Special Events | New Jersey Festival Orchestra (NJFO)

NJFO Gala

Music for a Matador – NJFO Gala & Auction
Featuring Highlights from Bizet's Carmen

Friday, April 10, 2026

6:00–10:00 PM

Gran Centurions, Clark, NJ

Step into the passion and pageantry of Music for a Matador, NJFO’s unforgettable operatic fundraising gala inspired by Carmen. Experience electrifying highlights from Bizet’s iconic score, vividly narrated by Maestro Wroe and brought to life by NJFO musicians and special guest artists.

Savor a beautifully curated dinner, sip, mingle, and bid in exciting live and silent auctions—all while immersed in an evening of drama, romance, and irresistible rhythm. Join us for a celebration of bold storytelling, vibrant artistry, and the transformative power of music in support of NJFO.

PURCHASE TICKETS NOW

Gala Honorees

David Badertscher

David Badertscher is a dedicated supporter of the arts and an active member of the New Jersey cultural community. He serves on the boards of both the New Jersey Festival Orchestra and the Light Opera of New Jersey, and previously served on the Board of Directors of the Fellowship Life Foundation and its organizing task force. In 2024, he received a special award from Bernards Township recognizing his outstanding service to the township and the State of New Jersey.

Mr. Badertscher’s professional accomplishments have also been widely recognized, including the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018 and listings in Who’s Who in America in 2022 and the forthcoming 2025 edition.

A resident of Fellowship Village in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, Mr. Badertscher remains actively engaged in community life, serving on several resident committees and maintaining a blog with a global readership. He is honored to support the continued artistic growth and impact of the New Jersey Festival Orchestra.

Proceeds from NJFO special fundraising events support the orchestra and outreach programs each season.

Guest Artists

Carmen - Lisa Marie Rogali

Award-winning American mezzo-soprano Lisa Marie Rogali is praised for her “warm, nuanced voice” and dynamic stage presence across opera and concert repertoire. This season, she returns to Virginia Opera to debut as Angelina in La Cenerentola, sings Carmen with Toledo Opera and Gulfshore Opera, and appears with Detroit Opera in The Handmaid’s Tale. Concert engagements include Mozart’s Requiem with the Asheville Symphony and Handel’s Messiah with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra.

Don Jose - Dane Suarez

Praised for his “big, heroic voice” and “powerful emotions” by LA Weekly, tenor Dane Suarez is a dramatic tenor rising in the Italian repertoire. He made his international debut with Wexford Festival Opera and has appeared with The Phoenix Symphony and Erie Philharmonic. In 2025/26, he debuts as Radamès with Opera Southwest and the title role in Andrea Chénier with OperaDelaware

Micaela - Sara LeMesh

Romanian-American soprano Sara LeMesh, praised by San Francisco Classical Voice for her “lush tone” and “fearless command,” shines in opera and concert repertoire. In 2025–26, she appears as Zerlina (Annapolis Opera), Adele (The State Opera of New Jersey), Galatea (The Florentine Opera), and Contessa (Opera North). Concert highlights include Carmina Burana with the Buffalo Philharmonic and Messiah with the Hudson Valley Symphony Orchestra. She is a First Prize winner of the Lyndon Woodside Oratorio-Solo Competition.

Escamillo - SeungHyeon Baek

Baritone Seung Hyeon Baek will return to the Metropolitan Opera this season to cover Marcello in La bohème, and additional planned engagements for the 2025–2026 season include Marcello in La bohème with Opera Orlando, the title role of Rigoletto with Vero Beach Opera, and Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with Opera Grand Rapids. Other recent season highlights include New Orleans Opera as the Father in Hansel and Gretel, Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor with the New Jersey Festival Orchestra, Conte di Luna in Il trovatore with Opera San José, and Marcello in La bohème with Pacific Symphony and Hawaii Opera Theatre.

INDIVIDUAL AND CORPORATE

UNDERWRITING OPPORTUNITIES

Support the New Jersey Festival Orchestra while enjoying an unforgettable gala experience. Sponsorships include exclusive benefits, prominent recognition, and opportunities to engage with NJFO throughout the 2025 season.

Ads Registration Form

Auction Donations

Contribute

Individual and corporate underwriting opportunities.

Please email Yifei Xu at yxu@njfestivalorchestra.org for any special requests.

SPONSORSHIP TIERS

$10,000 | MAESTRO SPONSOR

VIP preferred seating for a complimentary table of ten
Lead Sponsor logo placement on Gala invitations (commitment required by Feb )
Prominent sponsor recognition through live announcements and dedicated event signage
Full-page, premium placement advertisement in the Gala program plus full-page ads in all remaining NJFO 2025 concert programs
Name and logo featured on the NJFO website and social media
Dedicated press releases to New Jersey print and online media
20 tickets to NJFO concerts during the remaining 2025 season

$3000 | PRINCIPAL SPONSOR

Preferred seating for a complimentary table of ten
Sponsor recognition through live announcements and event signage
Name and logo on the NJFO website and social media
Half-page advertisement and recognition in the Gala program
Recognition in NJFO press releases to print and online media
4 tickets to any NJFO concert during the remaining 2025 season

$5,000 | CONCERTMASTER SPONSOR

Preferred seating for a complimentary table of ten
Sponsor recognition through live announcements and event signage
Name and logo on the NJFO website and social media
Full-page advertisement in the Gala program
Recognition in NJFO press releases to print and online media
10 tickets to NJFO concerts during the remaining 2025 season

PROGRAM ADVERTISEMENTS & HONOR ADS

Celebrate NJFO, recognize a honoree, or share a congratulatory message by placing an advertisement in the Gala program.

All advertisements must be received by March 28.

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