CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA and PAGLIACCI to be Presented at Opera San José
These two brilliant short operas will feature OSJ favorites: soprano Maria Natale as Santuzza and tenor Christopher Oglesby as Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana.
Opera San José will open the new year with the iconic operatic double bill of Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, bringing raw passion and intense drama to the California Theatre.
Set in a Sicilian village before World War I, Cavalleria Rusticana tells a story of love and jealousy that culminates in a dramatic duel of honor. Mascagni’s sweeping melodies, including the beloved “Intermezzo,” make this a thrilling work of passion and betrayal. Pagliacci, set in the same village after World War I, follows a traveling troupe whose personal betrayals explode on stage, highlighted by the electrifying aria “Vesti la giubba.”
These two brilliant short operas will feature OSJ favorites: soprano Maria Natale as Santuzza and tenor Christopher Oglesby as Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana; baritone Kidon Choi as Alfio in Cavalleria Rusticana and Tonio in Pagliacci; and soprano Mikayla Sager as Nedda in Pagliacci. Joining them is Luis Alejandro Orozco, head of the opera program at San José State University, as Silvio in Pagliacci (additional casting to be announced).
Celebrated composer/conductor Alma Deutscher, who conducted The Magic Flute and her own opera rendition of Cinderella at OSJ, returns to the podium, with OSJ General Director/CEO Shawna Lucey directing. February 15 – March 1, 2026.

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An Evening with a Mentalist: Jay Alexander's Mind Tricks Live On 24 Jul to 26 Jul 2026 San Francisco Magic Theater @ the Marrakech (7/24-7/26) |
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