2025 Opening Night Gala & Forte Awards
FOR THE LOVE OF OPERA
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 1
Celebrate the start of a new season with an elegant evening of music, dinner, and community at Minnesota Opera’s Opening Night Gala. This one-night-only event welcomes opera lovers from far and wide to gather in support of the artists and stories that light up our stage.
With signature cocktails, an exclusive meal, premium access to the season-opening performance of Così fan tutte, and a lively after-party to close out the night, the evening offers an unforgettable experience for you and your guests—while securing a vibrant future for opera in Minnesota.
PLEASE CONTACT PATRON SERVICES FOR ASSISTANCE WITH GALA TICKETING
STAY & PLAY for the night or the weekend with an
exclusive room rate discount at The Saint Paul Hotel.
LEARN MORE
Location
COCKTAIL RECEPTION,
DINNER, & PROGRAM
The Saint Paul Hotel
350 Market Street
Saint Paul, MN 55102
Complimentary Valet Parking
COSÌ FAN TUTTE
& AFTER-PARTY
Ordway Music Theater
345 Washington St
St Paul, MN 55102
DJ Shannon Blowtorch spins dance tunes at the after-party!
GALA SPONSORSHIP
This joyous and exhilarating one-night-only celebration will honor MN Opera’s ongoing commitment to building the future of opera, making it possible to bring our mission to life—today and for generations to come. Sponsors will enjoy a table at the Gala dinner as well as first access to premium seating for the evening’s performance of Così fan tutte at the Ordway, creating a seamless and unforgettable opening night experience for you and your guests.
ABOUT COSÌ FAN TUTTE
With a masterful score by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Così fan tutte presents an eye-opening, honest look at the fickle nature of love, fidelity, and the complex dynamics of human relationships. In the end, audiences will have to decide for themselves what’s real, what’s performance, and whether anyone comes out unscathed. A cast featuring MN Opera Resident Artists lights up the stage with sonorous, affecting, and comedic performances.
EVENT DETAILS
Information about Locations, Dress Code, Menus, Evening Timeline, and more.
CATCH THE VIBE
Enjoy inspiration photos of what you can expect from an MN Opera Gala event: Stunning decorations, delicious food and drink, elegant and eye-catching sartorial choices, dynamic camaraderie with friends old and new, and much more!
Photos from GLAM JAM (2024) by Darin Kamnetz and Mike Madison
MAKE A WEEKEND OF IT
We’re delighted to share that gala guests can enjoy a special discounted rate at The Saint Paul Hotel during Gala Weekend (October 31–November 2). To reserve, visit www.saintpaulhotel.com, select your dates, choose “Group/Code” from the drop-down menu, and enter the group code 6787491. Prefer the phone? Call 800-292-9292 and ask for the MN Opera Opening Night rate.
The Forte Award 2025 Honorees
The Forte Award recognizes individuals and community partners for their significant impact on MN Opera’s mission and contributions to Minnesota’s arts community. The Forte Award honors deep involvement, service, and support. We recognize these recipients for their steadfast commitment to helping bring MN Opera’s mission into focus.
THANK YOU
TO OUR GENEROUS OPENING NIGHT GALA SPONSORS
$15,000+ SPONSORS
Ruth and John Huss
Mary Ingebrand-Pohlad with Leni and David Moore
$10,000+ SPONSORS
Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
$7,500+ SPONSORS
Jodi and Michael Mooney
Ascent Private Capital Management of U.S. Bank
Best Buy
Christopher Hermann and Brian Pietsch
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
$5,000+ SPONSORS
Karen O. Bachman
Kathleen and Jaff Baradaran
Gayle Fuguitt and Tom Veitch
Christl and Andrew Larson
Celita Levinson
Jeninne McGee
Ameriprise Financial
Ecolab
KPMG
McKee, Voorhees & Sease, PLC
McGough
Construction
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Midwest
Radiology