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OperaFest LA is back! Continuing the collaborative celebration of opera across Los Angeles with numerous linked events.
First launched in 2024 alongside the OPERA America Conference and World Opera Forum, the festival spotlights the city’s rich and diverse opera landscape. OperaFest LA brings together leading companies including Beth Morrison Projects, LA Opera, Long Beach Opera, Overtone Industries, Roy and Edna Disney CalArts Theater, Synchromy, The Industry, The Wallis, and USC Thornton School of Music. This landmark collaboration is unprecedented, and collectively these organizations are uniquely positioned to shape the future of opera in Los Angeles, showcasing the incredible breadth of operatic voices and visions that define the city’s artistic identity.
Opera Fest LA 2026 Programming:
- April 11th, 4:00pm – OperaFest LA Kickoff Panel & Performance at The Wallis
- April 11th, 6:00 pm – The Central Park Five at 440 Elm
- April 16th, 7:30 pm – Listening Party with Veronika Krausas & Her Rogues’ Gallery at Monk Space
- April 18th, 7:30 pm – Falstaff at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
- April 22nd, 7:00 pm – Britten’s Turn of the Screw at the Bing Theater
- April 23rd, 7:00 pm – Britten’s Turn of the Screw at the Bing Theater
- April 24th, 7:00 pm – James Conlon Concert at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
- April 24th, 8:00 pm – Original Vision at Highways Performance Space
- April 25th, 8:00 pm – Original Vision at Highways Performance Space
- April 26th, 2:00 pm – Falstaff at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
- April 30th, 7:30 pm – Falstaff at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
- May 2nd, 7:30 pm – Falstaff at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
- May 6th, 7:30 pm – Falstaff at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
- May 8th, 7:30 pm – Noah’s Flood at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels
- May 9th, 3:30 pm – Noah’s Flood at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels
- May 10th, 2:00 pm – Falstaff at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
- May 15th, 7:30 pm – Listening Party with Christopher Cerrone at Monk Space
- May 17th, 7:00 pm – Molly Pease’s Hysteria Workshop, First Congregational Church of LA
- May 24th, 2:00 pm – Les Talens Lyriques at the Colburn School, Zipper Hall
- May 29th, 8:00 pm – Jodie Landau’s Performance of Self at REDCAT
- May 30th, 7:30 pm – The Magic Flute at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
- May 30th, 8:00 pm – Jodie Landau’s Performance of Self at REDCAT
Events Details:
Beth Morrison Projects – Performance of Self – May 29th and 30th at REDCAT.
Jodie Landau has always felt like he was constructing, curating, and codifying his identity. Labels and definitions provided comfort to Jodie and those around him—but also felt limiting in their imperfection. Centered around autobiographical stories of Landau’s childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, Performance of Self takes us on a relatable, emotional, funny, and deeply personal journey about love, sex, queerness, gender, family, online dating, boy bands, and the boxes we don’t quite fit in. Fusing memoir, concert, cabaret, and music-theatre, the debut solo show from the GRAMMY™ Award-nominated vocalist, composer, and percussionist, features original chamber rock compositions written and performed by Landau, backed by a six-piece band of contemporary music all-stars.
LA Opera – Falstaff – April 18th – May 10th at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
For fans of classic comedy, dashing disguises, Shakespearean twists, and good old Italian opera, Falstaff is a can’t-miss hoot. Sir John Falstaff is a bumbling knight short on cash, so he hatches a scheme to marry rich. Too bad he happened to send both (married) targets the same love letter. Now Alice Ford and Meg Page are set on teaching Falstaff a lesson, and it’s not long before quite a few angry villagers join in. Verdi’s laugh-out-loud romp through merry old England delivers delightful music, witty schemes, and even a surprise dip in the River Thames!
LA Opera – James Conlon Farewell Concert – April 24th at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
Over a remarkable 20 years as LA Opera’s Music Director, James Conlon has made tremendous contributions to the musical life of Los Angeles. Now, join us in celebrating his legacy with a special one-night-only concert devoted to his favorite composers. Operatic superstars and an array of special guests join the LA Opera Orchestra for an evening of Mozart, Verdi, and Wagner on Friday, April 24. Following the concert, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion stage transforms into a celebratory gala honoring Maestro Conlon. Join us for an unforgettable tribute to a transformative tenure. Gala tickets sold separately.
LA Opera – Cathedral Project (Noah’s Flood) – May 8th and 9th at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.
