EMBARGOED UNTIL TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2026
Denver, CO — Opera Colorado announces its 2026-27 Season, featuring full productions alongside concerts, touring programs, and community-centered performances. The season brings together internationally recognized artists with local musicians, creatives, and staff to produce opera ranging from grand masterworks to intimate and family-friendly experiences, onstage in Denver and throughout the region.
The 2026-27 Season marks the first full season planned by Barbara Lynne Jamison, the Ellie Caulkins General Director & CEO. “At its heart, this season is about serving our community,” said Jamison. “Opera gives us a powerful way to spark joy, curiosity, and connection—one of the things I love most about it is how it brings people together. We’ve designed this season with an open door: we want you to feel welcome and capture your imagination.”
Next season’s lineup offers a wide range of programs designed to bring audiences closer to the art and to one another, beginning in September with our Artist in Residence Showcase, an opportunity to meet next season’s apprentices in a performance of opera, musical theater, and more. In October, Opera On Tour kicks off with Earth to Kenzie (music by France Pollock and libretto by Jessica Murphy Moo), a fully-staged, one-act opera performed in schools and community spaces across the region. Sung in English and featuring professional singers with live piano accompaniment, Earth to Kenzie explores themes of empathy, resilience, and finding strength in the face of adversity.
Macbeth, with music by Giuseppe Verdi and libretto by Francesco Maria Piave and Andrea Maffei, explores a world where whispers become prophecy and power is fueled not only by ambition, but by the voices that amplify it. In a haunting production set in 11th-century Scotland, this Italian adaptation of Shakespeare's classic invites audiences to consider their own role in shaping the narratives that elevate and undo the powerful among us. Performances run November 7, 10, 13, and 15, 2026 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House.
In February, we invite the young and young-at-heart to The Snowy Day, based on the Caldecott Medal-winning book by Ezra Jack Keats, with music by Joel Thompson and libretto by Andrea Davis Pinkney. Designed for families and first-time operagoers, this new production transforms one snowy morning into a heartfelt adventure, complete with colorful music by a live orchestra and moments of wonder that speak to audiences of all ages. The Snowy Day will be on stage at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House on February 27 and 28, 2027, with a student performance on February 25.
In spring 2027, The School for Lovers (Così fan tutte), composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, will bring sharp insight to an experiment in trust, temptation, and the stories we tell ourselves in the name of love. Set in the Regency era, this production leans into both the sparkle and the sting of Mozart’s comedy, revealing vulnerabilities that remain strikingly relevant today. Performances run May 1, 4, 7, and 9, 2027.
As a nonprofit organization, Opera Colorado is powered by Coloradans for Colorado. Every ticket, every subscription, and every act of generosity fuels the work onstage, the journeys of our Artists in Residence, and the programs shaping what opera can become for future generations.
Discounted subscription packages for the 2026-27 Season are available now. Additional event details can be found at operacolorado.org starting February 3. Casting and creative teams will be announced at a later date.
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