Grand Opening Gala

Austin Opera is opening its new home, the Butler Performance Center, with a Grand Opening Gala on Saturday, October 17. The center is located at 5811 Trade Center Drive, Building 1, in Austin, and the night is built around celebrating the space as much as the music. It's a long evening that starts with a cocktail reception on the Tetzlaff-Tiblier Family Plaza, moves inside for a seated dinner in the theater, and finishes back on the plaza with cocktails and dancing to DJ Gatsby.

The music comes from a few different directions. Soprano Nicole Heaston and Austin Opera Concertmaster Patrice Calixte lead the vocal and instrumental side, joined by the company's Resident Stars. Roy Lozano's Ballet Folklórico adds dance to the mix, and the whole thing is framed by the cocktail hour and the dancing later on. The dinner is handled by El Alma Catering, with wine pairings from Twin Liquors.

There's a bit of context to the venue itself. The Sarah and Ernest Butler Performance Center is Austin Opera's new home, and it's meant to be more than just their headquarters. It's designed as a cultural hub for the city, built to host year-round experiences from dozens of local arts organizations. Inside, there's a 180-seat theater with retractable, tiered deluxe seating, four rehearsal rooms, a conference center, and both indoor and outdoor event spaces. Austin Opera plans to expand its 2026 season with more offerings here, and they've described the venue as a spot for social connection, artistic exploration, and boundary-pushing collaborations.

Proceeds from the gala go toward Inspire 2030 and the center's new community engagement initiatives. The dress code is black tie optional, and the evening runs from the cocktail reception on the Tetzlaff-Tiblier Family Plaza through the seated dinner in the theater.