Marina Poplavskaya as Lucrezia dominates the stage visually in this dazzling gown designed by Mattie Ullrich.  Her dramatic updo reminds a little of Adele.

Placido Domingo as the tormented Doge of Venice.  Mattie's design establishes his prominent status with the rich fabric and color of the outer piece while the soft and simple undergarment reveals a more vulnerable side of Francesco Foscari. 

(Photos: Robert Millard)

The Two Foscari opens Saturday, September 15.  Read more about this exciting revival of Verdi's masterpiece.

As the staff, cast, crew and guests prepare for tomorrow night's opening of the 2012/2013 season and premiere of The Two Foscari, we take a moment to pause and review past Gala fashion as a guide to how to be best dressed at LA Opera.

Last year's ARIA Chair, Emmy Rossum looked elegant in this Piaget gown that was perfect for sitting during the performance and the outdoor after party. The trick is to select something comfortable, appropriate for the occasion with some thought about the environment.

Emmy and her cast mates from "Shameless" hit the dance floor in varying lengths of dresses.  Short is not out of the question for a formal evening in L.A. But, because the season opening night is also the LA Opera Gala, it provides the perfect occasion to go all out in black tie and formal gowns.

Black is always a classic and timeless choice as this couple so elegantly proves.

September in L.A. doesn't bring fall weather and tomorrow's temperature in DNTLA could exceed 100(!) so comfort is key when it comes to dressing formal.  These two whimsical gowns designed by Sue Wong are what she envisions as "operatic" and we think they are perfect for the IGNITE! theme.  Ms. Wong will be joining us on the red carpet along with a live display of her new ethereal designs. 

LA Opera staff take advantage of the occasion to show off their own personal style.  A fashion care package came for one staffer all the way from Brooklyn.  We can't wait to see what else was in this box!

In the searing heat of late Los Angeles summer (the day topped off at 100 + degrees!), guests of the LA Opera 12/13 Season Opening Night Gala handled the weather with style.

 Designer Sue Wong arrived in a dazzling form fitting gown draped with long silky feathers.  She is seen here with models wearing elegant, weather-appropriate gowns from her new collection. The stunning, show-stopping jewelry on all the ladies comes from Joe Vilaiwan, Ms. Wong's jewelry designer.

Thanks to support from Bloomingdale's who features the Sue Wong dress collection, a display of her new creations greeted guests as they entered the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

These three gowns were particular standouts for the LA Opera staff who noted the expression of glamour and opulence often seen on the opera stage.

Mattie Ullrich (r), costume designer for The Two Foscari , went for a 70's Halston look in this one shoulder column gown and romantic, side-swept updo.

Accessories are often an important part of a performer's costume so we took a closer look at the variety on display at the Gala.

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ARIA Chair Stana Katic (l), Christoph Waltz (c) and Anna Gunn (r). Although all three have illustrious careers on the big and small screens, they also have past relationships with the theatre stage. We found them backstage looking so good together, one might think they coordinated wardrobe for the evening.