The 2026 season at The Santa Fe Opera opens July 3 and runs through August 29, bringing five mainstage productions, the American premiere of Lili Elbe, and two Apprentice Scenes & Concert performances back to its open-air theater north of Santa Fe.
This year’s lineup moves between sweeping classics and newer work: Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, Handel’s Rodelinda, and Tobias Picker’s Lili Elbe.
Alongside the mainstage season, apprentice artists take the spotlight in two August performances that give audiences a first look at tomorrow’s opera stars.
Some come for a beloved classic, some for a debut they do not want to miss, and some for the simple experience of music at sunset with the mountains behind the stage. The 2026 season leaves room for all of it!
Santa Fe Opera 2026 Performances at a Glance
Mainstage Productions
- Madama Butterfly: July 3 to August 29, 2026
- The Magic Flute: July 4 to August 28, 2026
- Eugene Onegin: July 18 to August 19, 2026
- Rodelinda: July 25 to August 21, 2026
- Lili Elbe: August 1 to 27, 2026
Apprentice Performances
- Apprentice Scenes & Concert: August 16 and August 23, 2026
Audiences can view the full season calendar, individual performance dates, and ticket availability through the Santa Fe Opera calendar and ticketing pages.
Which Operas Are in the 2026 Santa Fe Opera Season?
The 2026 season brings together five productions, including longtime audience favorites, major repertory staples, and one highly anticipated American premiere. Puccini, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Handel, and Tobias Picker each bring a different kind of experience, with stories inspired by love, ambition, heartbreak, and transformation.
Madama Butterfly
- Dates: July 3 to August 29, 2026
- Music by: Giacomo Puccini
- Language: Italian
- Translation screen languages: English and Spanish
A young Japanese woman gives up her family, faith, and future for the promise of love with an American naval officer. When betrayal leaves her isolated, Cio-Cio-San must decide what remains of her dignity and her future.
Madama Butterfly remains one of opera’s most emotionally devastating works, and this production returns in Lee Blakeley’s acclaimed staging that balances realism with lyricism. Melanie Bacaling makes her mainstage directorial debut with conductor John Fiore leading an international cast, including Karen Chia-ling Ho as Cio-Cio-San and Stephen Costello as Pinkerton. Its final moments are among the most powerful endings in the repertoire.
The Magic Flute
- Dates: July 4 to August 28, 2026
- Music by: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Language: English
- Translation screen languages: English and Spanish
Prince Tamino and Papageno set out to rescue Princess Pamina with the help of a magical flute and enchanted bells. Along the way, they encounter trials, strange creatures, and a battle between light and darkness that challenges what they think they know.
The Magic Flute leans into spectacle and accessibility, making it one of the strongest choices for families and first-time opera audiences. Directed by Christopher Luscombe in his company debut, it draws on the visual style of Victorian pantomime, with stage illusions by Chris Fisher, known for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway. It is imaginative, fast-moving, and accessible to audiences of all ages.
Eugene Onegin
- Dates: July 18 to August 19, 2026
- Music by: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- Language: Russian
- Translation screen languages: English and Spanish
Tatyana falls deeply in love with the worldly and distant Eugene Onegin, who rejects her honesty and devotion. Years later, when his feelings finally change, he realizes too late what he has lost.
Based on Alexander Pushkin’s literary classic, Eugene Onegin is built on emotional restraint, regret, and the consequences of pride. Directed by Alessandro Talevi and conducted by Keri-Lynn Wilson in her company debut, the production features Olga Kulchynska as Tatyana and Mattia Olivieri as Onegin. It asks one of opera’s most painful questions: what happens when love arrives at the wrong time?
Rodelinda
- Dates: July 25 to August 21, 2026
- Music by: George Frideric Handel
- Language: Italian
- Translation screen languages: English and Spanish
Queen Rodelinda fights to protect her throne, her child, and the memory of her husband, believed to be dead, while political enemies close in around her. When old loyalties begin to shift, survival becomes a matter of both strategy and love.
Rodelinda places Handel’s court drama inside a darker “noir melodrama gangster” world, where ambition and betrayal shape every decision. Music Director Harry Bicket leads the work, with Lucy Crowe making her company debut in the title role. For audiences drawn to psychological tension and political intrigue, this is one of the season’s sharpest productions.
