Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (OTSL) unveiled the cast and creative team for its 2026 production of André Previn’s A Streetcar Named Desire, helmed by director Patricia Racette and conductor Daniela Candillari. This highly anticipated new staging will open on June 7 and run through June 26 at Webster University’s Loretto-Hilton Center, which has been the company’s home since 1976. The opera will be accompanied by members of the Grammy Award-winning St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in the 49th year of this landmark partnership between two leading St. Louis arts institutions.  

In her first directorial turn as Opera Theatre’s Artistic Director, Patricia Racette will lead this operatic adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ renowned play. “I am thrilled to officially begin as Artistic Director this fall,” says Racette. “What a season we have ahead as we look to this next chapter at Opera Theatre — the excitement is already palpable! And personally, I could not be more excited to direct A Streetcar Named Desire, which I consider a centerpiece of American opera and a showcase of another amazing playwright beloved and celebrated by our city. It’s the kind of powerful storytelling I hope will define this next chapter for Opera Theatre.” 

A Streetcar Named Desire will be conducted by OTSL’s Principal Conductor, Daniela Candillari. “The first time I encountered A Streetcar Named Desire was through playing ‘I Want Magic’ in an audition setting,” Candillari recalled. “I was immediately captivated by the mood the piece creates, its rich harmonic language, and the raw honesty of the character’s voice. I soon discovered that the opera was written by André Previn — a name I had previously associated only with conducting and jazz piano. This revelation sparked a deep interest, and the opera quickly became one of the works I hoped to engage with, whether as a pianist or conductor. I’m thrilled to now be bringing this extraordinary piece to OTSL for the very first time. It’s an intense, virtuosic score, full of emotional depth. There’s a certain poetry in the music, drawn from the lyrical language of the original play, and I can’t wait to begin working on our production.” 

The cast includes two returning OTSL alumni: Sara Gartland as Blanche Dubois (last seen as Rosalinde in 2025’s Die Fledermaus) and Thomas Glass as Stanley Kowalski (last seen as Marcello in 2024’s La bohème). The cast is rounded out by two notable company debuts: Lauren Snouffer as Stella Kowalski and Bille Bruley as Harold Mitchell. Leadership support for this production comes from the Whitaker Foundation.