One family, a rowdy boatload of animals, and a storm that will change the world as they know it. Maestro James Conlon conducts a cast of hundreds in the family-friendly one-act opera Noah’s Flood. LA Opera’s professional artists will collaborate with over 300 amateur musicians—all ages, all skill levels, and drawn from across LA County—to present two free performances of Benjamin Britten’s beloved opera at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, located in downtown LA. Reserve your complimentary seats for a charming tale of family, faith, and perseverance.
LA Opera – Les Talens Lyriques – May 24th at Zipper Hall.
French sensation Les Talens Lyriques are back with the best of Baroque. Conductor and founder Christophe Rousset leads the acclaimed Paris-based chamber ensemble, known worldwide for their revivals of music history’s great masterpieces. Join us Sunday, May 24 for Handelian Heroes, a cornucopia of musical delights starring countertenor Key’mon Murrah in his first LA Opera appearance since 2023’s acclaimed The Last Dream of Frida and Diego. The Colburn School’s Zipper Hall steps back in time to the 18th century with works by Handel, including selections from Ariodante and Julius Caesar in Egypt.
LA Opera – The Magic Flute – May 30th – June 21st at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
LA Opera’s acclaimed production of The Magic Flute is not just an opera; it’s where live action meets hand-drawn animation — no wonder it’s the most seen opera adaptation in the world. Follow two unlikely heroes on a quest to save a princess, featuring Mozart’s catchy score and dazzling hand-drawn animations. Armed with enchanted bells and (you guessed it) a magic flute, Prince Tamino sets off to rescue his lady love, the Princess Pamina—only to find that things aren’t what they seem, and the Queen of the Night who sent him on his quest just might be plotting his doom instead.
Long Beach Opera – Central Park Five – Aprill 11th at 440 Elm, Long Beach
Join LBO for a special evening celebrating the upcoming commercial recording of Anthony Davis’ Pulitzer Prize-winning opera, The Central Park Five. Since we commissioned and premiered the work in 2019, it has been produced by companies across the country to widespread critical acclaim. The evening will feature live performances by original cast members and the composer, alongside reflections on the opera’s remarkable journey — and on LBO’s commitment to bringing ambitious, provocative and relevant new operas into the world.
Overtone Industries – Original Vision – April 24th and 25th at Highways Performance Space.
Incubator program Original Vision presents new operas in-development with mentorship by O-Lan Jones and Fahad Siadat. Jones is one of “the Luminaries” in “Tim Burton: Life in the Line,” and was called “an uncategorizable legend,” by the press. Siadat was named a “downright utopian artist and thinker” by the LA Times.
The fifth Original Vision presents works by Samara Rice, Brian Sonia-Wallace, O-Lan Jones, Murphy Severtson, and George Landau-Pincus. Time Is the Enemy follows a terminally-ill man whose estranged wife’s work on a time machine catapults him into an interdimensional plane where future and past collide. MINE vents the epic day-to-day thoughts and feelings of Imogene, teased out into music, speech, and movement, where old friends, lovers, enemies, worries, and passions take hold. Carcinize! begins with a female pilot’s crash-landing onto a deserted island. While a crash is often an ending, here it is the beginning, as the crabs and the pilot become one and many.
Stage direction by Jones and Livia Reiner. Music Direction by Siadat.
Synchromy – April 16th & May 15th at Monk Space.
HYSTERIA Composer: Molly Pease | Librettist: Divya Maus
Hysteria is a new opera by composer Molly Pease and librettist Divya Maus that transforms the historic diagnosis of “female hysteria” into a story of reclamation and empowerment. Merging haunting vocal textures, experimental soundscapes, and deeply human storytelling, the work examines how emotion, identity, and the body intersect under systems of control. Pease’s evocative score blurs boundaries between classical, electronic, and improvisational music, while Maus’ libretto reimagines “madness” as resistance and release. Hysteria invites audiences into an immersive, transformative experience that confronts cultural taboos and celebrates the power of self-expression.
May 17th, First Congregational Church of Los Angeles.
