Washington National Opera's Opening Night Gala

Robert Pence, Ed Phelps, Susan Pence and Linda Phelps

The Washington National Opera opened their 55th season with Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera" Saturday evening at the Kennedy Center. The opera's after party commenced with a masquerade ball.

To compliment Verdi's opera, the WNO chose to have their opening fundraiser be an elegant masked ball at the Embassy of Italy. Guests enjoyed a three-course Italian meal beginning with imported buffala mozzarella and heirloom tomatoes, roast veal and vegetables and orange and ricotta cheesecake with coconut. After dinner, the Radio King Orchestra, a 12-piece band, played old standards and big band music favorites.

Those in attendance at the ball included Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan, Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Cafritz and many members of D.C.'s diplomatic community.

The masked ball is only the second in WNO's history, the first being in 1997. The tradition dates back to opera's earliest days.

"Let tonight be a night of 'nessun dorma,'" said Italian Ambassador Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agata, using the Italian phrase for "nobody sleeps."

After dinner, Placido Domingo, general director of the Washington National Opera, invited cast members of the opera to be celebrated on stage. "Un Ballo in Maschera" will be playing at the Kennedy Center through Sept. 25.

— Report by Kate Oczypok and photographs by James R. Brantley

Lucky Roosevelt, Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Veronica Valencia Sarukhan and Grace Bender

John Arundel, Rivers Spencer, Lynne Pace and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Peter Pace

Jane Cafritz and Calvin Cafritz

Italian Ambassador Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agata, British Ambassador Sir Nigel Sheinwald, Lady Julia Sheinwald, Antonella Cinque and French Ambassador Pierre Vimont

Joanne Mason, Dr. Susan Blumenthal, Antonella Cinque and Italian Ambassador Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agata

Adrienne Arsht

Finlay Lewis, Veronica Valencia Sarukhan, Willee Lewis and Mexican Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan

John Gore and Toni Gore

Singapore's Ambassador Heng Chee Chan and David Ryan

U.S. Chief of Protocol Capricia Marshall

French Ambassador Pierre Vimont, Katherine Bradley and David Bradley

Lisa Horwitz, Murray Horwitz and Patti Humphrey

Jonathan Weinberger, Melanie Strudler and Erica Strudler

Jane Cafritz and Katherine Bradley

John Mason and Sam Lehrman

Dr. Susan Blumenthal and JoAnn Mason

Tim Mix and Emily Ezzie

Lady Julia Sheinwald and Michael Sonnenreich