Sarasota Opera just revealed its lineup for the 2026-27 season, and there’s a lot to get excited about. After finishing up a centennial celebration for the Sarasota Opera House, the company is rolling out five main stage productions: Hansel and Gretel, La traviata, H.M.S. Pinafore, Ariadne auf Naxos, and Jenůfa. On top of that, the Sarasota Youth Opera is bringing back Rootabaga Country.
This season is big for leadership, too. Richard Russell will step in as General and Artistic Director for his first full season, while Victor DeRenzi, the company’s longtime Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, will make his exit at the end of May 2026 after 44 years. DeRenzi’s impact on Sarasota Opera, and American opera, is hard to overstate. He’s set the bar high with his commitment to the voice, the music, and the performers. Russell plans to keep those standards front and center in the future.
Five guest conductors are coming back to lead this season’s productions: Anthony Barrese, Marcello Cormio, John Spencer IV, Jessé Martins, and David Neely.
The fall kicks off October 30, 2026, with Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck. Then, on November 7 and 8, the Sarasota Youth Opera stages Rachel J. Peters’ Rootabaga Country, which first hit the Sarasota stage in 2017. The Winter Festival opens February 6, 2027, with a brand-new La traviata. Next up: the company’s first-ever Gilbert & Sullivan operetta, H.M.S. Pinafore, opening February 13. Ariadne auf Naxos follows on February 27, and Janáček’s Jenůfa starts March 6, with star Finnish soprano Karita Mattila taking on the role of the Kostelnička. The season wraps up on March 21, 2027.
Russell summed up the upcoming season like this: “I’m thrilled about the repertoire we’re bringing next season. We’re presenting Gilbert and Sullivan for the first time, returning to La traviata with a new production and an exciting young soprano, and welcoming one of the great singing actresses of our time, Karita Mattila, in one of her signature roles. My goal for the upcoming season is to present a diverse and balanced repertoire that offers our audiences real variety while introducing new experiences.”
There’s more. The company is launching a new Artist-in-Residence program, and Karita Mattila herself will inaugurate it. She’ll work closely with Sarasota Opera’s Apprentice and Studio Artists, sharing her expertise and coaching them throughout the season. Her involvement is a huge win for the company’s training efforts.
Another fresh addition: the Emerging Artists Showcase, a new end-of-season concert that puts Apprentice and Studio Artists in the spotlight with a full orchestra. Members of the Sarasota Youth Opera will also make a special appearance, giving audiences a glimpse of the next generation of talent.
Season artwork comes from Tori Abramov, a Ukrainian-born illustrator and painter who studied at Ringling College of Art and Design and now calls Sarasota home.
Signature events for the season include the annual Food and Wine Festival on September 26, the annual gala on January 30, and the Salute to the Stars Awards Luncheon on March 9.
Subscriptions for all five operas go on sale March 16. If you’re after single tickets, you can grab them online starting August 1, 2026, or at the Box Office and by phone beginning September 1, 2026. For all the details, head to https://www.sarasotaopera.org/2026-27-season-announcement
