Our 2026/27 Season
Arizona Opera has announced its 2026/27 Season, a dynamic lineup that blends sharp-witted contemporary opera, beloved classics, family-friendly programming and a renewed commitment to artist development and new work.
The season includes four fully-staged productions — Derrick Wang’s Scalia/Ginsburg, Xavier Montsalvatge’s Spanish-language family opera El Gato con Botas (Puss in Boots), Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance, and Giuseppe Verdi’s timeless masterpiece, La Traviata — along with the launch of a new Studio Series, a New Works Festival, the restoration of the Marion Roose Pullin Studio to a full season-long program, and its continued partnership with the Tucson Desert Song Festival, University of Arizona and Arizona State University.
“This season reflects everything Arizona Opera stands for right now — artistic excellence, collaboration, accessibility, and investment in the future of opera and our community,” said Brian DeMaris, General Director of Arizona Opera. “We’re telling great stories, connecting our community, welcoming new audiences and recommitting to the artists and programs that make this company a creative home.”
Subscription renewals are available now.
Scalia/Ginsburg
Music and Libretto by Derrick Wang
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PHOENIX |
TUCSON Leo Rich Theater Saturday, Oct 3, 2026 at 7:30 PM Sunday, Oct 4, 2026 at 2 PM |
Opening the season is Derrick Wang’s Scalia/Ginsburg, a sharp, hilarious, and unexpectedly moving operatic comedy inspired by the real-life friendship between Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Packed with legal citations, operatic references, and direct quotes from landmark opinions, the opera celebrates civility, intellectual rigor, and the idea that “we are different, we are one.”
Scalia/Ginsburg is presented with special arrangement by Consequent Music.
Scalia/Ginsburg is part of the McDougall Arizona Opera Fall Series.
El Gato con Botas (Puss in Boots)
Music by Xavier Montsalvatge, Libretto by Néstor Luján
| PHOENIX The Roma and Raymond Wittcoff Black Box Theater Saturday, Jan 31, 2026 at 7:30 PM Sunday, Feb 1, 2026 at 2 PM |
TUCSON Leo Rich Theater Saturday, Feb 7, 2026 at 7:30 PM Sunday, Feb 7, 2026 at 2 PM |
Perfect for families, El Gato con Botas is a one-act opera based on the classic Charles Perrault tale. Sung in Spanish and lasting approximately one hour, the opera features tuneful, energetic music infused with Spanish rhythms. Performed by Arizona Opera’s Marion Roose Pullin Studio Artists, this production offers an engaging and accessible introduction to opera for audiences of all ages.
El Gato con Botas is part of the McDougall Arizona Opera Fall Series.
The Pirates of Penzance
Music by Sir Arthur Sullivan, Libretto by W. S. Gilbert
| PHOENIX Symphony Hall Saturday, January 30, 2027 at 7:30 PM Sunday, January 31, 2027 at 2 PM |
TUCSON The Linda Ronstadt Music Hall Saturday, February 6, 2027 at 7:30 PM Saturday, February 7, 2027 at 2 PM |
Gilbert and Sullivan’s beloved operetta returns in this fast-paced, laugh-out-loud adventure filled with romance, satire, and iconic songs, including “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General.” With tender-hearted pirates, leap-year logic, and irresistible wordplay, The Pirates of Penzance remains a timeless crowd-pleaser.
The Pirates of Penzance is part of the Marlu Allan and Scott Stallard Family Series.
La Traviata
Music by Giuseppe Verdi, Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave
| PHOENIX Symphony Hall Saturday, March 6, 2027 at 7:30 PM Sunday, March 7, 2027 at 2 PM |
TUCSON The Linda Ronstadt Music Hall Saturday, March 13, 2027 at 7:30 PM Sunday, March 14, 2027 at 2 PM |
One of the most cherished operas ever written, La Traviata tells the heartbreaking story of Violetta Valéry, a woman torn between independence and love. Featuring some of the most recognizable and emotionally powerful music in the operatic canon, Verdi’s masterpiece has captivated audiences for more than 170 years.
La Traviata is made possible, in part, through generous support from Barbara D. Molotsky.
Expanding Programs and New Initiatives
Arizona Opera will also introduce new programming expansions during the 2026/27 Season.
Most significantly, the Marion Roose Pullin Studio will return to a full-season program in 2026/27, restoring a cornerstone of Arizona Opera’s commitment to developing the next generation of operatic artists. After operating as a half-season program for the past two years, the expanded Studio will once again provide emerging singers with a comprehensive, yearlong experience that includes performance opportunities, professional coaching, language and dramatic training and meaningful community engagement.
The return to a full season strengthens Arizona Opera’s artistic pipeline, deepens the company’s investment in early-career talent and reinforces its role as a vital training ground for artists launching national and international careers.
Additional programs and initiatives include a new Studio Series offering intimate performances and new opportunities to experience emerging artists, the return of the New Work Festival in April with performances in Phoenix and Tucson, as well as the annual Arizona Opera Gala and continued recital collaboration with Tucson Desert Song Festival.
“This season is about momentum,” DeMaris added. “We’re growing our programs, deepening our community partnerships, and creating space for new voices — while continuing to deliver the operas audiences know and love.”