Lili Elbe
- Dates: August 1-27, 2026
- Music by: Tobias Picker
- Language: English
- Translation screen languages: English and Spanish
Lili Elbe tells the true story of the Danish painter whose journey of self-discovery, supported by her wife Gerda, led her to become one of the first people to undergo gender-affirmation surgery nearly a century ago.
Named Best World Premiere at the 2024 Oper! Awards, this production receives its American premiere in Santa Fe. Former Apprentice Singer Lucia Lucas makes a company debut in the title role, with Sylvia D’Eramo returning as Gerda. Set between 1920s Paris and Copenhagen, the opera brings both emotional intimacy and historical weight to the final weeks of the summer season.
What Are the Apprentice Scenes and Concert Performances at Santa Fe Opera?
The Apprentice Scenes & Concert performances are two special August events where The Santa Fe Opera’s singing and technical apprentices take center stage, giving audiences a chance to see rising opera talent before they reach larger national and international stages.
Held on two Sunday evenings in August, these performances feature staged opera scenes and a live concert with the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra. For families, younger audiences, and first-time visitors, they are often an easier introduction to opera because they are shorter, more relaxed, and significantly more affordable than a full mainstage production.
Apprentice Scenes & Concert Dates
August 16, 2026
Apprentices present fully staged and costumed opera scenes designed and created by the technical apprentice program, accompanied by piano.
August 23, 2026
Apprentice singers return in concert format with the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra onstage, conducted by Iván López Reynoso.
Apprentice Performance Ticket Prices
- Adults: $25
(Front Orchestra, Front Orchestra Aisle, Zone 1, Zone 1 Row S) - Adults: $15
(All other seating zones) - Ages 6–22: $5
(All seating zones)
The apprentice program has launched major careers for artists, including Joyce DiDonato, Michael Fabiano, Rachel Willis-Sørensen, Will Liverman, Kate Lindsey, and many others. For many opera fans, these performances are a chance to see future international stars before they launch their careers.
About The Santa Fe Opera
Founded in 1957 by John O. Crosby, The Santa Fe Opera has grown from a small summer company on 76 acres into one of the country’s most respected opera institutions. Its mission is centered on advancing opera through high-quality productions, a varied repertoire of classic and new works, and apprentice programs that help shape the future of the art form.
The company is especially known for its open-air Crosby Theatre, set against the Sangre de Cristo and Jemez Mountains, as well as its commitment to both major repertory staples and new commissions. Over the years, Santa Fe Opera has presented around 2,000 performances of 180 operas by 90 composers, including 19 world premieres and 45 American premieres. Its apprentice programs have also launched the careers of many internationally recognized singers, conductors, and stage professionals, making it a place where both established artists and future stars share the same stage.
Its national influence has long been recognized by critics and historians. Music historian Phillip Huscher wrote, “Santa Fe’s objectives are distinctly American, and by making opera more compelling and more relevant, it has changed the map of musical America.”
How Do You Buy Santa Fe Opera 2026 Tickets?
Planning ahead makes a big difference during the summer season, especially for popular weekends and final performances.
Single tickets are available through the official The Santa Fe Opera Box Office (505) 986-5900, and visitors can browse productions, performance dates, and seating options through the official ticketing page. For audiences planning more than one opera night, season subscriptions offer reserved seating throughout the summer.
If you are booking for a gift or planning later in the season, gift certificates are available in any denomination and can be used flexibly across performances.
Before purchasing, it is also worth reviewing the seat map to compare seating zones, balcony overhangs, and sightlines so you can choose the best fit for your night at the opera.
How Can You Support the Santa Fe Opera Through Giving and Volunteering?
For many patrons, supporting The Santa Fe Opera does not end with buying a ticket. It continues through volunteering, donations, and year-round support that helps keep the company’s work moving long after the final curtain of summer.
Visitors who want to be more involved can explore volunteer opportunities, while donors can learn more through the main donations page. Contributions to the Annual Fund help support productions, education programs, apprentice training, and community outreach across New Mexico.
There are also other ways to give, including planned gifts, business sponsorships, and legacy giving programs that help sustain the opera for future generations.
For many longtime supporters, giving feels personal. It is a way to protect one of Santa Fe’s defining cultural institutions and help make sure someone else gets to experience that first unforgettable night at the opera, too.
