Inaugural work to bring back nine before midnight (7)
I believe the answer is:
opening
'inaugural' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)
'work to bring back nine before midnight' is the wordplay.
'work' becomes 'op' (common abbreviation for 'opus').
'to bring back' says the letters should be written backwards.
'before' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'midnight' becomes 'g' (the middle letter in 'night').
'nine' backwards is 'enin'.
'op'+'enin'+'g'='OPENING'
(Other definitions for opening that I've seen before include "Space, gap; beginning" , "Rent" , "Job opportunity" , "Vacancy" , "Opportunity; gap" .)