Toledo, OH – Toledo Opera will offer audiences an opportunity to experience the opening night of Verdi’s Aida from beginning to end with All Access, a special evening of music, culture, conversation, and celebration on Friday, October 16, 2026.
Beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Toledo Club, 235 14th St., Toledo, Ohio 43604, All Access brings together two opening night experiences: Operatizer and Afterglow. Aida All Access is made possible with the support of Nathaniel-Waldon Group, LLC; Shumaker, Loop, & Kendrick, LLP; and Kelli & Thomas Winston. All Access tickets are $100 and do not include admission to the Aida performance.
The evening will begin with Operatizer, a relaxed pre-performance gathering in The Toledo Club’s Red Room featuring heavy hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, and a special presentation by Dr. Sophie Ong, Assistant Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Toledo Museum of Art and curator of the museum’s Ethiopia at the Crossroads exhibition.
Through art and imagery, Ong will explore Ethiopia’s rich artistic and cultural history, offering audiences additional context for Aida and the Ethiopian heritage of the opera’s central character. Following the presentation, guests will travel together to the Valentine Theatre for the 7:30 p.m. opening night performance. Round-trip transportation to the theatre is included in the cost of the All Access ticket.
After the final curtain, All Access guests will return to The Toledo Club for Afterglow, Toledo Opera’s opening night cast party. From approximately 10:30 p.m. to midnight, guests can enjoy late-night appetizers and a cash bar while mingling with members of the Aida cast and creative team, Toledo Opera staff, and fellow opera goers.
For Toledo Opera Artistic Director Kevin Bylsma, Aida All Access offers audiences an opportunity to experience the opera as more than a performance, connecting the music with the history, culture, artists, and community that surround it: “Opera has the power to transport us, but it also has the power to bring us together. With All Access, we have the opportunity to extend the Aida experience beyond the stage; to explore the history and culture that inform this extraordinary story, share an evening with fellow opera lovers, and celebrate with the artists who bring the production to life. It is a wonderful reflection of what makes opera such a collaborative and communal art form, and we are delighted to welcome audiences to experience Aida with us from the first conversation to the final toast.”
Shared Kelli & Thomas Winston: “We believe deeply in the power of the arts to bring people together, uplift and inspire, broaden perspectives, and to remind us of our shared humanity. That’s why we’re passionate about supporting Toledo Opera and its commitment to connect more people with the power and beauty of opera. We’re proud to support programs that create opportunities to experience the arts, and advance Toledo Opera’s mission to bring meaningful cultural experiences to our community.”
For those who prefer to attend only one portion of the evening, Operatizer and Afterglow are also available as individual experiences. Operatizer is $75 and includes heavy hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, Ong’s presentation, and round-trip transportation to the Valentine Theatre. Afterglow is $50 and includes late-night appetizers and a cash bar. Tickets to Aida are not included with either experience.
About Aida: Torn between love and duty, Aida stands at the center of a tempest of passion, loyalty, and impossible choices. Captive in ancient Egypt, the Ethiopian Princess must navigate her love for the heroic Radamès, her devotion to her homeland, and the schemes of the jealous Princess Amneris. Toledo Opera’s original production brings Verdi’s unforgettable arias, soaring duets, and breathtaking choruses to life, immersing audiences in a story of desire, sacrifice, and destiny. Returning to Toledo Opera for the first
time in over a decade, Aida is a monumental opera experience not to be missed.
Aida stars soprano Mary Elizabeth Williams (company debut) as Aida, tenor Brendan Boyle (Toledo Opera’s Carmen, Tosca, and Ragtime) as Radamès, contralto Lauren Decker (Toledo Opera's Cavalleria Rusticana and Suor Angelica) as Princess Amneris, and baritone Nmon Ford (company debut) as Amonasro. Aida will be presented in Italian with English Captions.
Dr. Sophie Ong serves as Assistant Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Toledo Museum of Art, where she works across departments on institutional strategy, Board governance, global engagement, and cross-sector partnerships. An art historian and museum professional, she has curated exhibitions spanning centuries and cultures, including Ethiopia at the Crossroads (2024), which featured the work of the House of Yatreda.
Ong is a scholar of European medieval and Early Modern art and previously led the renovation and reinstallation of the Toledo Museum of Art’s Cloister Gallery, reframing the Middle Ages through a global lens. Her museum career has included appointments at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Frick Collection, Smith College Museum of Art, the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum, and the Zimmerli Art Museum. She holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in art history from Rutgers University and graduated cum laude with High Honors from Smith College.
Toledo Opera will present Aida: All Access at The Toledo Club on Friday, October 16 at 5:30 p.m. Aida Companion Programming, including All Access, is made possible with the support of Nathaniel-Waldon Group, LLC; Shumaker, Loop, & Kendrick, LLP; and Kelli & Thomas Winston. For more information, please visit toledoopera.org. For media access, or additional information, please contact Rachael Cammarn at rcammarn@toledoopera.org.
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