Chicago Opera Theater 2026-27 Season Banner (Photo provided by company).
The Chicago Opera Theater has announced its 2026-2027 season, celebrating a new commissioning program, two fully staged Chicago premieres, and the continuation of its “Discovery” series. All performances will take place at the Studebaker Theater in the historic Fine Arts Building.
The season begins on Sunday October 18, 2026 with On the Wilde Side – a concert of music inspired by the works of Oscar Wilde. The program compliments a rare operatic staging of Wilde’s comedy The Importance of Being Ernest, scheduled December 2 – 6, 2026. Composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco layers comedic classical music references with an original score that uplifts and parallels the stage action. Brenna Corner, Artistic Director of Pacific Opera Victoria, and conductor Kamna Gupta will make their COT debuts; the rest of the cast includes returning favorites such as Vanessa Becerra as Gwendolyn Fairfax and Leah Dexter as Miss Prism.
The other pillar of the season – The Juniper Tree – includes music by one of minimalism’s biggest composers. The haunting libretto by playwright Arthur Yorinks is based on stories from the Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales, with music co-written by Philip Glass and Robert Moran. The Juniper Tree runs from May 19 – May 23, 2027 with a complimentary concert on February 7, 2027. This is one of many Glass works that will be performed around the world in celebration of his 90th birthday.
COT has also announced the expansion of their outreach programs, adding additional Chicago Public Schools to their Opera for All initiative as well as a new program for commisions – Chicago Sings. Their first commission – Inventing Oz by Stacy Garrop – has a “work in progress” concert scheduled for Monday August 9, 2027, with a full staging planned the following year.
For more information, visit chicagooperatheater.org.
