email reminders about performance, full schedule of evening's festivities and a chance to experience Carmen live at the Winspear Opera House.

Time: 6:30pm

Carmen Costume Contest at 7:15 pm, Opera begins at 8pm

Where: Klyde Warren Park

Cost: FREE http://dallasopera.org/rsvp/

6.) Friday, October 25, 2013

Carmen - The Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance, Winspear Opera House. Bizet's masterpiece, sung in French with English Supertitles.

She's the woman no man can resist and, as performed by mezzo-soprano Clémentine Margaine in her American debut, who would want to say non? Hailed as "Best Newcomer" in the 2011 French Classical Music Awards, Margaine will have her hands full with two head-turning, heart-melting Don José. This production conducted by Emmanuel Villaume and directed by Chris Alexander will make all the other good/bad girls of opera seem tame, if not lame, in comparison.

Time: 8:00pm

Where: Winspear Opera House 2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201

Cost: Single tickets start @$19 http://www.dallasopera.org/season

7.) Saturday, October 26, 2013

Jack and the Beanstalk at the Winspear Opera House

By John Davies | Sung in English with English Supertitles

Join us for a family friendly performance as we explore the world of Jack and the Beanstalk through TDO's Kid's Book Club and a host of fun-filled arts & crafts activities that will inspire the young artists in your household.

Schedule:

12:30pm Lobby Activities

2:00pm Performance

Where: Winspear Opera House 2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201

Cost: $5, performance, lobby activities FREE and open to the public.
Subscription Packages on sale NOW! A family of four can see three family-friendly opera performances for just $48http://dallasopera.org/family/

8.) Sunday, October 27, 2013

Carmen Sunday Matinee

By Georges Bizet | Sung in French with English Supertitles

She's the woman no man can resist and, as performed by mezzo-soprano Clémentine Margaine in her American debut, who would want to say non? Hailed as "Best Newcomer" in the 2011 French Classical Music Awards, Margaine will have her hands full with two head-turning, heart-melting Don José. This production conducted by Emmanuel Villaume and directed by Chris Alexander will make all the other good/bad girls of opera seem tame, if not lame, in comparison.

Time: 2:00pm

Where: Winspear Opera House 2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201

Cost: Single tickets start @$19 http://www.dallasopera.org/season

9.) Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Carmen Mid-Week Performance

By Georges Bizet | Sung in French with English Supertitles

She's the woman no man can resist and, as performed by mezzo-soprano Clémentine Margaine in her American debut, who would want to say non? Hailed as "Best Newcomer" in the 2011 French Classical Music Awards, Margaine will have her hands full with two head-turning, heart-melting Don José. This production conducted by Emmanuel Villaume and directed by Chris Alexander will make all the other good/bad girls of opera seem tame, if not lame, in comparison.

Time: 7:30pm

Where: Winspear Opera House 2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201

Cost: Single tickets start @$19 http://www.dallasopera.org/season