ST. LOUIS, June 12, 2025 – Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (OTSL) is proud to announce its 2026 Festival Season, running May 23 — June 28, 2026. Following the success of its 50th Anniversary Season, the company now turns toward the future with a season that bridges beloved repertoire and modern works — signaling the start of Opera Theatre’s next 50 years. The 2026 Festival Season will feature four mainstage productions — including two long-awaited company premieres and the return of two beloved titles — and the transition of world-renowned soprano Patricia Racette into her new role as Artistic Director.

The 2026 Festival Season opens on May 23 with Gilbert & Sullivan’s comic operetta The Pirates of Penzance, returning to the Opera Theatre stage for the first time in over a decade. The Tony Award-winning musical The Light in the Piazza, with a book by Craig Lucas and music and lyrics by Adam Guettel, makes its first appearance on OTSL’s stage a week later. As Racette’s first directorial endeavor as Artistic Director, she will put her stamp on André Previn’s operatic adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire, based on Tennessee Williams’ famed play. Opera Theatre closes its season with a new staging of Charles Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet, featuring the stunning costumes of designer Robert Perdziola from the company’s 2005 production of the same title. In addition to the four mainstage productions, Opera Theatre will once again present its annual young artist showcase, Center Stage, which shines a light on the members of its celebrated Richard Gaddes Festival Artist and Gerdine Young Artist Programs, and the free concert Our Songs, which features a different guest curator every year for a musical celebration of connection and community.

Each opera will be accompanied by members of the Grammy Award-winning St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, which has served as OTSL’s Festival Season orchestra since 1978. As has been the tradition since Opera Theatre’s inception, every mainstage will be performed in English with English captions projected.

“We are proud to present a compelling 2026 Festival Season that continues to balance beloved classics with contemporary stories,” said General Director Andrew Jorgensen. “While our 50th Anniversary Season in 2025 was a powerful milestone, the 2026 season feels equally significant as it launches Opera Theatre’s next 50 years. We remain deeply committed to serving the St. Louis community through vibrant, accessible storytelling, and we look forward to welcoming audiences and artists alike for another superb season. We are especially excited to begin this new era with the artistic leadership of Patricia Racette.”

The 2026 Festival Season marks the company’s first with world-renowned soprano Patricia Racette as Artistic Director. Racette, Opera Theatre’s Artistic Director of Young Artist Programs since 2019 and current Artist Director Designate, officially steps into her new role on October 1, 2025. The lauded stage director and performer was appointed in May 2025 following a rigorous international search conducted by the Catherine French Group

Racette succeeds Opera Theatre’s previous Artistic Directors James Robinson (2009-2024) and Colin Graham (1985-2007). In this role, Racette will lead Opera Theatre’s artistic personnel, including Principal Conductor Daniela Candillari and the staff of OTSL’s Artistic Administration and Production departments. Her engagement as Artistic Director is generously supported through 2026 by Tim and Robin Wentworth.

“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! We’re delighted to bring back The Pirates of Penzance as our opener, and it feels especially meaningful to close the season with Romeo and Juliet, a timeless work so well-suited to a company that performs in English and to a city with such deep affection for Shakespeare. We’ll also break new ground with the company debut of The Light in the Piazza, a title that I think will resonate with our audience and with our community. 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.”

In the months leading up to the 2026 Festival Season, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis will continue its year-long celebration of its 50^th anniversary with a robust slate of community events between June 2025 and April 2026. These events pay homage not just to OTSL’s history, but also the community and artistic partnerships that are integral to OTSL’s legacy as a leader among American opera companies.

Confirmed events span the range from concerts to educational programming to symposiums, with partners including the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis; the Missouri Historical Society; the Sheldon Concert Hall; the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis; WashU’s Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity, and Equity; the World Chess Hall of Fame; and more. More information about all of these events is available at ExperienceOpera.org/Celebrate50.

Opera Theatre will officially launch its next 50 years at the 2026 Spring Gala on May 9, chaired by Penny Pennington. This event will raise funds for accessible arts experiences, living wages for artists in the St. Louis community, and season performances as the company looks head to its next half-century as an innovator in the American opera sector.

Season subscriptions for Opera Theatre’s 2026 Festival Season are now on sale. Creative team and casting information will be announced later in the year. For more information about ticket packages and season programming, visit ExperienceOpera.org or call the OTSL Box Office at (314) 961-0644.

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About the 2026 Festival Season

About Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis is a spring festival featuring casts of rising opera singers accompanied by the acclaimed St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Each season, OTSL presents four compelling new productions in English during the months of May and June. In addition to staging innovative interpretations of classics, OTSL is also committed to premiering new and reviving relevant operas by prominent composers; as of the company’s 2026 season, Opera Theatre has presented 45 world premieres and 27 American premieres. The company’s competitive young artist programs foster the next generation of emerging singers; these programs have been a springboard for countless artists to launch international careers. Beyond its Festival Season, Opera Theatre provides year-round programming and educational initiatives that reach over 80,000 people in St. Louis and beyond annually. OTSL is led by General Director Andrew Jorgensen, in collaboration with Artistic Director Designate Patricia Racette and Principal Conductor Daniela Candillari.

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis is funded in part by the Missouri Arts Council and the Regional Arts Commission. Opera Theatre gratefully acknowledges Webster University for its sustaining partnership.

About the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra 

Celebrated as one of today’s most exciting and enduring orchestras, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest orchestra in the country, marking its 146th year with the 2025/26 season and its seventh with Stéphane Denève, The Joseph and Emily Rauh Pulitzer Music Director. Widely considered one of the leading American orchestras, the Grammy® Award-winning SLSO maintains its commitment to artistic excellence, educational impact, and community collaborations — all in service to its mission of enriching lives through the power of music. The transformational project that expands and renovates the orchestra’s historic home, Powell Hall — designed by Snøhetta and creating the Jack C. Taylor Music Center — will be completed in September 2025. This milestone builds on the institution’s momentum as a civic leader in convening individuals, creators, and ideas, while fostering a culture welcoming to all. For more information, visit slso.org.