LA Opera Concludes Landmark 40th Anniversary Season With Record Attendance

With its final performance of The Magic Flute on Sunday, LA Opera concluded its landmark 40th Anniversary Season, capping a year of exceptional audience response, and expanded community engagement. From added performances and sold-out mainstage productions to hundreds of community-based events in schools, hospitals, parks, neighborhoods and cultural centers across Los Angeles County, the season marked a return to pre-pandemic attendance levels and demonstrated opera's enduring power to bring people together, enrich civic life, and strengthen the region's cultural vitality.

"This season affirmed something powerful: Angelenos are returning to opera with real enthusiasm, and LA Opera is meeting that moment both onstage and across the community," said Christopher Koelsch, LA Opera's President and CEO. "It was especially meaningful to mark our 40th Anniversary Season while celebrating the extraordinary final year of James Conlon's tenure as Music Director — a legacy that has shaped this company for two decades. As we look ahead to Domingo Hindoyan's arrival, we do so with record-setting audience response, expanded civic impact, and renewed momentum for LA Opera's next chapter. Sustaining that level of artistic ambition and public service will continue to depend on a broad community of philanthropic support that makes our work possible."

Audience Response

The 40th Anniversary Season marked a return to pre-COVID attendance numbers and was one of the most successful seasons in LA Opera history. Following overwhelming ticket sales, LA Opera added performances of both Akhnaten and The Magic Flute — the first time in company history that two productions have received added performances in a single season. The company surpassed its ticket sales goal by more than 20%. This surge in demand not only reflects renewed Angeleno enthusiasm for live opera but also strengthens Los Angeles' position as a major cultural destination.

The strong response from audiences reflected a broader trend throughout LA Opera's 40th Anniversary Season, which expanded the company's reach across Los Angeles through community partnerships, arts and health initiatives, educational programs and access opportunities. These efforts touched every corner of Los Angeles County, from underserved neighborhoods to civic landmarks, demonstrating how opera can foster belonging and cultural access in one of the nation’s most diverse regions.

Economic Impact

LA Opera's 40th Anniversary Season also generated significant economic activity across Los Angeles.
Using the Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 calculator, the company's $51 million in operating expenses, together with audience spending, produced an estimated impact of $57.46 million in regional economic activity.

This activity supported more than 1,000 jobs and generated an estimated $47.15 million in household income, along with $1.43 million in local government revenue, $1.65 million in state government revenue, and $9.06 million in federal tax revenue. The impact extends well beyond the stage, benefiting artists, technicians, craftspeople, teaching artists, restaurants, parking facilities, hotels, vendors and small businesses throughout downtown Los Angeles and the broader region.

During the 2025/26 season, LA Opera employed over 1,000 people, including more than 600 union-represented performing artists and craftspeople. Together, these figures underscore the company's role not only as a major cultural institution, but also a meaningful contributor to Los Angeles' creative economy.

The season also earned widespread critical acclaim. Productions including West Side Story, Falstaff, Akhnaten and the world premiere of Sarah Kirkland Snider's Hildegard were celebrated for their artistic excellence, innovative storytelling, and musical achievement, further reinforcing LA Opera's reputation as one of the nation's leading opera companies. Presented through the company's groundbreaking Off Grand initiative, Hildegard was named the Best New Opera by the Music Critics Association of North America.

Beyond the Stage

LA Opera continued to strengthen its role as a cultural resource for the region through the work of the company's education and community engagement efforts, called LA Opera Connects. By the end of the fiscal year, Connects will have served over 165,000 Angelenos through 492 events, performances and services presented in partnership with more than 500 artists and community organizations. Almost 11,000 Angelenos experienced mainstage opera performances through Community Circle, the 90012-student mini-subscription program, and the company's annual outdoor simulcasts.

Among the season's highlights was Noah's Flood, the final Community Opera project conducted by James Conlon in his role as Music Director. More than 4,300 audience members attended the production, which featured hundreds of community performers and represented a 38 percent increase in participation over the previous season.

The company also continued to expand innovative arts-and-wellness initiatives, helping advance innovative models for arts-based wellness. Over 2,000 individuals participated in programs focused on music, mindfulness, creative aging and healthcare partnerships. Building on this work, LA Opera convened its fifth annual Arts and Health Summit, unique among American opera companies, bringing together leaders from the arts, healthcare, government, and community sectors to explore the role of the arts in supporting health and well-being throughout Los Angeles.

LA Opera further expanded its civic reach through its Legacy Ambassador Program, engaging 36 community leaders and cultural advocates who help strengthen relationships with neighborhoods, organizations and audiences throughout Los Angeles County.

The company's digital presence also reached new heights. Across social media platforms, LA Opera generated approximately 48 million impressions and more than one million engagements during the season. Instagram followers grew from 63,000 to more than 100,000, while content on TikTok surpassed two million video views, extending LA Opera’s cultural influence far beyond the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to new audiences across Southern California and around the world.

The Next Chapter

The 2025/26 season also marked the conclusion of James Conlon's 20-year tenure as LA Opera's Richard Seaver Music Director. His final season included acclaimed performances of West Side Story, Falstaff, The Magic Flute, Noah's Flood and the James Conlon Farewell Concert, celebrating an artistic legacy that has profoundly shaped the company over the past two decades.

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