Just Announced: Soirée des Étoiles" Gala, February 2, 2013

Seattle Opera is excited today to announce our 2012/13 Gala, “Soirée des Étoiles,” an evening of French-inspired glitz and glamour on Saturday, February 2, 2013, beginning at 6 pm. Overlooking the gorgeous Puget Sound and Seattle’s new Great Wheel from the Four Seasons Ballroom, Gala guests will be the first in Seattle to hear young opera stars Michael Fabiano and Jennifer Black, both of whom make their Seattle Opera debuts in La bohème in February and March 2013.

La bohème famously opens with a view of the Paris rooftops from the Bohemians’ apartment. Drawing upon this inspiration, Gala décor will feature the sparkly night skyline of Paris. Guests will enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, an exclusive performance by Fabiano and Black, and a gourmet dinner by Chef Kelly Sear. Dancing to Seattle’s Dudley Manlove Quartet will cap this black-tie event.

Brian Marks, Seattle Opera Trustee, and his wife Carol Maione are chairs of the 2013 Opera Gala. General Director Speight Jenkins, in his 29th year at the helm of the company, will introduce the guest artists, whom he is eager to present to Seattle audiences.

Individual tickets for this black-tie event are $500, $1,000, and $3,000 per person; tables of ten are $5,000, $10,000, and $20,000. Special benefits and recognition are determined by level.

Early reservations are suggested as seating is limited. Reservations are accepted online at www.seattleopera.org/gala or by contacting Megan Janning at megan.janning@seattleopera.org or 206.676.5535. Seattle Opera seeks a small quantity of luxury items, Parisian in flavor, for the high-end live auction. Visit www.seattleopera.org/gala for more information.

Net proceeds benefit Seattle Opera’s Young Artists Program. Founded in 1998, the program has nurtured the careers of singers such as Brandon Jovanovich, Morgan Smith, Lawrence Brownlee, Mary Elizabeth Williams, and Sarah Coburn while bringing opera to communities all over Washington and the Pacific Northwest.

Last season's "A Perfect Pairing" Gala, held at Chateau Ste. Michelle winery in Woodinville, WA, raised approximately $170,000 for the company. Photos from that memorable night are available HERE.