In an exciting year featuring historic artistic collaborations with venues across the city, as well as local, regional, and international talent, Indianapolis Opera’s 50th Anniversary season opens with Opera in the Park at MacAllister Amphitheater in Garfield Park in September 2024, continues with Rossini’s classic comedy The Barber of Seville at the Booth Tarkington Theater in November 2024, then features a once-in-a-lifetime 50th Anniversary Legacy Gala Concert in collaboration with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra at Hilbert Circle Theater in March 2025, and concludes with Bernstein & Sondheim’s Tony-awarding winning West Side Story at the Indianapolis Zoo in May 2025.
MAIN SEASON
Opera in the Park
September 7, 2024 | 7 PM MacAllister Amphitheater at Garfield Park | FREE EVENT In collaboration with Friends of Garfield Park, our 50th Anniversary Artistic Season begins with our 7th annual FREE Opera in the Park concert at MacAllister Amphitheater in Garfield Park. The evening will feature rising opera stars of Indianapolis, with concert hosts, opera superstar soprano Angela Brown and Maestro Alfred Savia, joined by musical guests, tenor Ganson Salmon, baritone Jeremiah Sanders, and mezzo-soprano Lyndsay Moy, alongside the Indianapolis Opera Resident Artists and Chorus. Experience beautiful music and captivating performances while enjoying the spacious park and southside food trucks, beer, & wine for your picnicking experience with friends and family! Audience donations are necessary to make events like Opera in the Park possible. |
The Barber of Seville
November 15 & 16 at 7:30 PM, 17 at 3:00 PM The Booth Tarkington Theater Tickets: Dress Circle $92, Level A $69, Level B $57, Level C $39 Fiiiigaroooo! Celebrating 8 years in the beautiful Booth Tarkington Theater in collaboration with The Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, join us on November 15-17 for one of the greatest comic operas of all time: Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. Led by the company’s first female artistic duo, Director Jessica Burton and Conductor Casey Robards (IO Young Artist Alumna, mentored by James Caraher), this spectacular slap-stick comedy is filled with famous moments that you are sure to recognize, from the iconic Overture to “Largo al factotum” (ala Bugs Bunny fame) and “Una voce poco fa.” The story of The Barber of Seville centers on the escapades of Figaro, the local barber and in-demand problem-solver of the town, as he helps two young lovers, Count Almaviva and Rosina, in their hysterical quest to outwit her guardian, the lecherous Dr. Bartolo, and run away together. This delightful production is a perfect offering for all ages – one for stalwart opera lovers and newcomers alike! |
50th Anniversary Legacy Gala Concert
March 22, 2025 at 7:30 PM Hilbert Circle Theater Tickets: Dress Circle $92, Level A $69, Level B $57, Level C $39 In celebration of 50 years of championing the vocal arts, Indianapolis Opera presents a thrilling legacy gala concert at the historic Hilbert Circle Theater in collaboration with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra for the first time in 20 seasons. This once-in-a-lifetime event will showcase returning opera stars and world-renowned alumni from IO’s many decades of artistry in the heart of Indiana, alongside members of the Indianapolis Opera Chorus, in a special evening presentation of opera favorites and classic lyric theater hits. Join us in celebrating a 50-year legacy of sharing this timeless art form, the strength of the human voice, and the healing power of music with the rich community of central Indiana! |
West Side Story
May 9, 10, & 11 at 7:00 PM The Indianapolis Zoo, Bicentennial Pavilion Tickets: Dress Circle $92, Level A $69, Level B $57, Level C $39 In an exciting return to the Indianapolis Zoo, with an original onsite design inspired by the beautiful Bicentennial Pavilion, Indianapolis Opera presents a beloved musical classic, West Side Story! A modern retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, West Side Story is set in 1950s New York, where growing racial tensions between the Sharks, a gang of first-generation Puerto Rican immigrants, and the Jets, made up of ‘American’ boys, lead to an all-out street fight over territory. Meanwhile Tony, best friend of the Jets’ leader Riff, and Maria, sister to Shark’s leader Bernardo, unwittingly fall in love at a neighborhood dance, despite their differing backgrounds. But the purity of their love is challenged as chaos, prejudice, and tragedy churn around them. Boasting a brilliant score from Leonard Bernstein and libretto from Stephen Sondheim with famous numbers, like “Maria,” “Tonight,” and “Somewhere,” this production features an internationally acclaimed cast and shares a hope for peace in trying times. |
SPECIAL EVENTS
4th Annual Opera Cabaret at Union 50
October 9, 2024 | 6 PM | Union 50 | $170 per ticket We are delighted to collaborate once again with Union 50 in a sophisticated dining and cabaret experience. Expect a tasteful (and tasty) evening featuring Indiana’s top performers and the extraordinary Indianapolis Opera Resident Artists who will perform an intimate program, showcasing opera, musical theater, and highlights from our 50th season. While enjoying the concert, attendees will partake in an expertly prepared multi-course meal, complete with wine and dessert from Union 50’s award winning culinary team. Ticket includes salad, dinner, dessert, wine, and a full evening of cabaret performances. |
Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition:
Indiana District January 11, 2025 | 12 PM Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center | Tickets $25 The mission of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition is to discover promising young opera singers and assist in the development of their future careers. The competition takes place throughout the United States, and the Indiana District is hosted by the Indianapolis Opera each year. This premier competition has been a defining step in the careers of our greatest opera stars. The state of Indiana has produced more winners than any other state in the country - join us and witness the future of opera. The Indiana District Competition will take place on January 11, 2025 in the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center on the University of Indianapolis campus. This competition takes a full afternoon, followed by a break for judge deliberation. |
50th Anniversary Legacy Gala Dinner
March 22, 2025 | 5 PM | Columbia Club $300 per ticket, $2,400 per table Preceding our 50th Anniversary Gala Concert, guests are invited to join us next door at the grand Columbia Club, a hallmark of downtown Indianapolis culture and architecture, adjacent to the theater on Monument Circle. This special offer includes valet parking, the 50th Anniversary Legacy Gala Dinner (complete with cocktails & dancing), and a post-concert reception. |