CARMEN, TURANDOT & ORFEO & EURIDICE Set for North Carolina Opera 2026-27 Season
Gina Perregrino, Wendy Bryn Harmer & Elizabeth DeShong headline productions at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium.
North Carolina Opera has unveiled its 2026-2027 season, featuring three operas. The season includes Bizet's Carmen, Puccini's Turandot, and the company premiere of Gluck's Orfeo & Euridice in concert.
Carmen
The season opens October 16 and 18, 2026, with Bizet's Carmen at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium. Conducted by Joseph Mechavich and directed by Denyce Graves, the production features Gina Perregrino in the title role, alongside Eric Taylor as Don José, Laureano Quant as Escamillo, and Elana Gleason as Micaela. One of the most popular operas ever written, Carmen pairs bold melodies and irresistible rhythms with a story of desire, obsession, and consequence.
Turandot
In February, North Carolina Opera presents the company premiere of Puccini's Turandot (February 5 and 7, 2027), conducted by Antony Walker and directed by John Hoomes. The production stars Wendy Bryn Harmer as Princess Turandot, Jonny Kaufman as Calaf, Caitlin Gotimer as Liù, and Adam Lau as Timur. Featuring some of Puccini's most expansive writing, including "Nessun dorma," Turandot brings monumental scale and opulence to the stage.
Orfeo & Euridice
The season concludes April 18, 2027, with a one-night-only performance of Gluck's Orfeo & Euridice in concert at Meymandi Concert Hall, marking another company premiere. Conducted by Gary Thor Wedow, the performance features Elizabeth DeShong as Orfeo and Magdalena Kuźma as Euridice. Here, the myth is stripped to its core, with the music carrying the full weight of the emotion.
"We're energized by the way Triangle audiences are engaging with opera as an event to be shared," said Eric Mitchko, General Director. "We're seeing people come in with curiosity and leave fully connected, and that momentum is shaping how we build a season. Each of these works relies on the power of the human voice to carry the drama forward, creating an experience that rewards being in the room, as scale, sound, and storytelling come together in a way that can't be replicated anywhere else."
All performances take place at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh. Carmen and Turandot will be fully staged productions in Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, while Orfeo & Euridice will be presented in concert in Meymandi Concert Hall.
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