TOSCA, CINDERELLA and More Set for Calgary Opera 2026/27 Season

Calgary Opera has revealed its 2026/27 season, a bold and emotionally charged journey featuring three grand operas on the Southern Alberta Jubilee stage, a beloved family production, and a wide array of immersive experiences that bring opera into the heart of the community.

The season opens with Puccini's Tosca (October 2026), a pulse-pounding political thriller where passion and power collide in one of opera's most emotionally explosive masterpieces. In winter, audiences are swept into the shimmering fantasy of Massenet's Cinderella (January–February 2027), a radiant tale of transformation, true love, and escape. Spring brings Verdi's searing Otello (April 2027), an unflinching exploration of jealousy and manipulation inspired by Shakespeare's most psychologically devastating tragedy. Rounding out the season, Seymour Barab's Pied Piper offers theatrical charm and unforgettable melodies for younger audiences and families, with multiple performances at the Mamdani Opera Centre in November 2026 and an on-the-road Southern Alberta school and community tour in February 2027.

"Opera is meant to be felt — viscerally, together, in the moment. We've chosen works that make hearts race, may bring unexpected tears, and remind us why nothing compares to the power of the human voice in live performance. These are stories that reveal something new about the characters and about us,” said Jonathan Brandani, Calgary Opera's Artistic Director.

The 2026/27 season shifts opening nights to Friday evenings, and continues with the now popular Sunday afternoon matinees. Tickets for youth ages 18 and under are 50% off for all seats and all shows.

TOSCA

Music by Giacomo Puccini

Words by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa

Friday October 16, 2026 – 7:30 PM

Sunday October 18, 2026 – 2:00 PM

Saturday October 24, 2026 – 7:30 PM

Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium 

A singer. A painter. A police chief. An impossible bargain. How far would you go to save the person you love? 

Puccini's Tosca is a gripping political thriller fuelled by ravishingly beautiful music and devastating choices. Passion collides with power in one of opera's most beloved and emotionally explosive masterpieces.

Conductor: Jonathan Brandani

Stage Director: Joshua Borths

Sung in Italian with projected English translations; with Calgary Opera Chorus, Cantaré Children's Choir, and Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra 

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CINDERELLA

Music by Jules Massenet

Original words by Henri Cain

Friday January 29, 2027 – 7:30 PM

Sunday January 31, 2027 – 2:00 PM

Saturday February 6, 2027 – 7:30 PM

Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium

A glass slipper. A true love found. One night to change everything.

Massenet's Cinderella is pure escape fantasy—shimmering, romantic, and filled with wonder. Experience the thrill of transformation in a breathless race against the clock, set to music as magical as the ballroom itself.

Conductor: Jacques Lacombe

Stage Director: Mieko Ouchi

Sung in English with projected English captions; with Calgary Opera Chorus and Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

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OTELLO

Music by Giuseppe Verdi

Words by Arrigo Boito

Based on William Shakespeare's Othello

Friday April 16, 2027 – 7:30 PM

Sunday April 18, 2027 – 2:00 PM

Saturday April 24, 2027 – 7:30 PM

Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium

A general and his wife. His scheming friend. A whispered lie. In Shakespeare's most psychologically brutal tragedy, a single lie unravels everything. Verdi's Otello is opera at its most devastating—an unflinching exploration of jealousy, manipulation, and the fragility of love.

Conductor: Jonathan Brandani

Stage Director: Elizabeth Stepkowski Tarhan

Sung in Italian with projected English translations

With Calgary Opera Chorus, Cantaré Children's Choir, and Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra 

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PIED PIPER

Music and words by Seymour Barab

Mamdani Opera Centre

Multiple performances; *Sensory-friendly performance included

A town. A tune. And a surprising twist. Pied Piper delivers adventure, magic, and a timeless lesson about keeping promises—packed with theatrical charm and melodies that linger long after the piper leaves town.

Performed by members of Calgary Opera's McPhee Artist Development Program; Sung in English.

Performance Dates & Times

Friday November 13, 2026 –7:00 PM

Saturday November 14, 2026 –11:00 AM & 3:00 PM

Sunday November 15, 2026 –3:00 PM

Friday November 20, 2026 –3:00 PM & 7:00 PM

Saturday November 21, 2026 –11:00 AM* & 3:00 PM

Sunday November 22, 2026 –3:00 PM

*Sensory-friendly performance on Saturday November 21, 2026 at 11:00 AM

February 2027: On-the-Road Southern Alberta School & Community Tour

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OPERA BEYOND THE STAGE

Calgary Opera invites audiences to experience opera through intimate, interactive, and social events that bring artists and audiences closer together.

Highlights include:

• Opera Brunch - Star singers with a side of eggs.

• Arias + Ales - Casual arias over craft beer at Best of Kin Social.

• Cabarets - Opera's party night. McPhee Artists let loose in intimate, festive performances.

• Serious Family Fun - Create-your-own opera adventure at our free, interactive open houses.

        • Get Acquainted - Start with a free Opera Talk in the lobby before every show. Go deeper with Unpacking Opera (free with registration) or peek behind the curtain at our Spotlight Series where we illuminate the planning, design, and problem-solving that brings opera to life.

• Dive Deeply - For the truly curious: attend Masterclasses with visiting artists or join Opera Buddies for ongoing learning and community.

• Dress Rehearsals - For students, schools, choirs, universities, and lifelong learning groups. Polished but not perfect, where you might catch the fascinating moments when things go slightly off-script.

• Exclusive Donor Events - Engage with artists, craftspeople and kindred opera lovers at Around the Piano, Prelude at Piano Dress, and VIP Receptions.