The Industry – Listening Parties
The Industry’s Listening Parties blend live performances with recorded work and speculative conversation centered on the future of opera as a multidisciplinary art form. These curated yet casual evenings have featured artists that include black futurist Camae Ayewa (aka Moor Mother), Aaron Turner from the post-metal band Sumac, composer and percussionist Guillermo E. Brown, extreme vocalist Carmina Escobar, scholar Michael Ned Holte, and mixed-media practitioner Matana Roberts. Composer Veronika Krausas (Hopscotch, Ghost Opera, The Mortal Thoughts of Lady Macbeth) directs, composes for, and produces multi-media events that incorporate her works with dance, acrobatics, and video. In April, she curates an evening of her past and current productions, featuring live performances and archival footage of projects influenced by tarot, circus arts, Shakespeare, and the ghost realm. Invisible Cities, the first opera by Grammy-winning composer Chris Cerrone, was staged by The Industry in Union Station in its world premiere in 2014. Currently a member of The Industry’s artistic advisory group, Cerrone has since become known for work characterized by a subtle handling of timbre and resonance, a deep literary fluency, and a flair for multimedia collaborations. In May he presents works that center the voice, including selections from his opera In A Grove and the Roomful of Teeth commission Friday’s Saints.
The Wallis – OperaFest LA Kickoff Panel & Performance – April 11th at The Wallis.
Join us at The Wallis on Saturday, April 11 at 4:00-6:00 PM PT for the official kickoff event of OperaFest LA. This special afternoon will feature a panel conversation with one representative from each participating company, offering insight into the works presented during the festival and the artistic vision behind them. The event will also include preview performances from partners’ OperaFest LA presentations, offering a first glimpse of the bold range of music and storytelling that defines this year’s festival.
USC Thornton Opera – The Turn of the Screw – April 22nd and April 23rd at the Bing Theatre.
The USC Thornton Opera Program and USC Thornton Symphony present The Turn of the Screw, an opera in three acts by Benjamin Britten with a libretto by Myfanwy Piper, based on the 1898 novella by Henry James. Sung in English, the production is conducted by Brent McMunn and directed and designed by Ken Cazan, with costumes by Elena Flores and lighting by David Jacques. Performances will take place at the Bing Theatre on the USC University Park Campus on April 22 and 23 at 7:00 pm. Tickets are available through the USC Ticket Office online, by calling 213-740-4672, or at the theater box office.
Company Bios:
Beth Morrison Projects (BMP) is the foremost creator and producer of new opera-theatre and music theatre in the United States, with a fierce commitment to leading the industry into the future, cultivating a new generation of talent, and telling the stories of our time. Founded by “contemporary opera mastermind” (LA Times) Beth Morrison, who was honored as Musical America’s Artist of the Year/Agent of Change, BMP has grown into “a driving force behind America’s thriving opera scene” (Financial Times), with Opera News declaring that the company, “more than any other… has helped propel the art form into the twenty-first century.” Operating across the US and internationally, with offices in Brooklyn and Los Angeles, BMP’s unique model offers living composers the support, guidance, and freedom to experiment, allowing them to create singularly innovative and impactful projects. Since forming in 2006, the company has commissioned, developed, produced and toured over 65 works in 14 countries around the world, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning chamber operas Angel’s Bone (Du Yun/ Vavrek) and p r i s m (Reid/ Perkins). In 2013, BMP co-founded the PROTOTYPE Festival with HERE, which has been called “utterly essential” (The New York Times), “indispensable” (The New Yorker), and “one of the world’s top festivals of contemporary opera and theater” (Associated Press). As of 2026, BMP is the sole curator and producer of the PROTOTYPE Festival.
