Washington National Opera Opening Night Gala
Opera for the Nation

The Washington National Opera marked the opening of its 49th season with a patriotic red, white and blue gala at the Kennedy Center Opera House on September 11. Guests were treated to the stunning new production of Umberto Giordano’s opera “Andre Chénier,” starring up-and-coming tenor Salvatore Licitra. Afterwards, the over 350 patrons joined cast members for an elaborate dinner and dancing on the Roof Terrace Gallery of the Kennedy Center, hosted by opera legend Placido Domingo.

Michael Sonnenreich and Sheika Al Sabah

Betty Casey	Tomasz Nerkowski, Michal Ciecka, Piotr Nowakowski and Mariusz Trelinski

Placido Domingo	Hungarian Amb. Andreas Simonyi

Nina Totenburg and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Photos by Kyle Samperton