Be There When the Curtain Rises on the 2026 Santa Fe Opera Season
The 2026 season offers something rare: major classics, a significant American premiere, rising young artists, and one of the most memorable performance settings in the country, all in the same summer.
Some visitors return every year for a favorite title like Madama Butterfly. Others bring family for a first opera night with The Magic Flute or choose the Apprentice Scenes & Concert performances as an easier introduction to the experience. And for many, the American premiere of Lili Elbe will be the performance they plan the whole summer around.
At The Santa Fe Opera, the evening starts long before the first note, with sunset over the mountains, tailgates in the parking lot, and the kind of anticipation that makes opening night feel like an event instead of just another performance.
View the full 2026 season calendar, learn more about each production, and secure your tickets early!
Frequently Asked Questions About the Santa Fe Opera 2026 Season
When does the Santa Fe Opera 2026 season start?
The 2026 Santa Fe Opera season begins July 3, 2026, with the opening performance of Madama Butterfly, and continues through August 29, 2026. Performances take place throughout July and August, with five mainstage productions and two Apprentice Scenes & Concert events scheduled across the summer.
The season opens with two back-to-back classics: Madama Butterfly on July 3 and The Magic Flute on July 4. Additional productions open later in July and early August, including Eugene Onegin, Rodelinda, and the American premiere of Lili Elbe. This staggered schedule allows visitors to plan single-night visits or full opera weekends around multiple productions. Because performances are spread across nearly two months, audiences often pair opera trips with summer travel in Santa Fe, making early ticket planning especially important for weekends and final performances.
What is the new opera premiering at Santa Fe Opera in 2026?
The major new work in the 2026 season is Lili Elbe, which receives its American premiere at Santa Fe Opera from August 1-27. The opera tells the true story of Danish painter Lili Elbe and her groundbreaking journey through gender identity and self-discovery.
Composed by Tobias Picker with a libretto by Aryeh Lev Stollman, Lili Elbe was named Best World Premiere at the 2024 Oper! Awards before arriving in Santa Fe. The production follows Lili’s life in 1920s Paris and Copenhagen, including her relationship with her wife Gerda and her place in early medical history as one of the first people to undergo gender-affirmation surgery. For audiences interested in contemporary opera and true stories, it is one of the season’s most anticipated productions and a major artistic event for the company.
Are the Apprentice Scenes & Concert performances good for first-time opera visitors?
Yes, the Apprentice Scenes & Concert performances are often one of the best choices for first-time visitors. They are shorter, more affordable, and more relaxed than full mainstage productions, while still offering the experience of hearing rising opera talent perform live in the Santa Fe Opera theater.
The August 16 performance features fully staged and costumed scenes created by the technical apprentice program, while August 23 presents apprentice singers in concert with the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra. Adult tickets start at $15 in many seating sections, and tickets for ages 6 to 22 are just $5. For families, students, or anyone curious about opera but hesitant to commit to a longer production, these performances offer a strong introduction without the higher cost of a full evening mainstage ticket.
What should I wear to the Santa Fe Opera?
There is no strict dress code at the Santa Fe Opera, but most guests treat it as a special evening out and dress somewhere between smart casual and formal. Opening weekends and special performances often lean dressier, while regular summer performances are typically more relaxed.
Because the theater is open-air, layers are strongly recommended even in July and August. Temperatures can drop significantly after sunset, and evening winds are common. Many guests bring jackets, wraps, or light coats regardless of daytime heat. Comfortable shoes are also important, especially for visitors planning to tailgate before performances or walk the grounds before curtain time. The goal is less about formal rules and more about being comfortable enough to enjoy the full evening outdoors.
Should I buy single tickets or a season subscription?
It depends on how many performances you plan to attend. Single tickets work well for visitors seeing one production, while season subscriptions are often the better option for audiences planning multiple opera nights during the summer.
Subscriptions offer reserved seating, earlier access to preferred dates, and stronger seating consistency across productions. This matters especially for returning patrons who prefer specific sections of the Crosby Theatre. Single tickets provide more flexibility for travelers with shorter schedules or visitors choosing only one or two productions. Reviewing the season lineup first usually helps make the decision easier. If someone already knows they want to attend at least two or three productions, subscriptions are often the stronger long-term value.
STORY SPONSORED BY THE SANTA FE OPERA