Established in 1986, LA Opera grew directly out of the artistic momentum sparked by the 1984 Olympic Games. Since then, it has grown to become the fourth largest company in the USA and a leader in artistic innovation while honoring operatic history. LA Opera’s world-class and breathtaking productions embody the diversity, pioneering spirit, and artistic sensibility unique to LA. Whether it’s classic operas from composers like Mozart or Puccini, revivals of rarely-seen traditional gems, or modern and world premiere operas, LA Opera offers a wide range of genres and eras to showcase the best of the art form. https://www.laopera.org/
Long Beach Opera (LBO) is Southern California’s oldest and boldest opera company, with over 45 years of challenging norms, taking risks and sparking meaningful conversation. Under the leadership of our Artistic Director & Chief Creative Officer James Darrah, LBO creates uniquely immersive work that blends film, dance, new music and more. LBO is committed to centering underrepresented voices—striving to redefine the art form to make it more accessible to our entire community. Notable highlights include the2 019 world premiere of Anthony Davis’ The Central Park Five, which won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize, and the 2023 premiere of Pulitzer-finalist Kate Soper’s The Romance of the Rose. https://www.longbeachopera.org/
Overtone Industries was founded by composer, actress and theater visionary O-Lan Jones to develop and present original stories in a collaborative environment, cultivating opportunities for artists with an authentic voice to develop new works. Working with industry leaders and newcomers alike, Overtone brings to life original works of mythic depth that celebrate the grandeur of the human experience. Founded in 1980, the company has been a champion of genre-defying performance for 40+ years, recognized with honors including the BACC for Original Score, Dramalogue for Best Production, Ovation Award for Best Costumes, and 2 Emmy Awards for Original Score & Design. https://www.overtoneindustries.org/
The Roy and Edna Disney CalArts Theater (REDCAT) is a multidisciplinary center for innovative visual and performing art founded by the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) in the Walt Disney Concert Hall complex in downtown Los Angeles. Through performances, exhibitions, screenings and literary events, REDCAT introduces diverse audiences, students, and artists to the most influential developments in the arts from around the world, and gives artists in this region the creative support they need to achieve national and international stature. REDCAT continues the tradition of CalArts by encouraging experimentation, discovery and lively civic discourse. https://www.redcat.org/
Founded in Los Angeles in 2010, Synchromy is a composer-driven collective dedicated to creating, performing, and promoting innovative new music. The organization champions collaboration across disciplines—partnering with artists, ensembles, and institutions to bring contemporary music to unexpected spaces and audiences. Through workshops, concerts, and community partnerships, Synchromy fosters a thriving ecosystem for experimental composers and performers in Southern California. Recent projects include collaborations with The Resonance Collective and Overtone Industries, supporting the development of new operatic works such as The Joining by Isaac Schankler and Hysteriaby Molly Pease. Learn more at www.synchromy.org.
The Industry creates interdisciplinary, collaborative productions that expand the traditional definition of opera—including whom it’s for, who is involved, and where it takes place. Since its founding in 2010, the organization has premiered critically-acclaimed, site-responsive productions with artists and composers across disciplines—from Raven Chacon and Du Yun to George Lewis and Ellen Reid—while engaging the unique cultural landscape and setting of Los Angeles. Founder Yuval Sharon’s Hopscotch (2015) famously took place in limousines and landmark buildings throughout the city, while former co-Artistic director Malik Gaine’s Star Choir was set within Mt. Wilson Observatory. The Industry recently held its second LAB featuring Guillermo E. Brown, Carmina Escobar, and Matana Roberts at REDCAT; and upcoming projects include Ash Fure’s ANIMAL in September 2026, and artist Sable Elyse Smith’s If you unfolded us in 2027. https://theindustryla.org/
The USC Thornton School of Music Opera Program is one of America’s premier training grounds for singing-actors, opera coaches and collaborative keyboard artists – a program where youth and experience meet in a vibrant urban setting to create provocative productions of classic and modern masterpieces. We also workshop new operas in progress and have collaborated with Beth Morrison Projects on several works in development. In addition to studying under Music Director Brent McMunn and Resident Stage Director Ken Cazan, opera program participants work with nationally and internationally recognized artists and designers. The USC Thornton School Vocal Arts Department also brings in distinguished opera industry professionals each semester to conduct seminars and master classes. The opera program has access to all USC Thornton School of Music facilities as well as the USC School of Dramatic Arts’ premiere venue Bing Theatre. The University of Southern California is known for its active and socially conscious student body, and the USC Thornton School is no different. The Chamber Opera of USC is a student run group that brings undergraduate and graduate students together to produce newly composed as well as traditional chamber opera. https://music.usc.edu/departments/vocal-arts-opera/.
The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (The Wallis) is a premier cultural destination lauded by Culture Vulture as a place where “expecting the unexpected” defines the experience. Broadway legend Patti LuPone has praised the venue as “one of the best in the country,” citing its unparalleled intimacy between artists and audiences. Since opening in 2013, The Wallis has served as a dynamic cultural hub in the heart of Beverly Hills, presenting local, national, and international performers across theater, dance, music, film, comedy, cabaret, and family programming. Reflecting Los Angeles’ diversity and creative energy, The Wallis has produced nearly 500 programs, earning 79 Ovation Award nominations, nine L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards, and six architectural honors. Housed in a restored 1934 Beverly Hills Post Office, the 70,000-square-foot complex—made possible by Wallis Annenberg’s transformative gift—blends historic architecture with modern design. Featuring two state-of-the-art theaters, an open-air plaza, and robust arts education spaces, The Wallis celebrates both the region’s history and its artistic future. Daphna Nazarian is Chair of The Wallis’ Board of Directors. TheWallis.org
