Inside the Preparations for President Obama's Final State Dinner

— -- As President Obama's tenure in the Oval Office draws to a close, so too comes a succession of lasts for the outgoing commander-in-chief.

The latest is his final state dinner this evening, at which he and First Lady Michelle Obama welcome with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Mrs. Agnese Landini for the lavish, libation-filled affair.

A tradition among American presidents, state dinners are opulent occasions for the first family to host foreign dignitaries at the White House for dinner, drinks and dancing.

President Obama Hosts His Final State Dinner

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Barack Obama and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi watch the Fife and Drum Corps perform during an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Oct. 18, 2016.

Michael Reynolds/EPA

Guests of the Obama family's star-studded send-off meal will be treated to a musical performance by Gwen Stefani and a FLOTUS-approved four-course dinner crafted by famed Chef Mario Batali.

Hear what Batali had to say about the monumental meal and watch this sneak peek inside the White House's preparations for the president's final state dinner.