The Penn State Opera Theatre will present its 13th annual Opera Gala tomorrow night in Esber Recital Hall.

This year, the gala, which began in the '90s as a fundraiser for the Penn State Opera Theatre, will be a black-tie formal concert.

"The performers will be dressed to kill," director Susan Boardman said.

Boardman said the performers in the gala include opera students, alumni and voice faculty members.

Students from the Opera Company auditioned in November with an opera aria and have practiced with a voice teacher to prepare for their performances.

"It is an honor to be on [the gala]," Boardman said.

The Opera Gala will be made up of many different arias and ensembles, all of which will be accompanied by piano. Three pieces by Gilbert and Sullivan and an old opera by Claudio Monteverdi will be featured in the event.

"The gala will also include romantic operas and a 20th-century opera. It will be very varied," Boardman said.

She also said that with the auditions taking place in November, the gala did not take the performers much time to put together.

The performers already had a lot of time to practice their performances, Boardman said.

"I'm excited for the show because it's a good chance for us to show everyone how much we've learned," producer Melissa Chavez said. "It will also be a remarkable performance."

Boardman said Jennifer Trost is one of the standout faculty members taking part in the gala.

Trost is a new faculty member who sang for 10 years in the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, Germany.

"[Trost] is a lovely singer," said Boardman.

She will perform an aria just as the students will.

She will be singing a piece she sang before in Europe by Smetana titled The Bartered Bride, Trost said.

"I'm excited for the event because it showcases all of our singers and all of their hard work," Trost said. "It will also allow the audience to see many different kinds of opera all in one night."

A scene from Louise by Gustave Charpentier will also be highlighted in the gala. Louise is a French melodrama opera that will be performed in an English translation.

The story takes place in a dressmaking shop, and all of the singers are seamstresses.

The French opera revolves around the young seamstress Louise and her new lover.

Chavez said the opera will be funny and moving and will make a great date.

"The Penn State community should come out to the event because opera is an incredibly brilliant music form," Boardman said. "It's both old and new and is growing. The gala involves lovely singers and beautiful music."

Tickets cost $4 for adults and $2 for students.

"It's a bargain. It's an evening of opera for the cheapest you can find it," Chavez said.