Photos: Opera San José's CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA and PAGLIACCI Double Bill

Check out production photos for Opera San José's operatic double bill of Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci.

Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci will be performed in Italian with English and Spanish supertitles, February 15 through March 1, 2026 at the California Theatre.

Cavalleria Rusticana will feature former Opera San José Artist-in-Residence soprano Maria Natale, who thrilled audiences last season in Bluebeard’s Castle, as the tragically misused peasant girl Santuzza, alongside tenor Christopher Oglesby as her faithless lover Turiddu, following his acclaimed portrayal of Pinkerton in this season’s Madama Butterfly. Mezzo-soprano Jill Grove will make her OSJ debut as Turiddu’s loving, devout mother, Lucia.Baritone Kidon Choi returns to sing the enraged cuckolded husband Alfio, having previously earned acclaim for his role debut as Scarpia in OSJ’s Tosca and a memorable portrayal of Marcello in La Bohème. The role of Alfio’stemptress wife, Lola, will be shared by OSJ Artist-in-Residence mezzo-soprano Courtney Miller and mezzo-soprano Alex Delgado.

Pagliacci will star tenor Ben Gulley in his OSJ debut as Canio, the tragic leader of a traveling commedia dell’arte troupe. Soprano Mikayla Sager, previously seen as Mimì in OSJ’s La Bohème, returns as Canio’s unfaithful wife Nedda, while baritone Kidon Choiportrays the manipulative and vengeful Tonio, who provokes Canio’s murderous rage. OSJ Artist-in-Residence tenor Micah Perry makes his house debut as Beppe, the troupe’s cheerful peacemaker, and baritone Luis Alejandro Orozco, head of the opera program at San José State University, also makes his OSJ debut as Silvio, Nedda’s secret lover who hopes to rescue her from her abusive marriage.

The chorus ensemble is comprised of Chris Abadia, Caleb Alexander, Rachel Beninghof, Lauren Biglow, Aro Cherry, Carter Dougherty, Valeria Estrada, Nicolas Vasquez-Gerst, Danielle Imai, Brennah Kemmerly, Michael Kim, Michael Jesse Kuo, Anicia Madali, Eric Mellum, Rachel Nelson, Don Nguyen, Fallon Nunes, Yoseph Park, Brendan Stone, Thien-An Truong, and Luis Tuyub.

The creative team for Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci includes Shawna Lucey (Director), Alma Deutscher (Conductor), Noah Lindquist (Assistant Conductor), Mark Anthony Vallejo (Assistant Director), Steven Kemp (Set Designer), Michael Clark(Lighting Designer), Howard Tsvi Kaplan (Cavalleria Rusticana Costume Designs),Cathleen Edwards (original Pagliacci Costume Designs), Christina Martin (Hair and Makeup), and Dave Maier(Fight Director).

Check out production photos here!

Photo credit: David Allen