Definition

Noun: 1. The first performance of a theatrical production; the opening night. This term specifically refers to the initial public presentation of a play, musical, or other staged show. It is synonymous with the premiere.

Usage

The term "curtain raising" is used as a singular noun to denote the inaugural event of a theatrical run. It is often associated with reviews, special audiences, and a sense of occasion. * The curtain raising for the new musical is scheduled for next Friday. * All the actors were nervous before the curtain raising.

Advanced Usage

• While "curtain raising" literally refers to the act of raising the theater curtain to begin the performance, its primary modern usage is as a fixed noun phrase meaning "the first performance" or "opening night."
• It can sometimes be used more broadly to metaphorically indicate the beginning of any significant series of events.
  • The treaty signing was the curtain raising for a new era of diplomacy.

Variants and Related Words

• Opening (night) (n): A more common synonym for the first performance.
• Premiere (n): The first public performance of a play, film, or other show.
• Debut (n): A first public appearance.
• Curtain call (n): The appearance of performers at the end of a show to acknowledge applause, a related theatrical term but with a different meaning.

Synonyms

• Opening night
• Premiere
• First night
• Debut

Antonyms

• Closing night
• Final performance

Related Phrases

• To raise the curtain: Literally, to open the theater curtain; figuratively, to begin an event or process.
  • The mayor will raise the curtain on the new festival with a short speech.

Noun

1. the first performance (as of a theatrical production)
   • the opening received good critical reviews