opening night

plural opening nights

1. The first night, evening, or day of a spectacle or show.

   With their lead cut to 14-7, England could have got twitchy, but any opening-night nerves were eased as United States centre Alev Kelter, who plays her club rugby with Loughborough Lightning, was shown yellow a minute after Jarrell-Searcy's score.

   2025 August 22, Mike Henson, “England open World Cup with 11-try win over USA”, in BBC Sport

   1 more example

   I’m writing in pure hyperbole. I know this. I just don’t know another way to talk about this movie. Watching Fury Road in the theater on opening night, I worried that I was being obnoxious, gleefully cackling with glee and, more than once, literally throwing my hands up in disbelief.

   2017 December 1, Tom Breihan, “Mad Max: Fury Road might already be the best action movie ever made”, in The Onion AV Club

2. The first event in a new venue.