Our 2026/27 Season
Season Tickets Now On Sale
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 Work 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.”
Subscribe to our full season by calling our Box Office at 602.266.7464 (Phoenix) or 520.293.4336 (Tucson).
Single tickets go on sale June 1, 2026.
Scalia/Ginsburg: An Opera by Derrick Wang
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PHOENIX |
TUCSON Leo Rich Theater Saturday, October 3, 2026 at 7:30 PM Sunday, October 4, 2026 at 2 PM |
Welcome to the Supreme Court chambers as you have never seen them before, transformed into the stage for a comedic, high-stakes operatic battle where law, wit, and music collide.
Scalia/Ginsburg is a clever and moving tribute to the extraordinary friendship between two of the most iconic Justices in American history, Justice Antonin Scalia and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Though often in sharp disagreement on the bench, they shared a deep and enduring bond rooted in a mutual love of opera, fine dining, and travel. The work weaves legal citations and excerpts from landmark opinions into recognizable melodies from the operatic canon, creating a tapestry of music and meaning that is at once playful and profound. It offers a powerful reminder that disagreement and respect can coexist. As the opera suggests, “We are different, we are one.”
Don’t miss Scalia/Ginsburg, where the Constitution sings, the gavel keeps time, and friendship has the final word.
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, November 7, 2026 at 2 PM Saturday, November 7, 2026 at 7:30 PM Sunday, November 8, 2026 at 2 PM |
TUCSON Leo Rich Theater Saturday, November 14, 2026 at 7:30 PM Sunday, November 15, 2026 at 2 PM |
El Gato con Botas (Puss in Boots) is a one-act opera by Spanish composer Xavier Montsalvatge with libretto by Néstor Luján, based on the classic tale by Charles Perrault. Perfect for audiences of all ages, this charming story follows a clever and adventurous cat who, in exchange for a hat, sword, and boots, sets out to secure a kingdom and a bride for his humble master. The score is filled with lively Spanish rhythms and lyrical, colorful melodies, creating a playful and engaging theatrical experience.
Running approximately one hour and performed in Spanish with piano accompaniment, this production features the entire Marion Roose Pullin Arizona Opera Studio and offers the perfect introduction to opera for the entire family.
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 Sunday, February 7, 2027 at 2 PM |
Set sail on a topsy-turvy adventure with Gilbert and Sullivan’s beloved operetta, The Pirates of Penzance.
This delightful comedy follows young Frederic, mistakenly apprenticed to a band of tender-hearted pirates. On the eve of his 21st birthday, he’s ready to leave piracy behind, only to fall head-over-heels for Mabel, the daughter of the delightfully bumbling Major-General Stanley. But just as freedom and love seem within reach, a famously “ingenious paradox” turns his world upside down: born on leap day, Frederic is technically only five years old… and still bound to the pirates.
The Pirates of Penzance is packed with witty wordplay, sword fighting, and iconic songs, including the rapid-fire “I am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General.” Fun for the whole family, it showcases Gilbert and Sullivan at their best with a spirited mix of romance and satire that has dazzled audiences for generations.
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 |
Experience the heartbreaking beauty of La Traviata, Giuseppe Verdi’s timeless masterpiece of love.
Set against the glamorous backdrop of 19th-century Paris, La Traviata follows the radiant courtesan Violetta Valéry. Though she is the center of every gathering, she longs for a life beyond the empty pleasures of her social world. When the devoted Alfredo Germont declares his love, Violetta must choose between her hard-won independence and the promise of a true, restorative romance.
La Traviata, renowned for some of the most unforgettable melodies in opera, unfolds as a powerful musical and theatrical journey that has moved audiences to tears for over 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.”