opening night
noun
: the evening when something (such as a play or concert) is performed in front of an audience for the first time
I have tickets for opening night.
Examples of opening night in a Sentence
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Shortly after opening night, a martini-drunk Richard corners a New York Times critic (Stephen Spinella) who had panned him, snatching his cane and aggressively monologuing Shakespeare at him.
—
Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026
Despite the difficult opening night, Coach Javier Mascherano and center back Maxi Falcon said there is no reason to panic.
—Andre Fernandez, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2026
Seen on opening night, the biggest revelation, however, was Cameron Wisener in the lead role of Tiffany, a village girl pining for a husband before she’s summoned to a darker calling that turns out to suit her just fine.
—Manuel Mendoza, Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026
The show’s Great White Way debut had a stroke of terrible timing with opening night scheduled for March 12, 2020, the precise day all Broadway theaters were closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2026
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Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026
Despite the difficult opening night, Coach Javier Mascherano and center back Maxi Falcon said there is no reason to panic.
—Andre Fernandez, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2026
Seen on opening night, the biggest revelation, however, was Cameron Wisener in the lead role of Tiffany, a village girl pining for a husband before she’s summoned to a darker calling that turns out to suit her just fine.
—Manuel Mendoza, Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026
The show’s Great White Way debut had a stroke of terrible timing with opening night scheduled for March 12, 2020, the precise day all Broadway theaters were closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for opening night
Cite this Entry
“Opening night.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opening%20night. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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