Opera Saratoga announces 2025 Gala at Saratoga National: An Evening in Paris

Opera Saratoga kicks off its 2025 summer season with “An Evening in Paris” a fabulous Parisian-inspired party and fundraiser, hosted at the premier Saratoga National Golf Club. The annual Opera Gala stands as the opera’s most significant fundraiser of the year.

Join us for a grand voyage to the City of Lights at Opera Saratoga’s 2025 Gala, An Evening in Paris on June 15th at 5pm. Enjoy fizzy cocktails, fine food, and sparkling entertainment from Opera Saratoga’s Festival Artists, and more! And after dinner, put on your dancing shoes and dance the night away!

An Evening in Paris will toast to the generosity of our Honorary Chairs Deborah & Dexter Senft, and give special recognition to Opera Saratoga’s 50 in ‘25 - 50 dedicated patrons who have supported the company for the past 25 years, regardless of the amount!

The evening will celebrate the future of Opera Saratoga by highlighting our education and student programs: The Opera Saratoga Education Tour; our renowned Festival Artist Program; and free student admission to all mainstage performances! According to board president and event chair Steve Rosenblum, “Opera Saratoga holds a unique place in the local arts. We are the only professional opera company in the Capital District, and one of the only producing companies in Saratoga Springs. However, to remain relevant, we must bring the art form to younger audiences. Our Education Tour brings music to thousands of grade school students each year. This year, thanks to a grant from one of our donors, we are able to extend our offerings to high school and college students for just $10 per ticket! Our Festival Artist training program - the second oldest of its kind in the nation - has helped to launch the careers of countless numbers of performers. At this year’s Gala we will raise money to further these efforts and to celebrate those who have already given so generously.”

The evening’s entertainment will feature music from the Festival Artists of the company’s 2025 season, while creating an atmosphere on a Parisian summer’s eve. In addition, there will be a live auction, with a vast array of items to bid on, including vacation get-aways, Metropolitan Opera tickets, cooking classes, tickets to local concerts, and much more! Opera Saratoga’s auctioneer and emcee will once again by the fabulous Tom Stebbins.

When:

Saturday, June 15, 2025, 5-10 PM

Where:

Saratoga National Golf Course

458 Union Avenue

Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Gala tickets start at only $195 for first-time attendees!

Visit www.operasaratoga.org/gala2025

Additional information:

Gala Chair: Steve Rosenblum

Auctioneer/Emcee: Tom Stebbins

Music Direction: Laurie Rogers

Stage Direction: Mary Birnbaum, Paige Cameron, Zoe Lesser

Meet our Honorees: Deborah & Dexter Senft

Deborah and Dexter Senft retired to Saratoga Springs in 2017 after four decades in the New York area, where they raised their two children, David and Caroline. They wanted to relocate to a college town with performing arts, ideally in proximity to Lake George, where Deborah's family has been in residence for 125 years. Saratoga Springs has richly rewarded them on all fronts.

Dexter spent his career in quantitative finance, where he published much of the early research in mortgage securities and fixed income derivatives. He retired in 2015 from Morgan Stanley. He serves on the Board of the National Museum of Mathematics. Deborah ran her own promotions company and after the nest was empty, she went on to a Masters degree in Counseling and became a certified and licensed Psychoanalyst. She continues to see selected patients.

The Senft family shares a love of music and at different times, Deborah and Dexter were members of professional vocal groups. They were both pleased and astonished to learn that their new home has its own opera company, which is on their short list of the best things to enjoy in Saratoga Springs.

Gala Committee Members

Bart & Jeff Altamari, Edye Benson, Fran Bruno, Trieste Cordova, Clark Gale, Donene Honnold, Holly Katz, Debbie Lee, Nina Lockwood, Carol Markley, Mary Frances Miller, Kathy Nolte, Jack Norton, Susi Ritzenberg, Steve Rosenblum, Anthony Smokovich, Abby Tegnelia

If you are interested in learning more about Opera Saratoga’s 2024 season, visit www.operasaratoga.org.