In partnership with Friends of Garfield Park, our Artistic 52nd Season begins with our 9th annual Opera in the Park concert at MacAllister Amphitheater at Garfield Park, presented in honor of the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 and in celebration of America250.

Hosted by opera superstar soprano Angela Brown and Maestro Alfred Savia, this FREE concert features an incredible line-up of special musical guests, including bass-baritone Ron Dukes & tenor Joseph McBrayer, performing alongside the Indianapolis Opera Resident Artists and Chorus, as well as the Indianapolis Youth Orchestra.

​Experience captivating performances & topnotch vocal artistry while enjoying the spacious park, where food trucks, beer, & wine are available for picnicking with friends & family! (New Alcohol Policy Below)

Donations are encouraged to make events like Opera in the Park possible.  

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

WHERE?

MacAllister Amphitheater ​at Garfield Park
2425 Conservatory Dr.
Indianapolis, IN 46203​
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WHEN?

Friday, September 11, 2026
Gates Open at 6:00 PM
Concert Begins at 7:00 PM and will last around 105 minutes.

WHAT TO EXPECT?

As You Arrive: What to do!
  • Checking-in: There will be Indianapolis Opera staff and volunteers stationed at both entrances to check you in.  Please have the names of your party ready.
  • Donations: In order to keep events like Opera in the Park free and accessible to all audiences, please consider a $20 donation per person at the door.  
  • Program: There will be a QR code to scan at both entrances that will take you to our home page with the Opera in the Park program, complete with translations, artist bios, and information about our season.  Forgot to scan at the door?  Just flag down an opera volunteer, who will have the QR code available for you.

Seating: Come Early to Snag your Spot!
  • There is ample seating available in front of the stage, but many patrons opt to bring their own lawn chairs and/or picnic blankets for a cozier experience.  
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Food & Drinks:  Make it a Picnic!
  • Food trucks and a mobile bar will be on site to add some flavor to your opera evening! 
  • Garfield Park prohibits outside alcohol, but there will be beer and wine available for purchase.  Be sure to bring your ID.
  • You are also welcome to bring your own food and non-alcoholic beverages.  For a chance to win a pair of tickets, check out details for our annual Picnic Contest!

Parking/Entrances:  How to Get In!
  • To help you plan where to park, you can view a map of Garfield Park below.
  • There are multiple parking lots along Pagoda Drive, as well as the Garfield Park Conservatory.
  • Handicap Accessible Parking is located behind MacAllister Amphitheater, by the Garfield Park Arts Center.
  • The primary public entrance to the lawn is off of Pagoda Dr., located on the southside of MacAllister Amphitheater.
  • There is a second public entrance to the west of the amphitheater, located nearest to the Handicap Accessible Parking.

Safety: How Can We Help?
  • There will be park rangers on site to monitor the event, as well as opera and park volunteers who will be glad to assist you should need arise.

PICNIC CONTEST

Standing with tradition, there will be a new Picnic Contest this year!

THE THEME: America250! Put on your thinking caps to create a clever picnic around the 250th Anniversary of our country's independence!

THE PRIZE: The creator of the best picnic will be awarded a basket of goodies, along with a pair of tickets to either La Traviata (November 13-15, 2026) or Man of La Mancha (April 30 - May 2, 2027).

MAP & PARKING

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CONCERT SPONSORS
MEDIA SPONSOR
CONCERT PARTNERS
Thank you Roger Manning  and Denis Ryan Kelly Jr. World Photographer LLC  for these amazing photographs!