See 2025 Sarasota Opera Productions for Free This Spring at The Bay
The Bay and Sarasota Opera have partnered to present the three opera films in April and May.
By: A.A. Cristi Mar. 31, 2025
Although Sarasota Opera's Winter Festival has ended, area residents will have the opportunity this spring to view recorded performances of three operas from this year's season for free at The Bay park, the blue-and-green gathering place in downtown Sarasota! The Bay and Sarasota Opera have partnered to present the three opera films in April and May.
Opera at The Bay kicks off from noon-1:30 p.m., Sunday, April 27, with a brunch-time performance of Pietro Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana. This opera opened the 2025 winter season at Sarasota Opera, and features world-class artists, including mezzo-soprano Lisa Chavez, baritone Jean-Carlos Rodríguez and tenor Rafael Dávila, with Artistic Director Victor DeRenzi conducting the Sarasota Opera orchestra. It takes place on a tranquil Easter morning in a rural Sicilian village shaken by a betrayed lover who sets off a chain of events ending in tragedy. The opera features the “Intermezzo,” one of the most memorable and melodious pieces in the repertoire.
The second opera will also be at brunchtime from noon-1:30p.m., Sunday, May 4 for Ruggero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci. An iconic Italian opera featuring one of the most famous arias in the repertoire, the clown Canio tries to go on with the show after learning of his wife's infidelity, but his real-life humiliation and despair lead to a grim climax. The opera features soprano Ashley Milanese, baritone Jean-Carlos Rodríguez and tenor Rafael Dávila, with Artistic Director Victor DeRenzi conducting the Sarasota Opera orchestra. A live performance by Sarasota Youth Opera, who performed in the opera on the mainstage during the 2025 season, will open the film screening.
The grand finale of the ‘Opera on the Bay' series —Gioachino Rossini's comic masterpiece, The Barber of Seville — will be screened from 7-9:30 p.m., Saturday, May 17. Determined to win the heart of the beautiful Rosina, Count Almaviva enlists the help of Figaro, the barber of Seville, to steal her away from her guardian, Dr. Bartolo. Hilarious complications ensue to some of opera's most delightful music, performed by an all-star cast that includes baritone Filippo Fontana, mezzo-soprano Lisa Marie Rogali, bass-baritone Andrew Gilstrap, and bass Young Bok Kim, with the Sarasota Opera orchestra conducted by Marcello Cormio.
"We are extremely excited to partner with The Bay to bring some of our world-class 2025 productions to the Sarasota community,” said Richard Russell, Sarasota Opera's General Director. “This is an exceptional opportunity for us to share opera with a wider audience, in the beautiful and natural park setting. I hope new audiences and loyal patrons alike will come out to experience opera at The Bay."
“As we continue to deliver on The Bay's “One Park for All” promise and expand and improve free park program offerings, we are delighted to announce this important partnership with Sarasota Opera, one of the area's premier arts and cultural institutions,” said AG Lafley, Bay Park Conservancy CEO. “We look forward to welcoming both existing and new audiences to the first outdoor opera in the park this spring.”
Food and beverage will be available for purchase from The Nest Café and Buonissimo Mobile Italian Kitchen. Limited seating is available in The Oval amphitheater and everyone is encouraged to set up a lawn chair or blanket on the plentiful green space for a true al fresco experience. The operas, all filmed in the Sarasota Opera House during the 2025 season, will be shown on the large LED screen with surround sound and English subtitles. Free parking is available across the site. The Bay is at 1055 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota.
For information about Sarasota Opera, visit https://sarasotaopera.org. To learn more about The Bay, visit https://www.thebaysarasota.org.
About Sarasota Opera
Sarasota Opera's just completed its 66th season of bringing world-class opera to Florida's Gulf Coast. The company was launched in 1960 in the historic 320-seat Asolo Theater on the grounds of Sarasota's Ringling Museum of Art. In 1984 the company moved into the former A.B. Edwards Theater — now the Sarasota Opera House. Since then, the company has gained an international reputation as one of the leading regional opera companies in the U.S. through initiatives such as the Masterworks Revival Series and the Verdi Cycle. The company's Sarasota Youth Opera is the most comprehensive Youth Program in the U.S. The Sarasota Opera House, which underwent a $20 million renovation and rehabilitation in 2007, has been called “one of America's finest venues for opera” by Musical America. Since 1983, the company has been under the artistic leadership of Victor DeRenzi and administrative leadership of General Director Richard Russell since 2012. Sarasota Opera is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture and the National Endowment for the Arts. Programs are paid for in part by Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenues. Sarasota Opera • 61 N. Pineapple Avenue • Sarasota, FL 34236 • (941) 366-8450 • SarasotaOpera.org.
About The Bay
The Bay is a signature public park along Sarasota Bay. Designed to be “One Park for All,” The Bay is open and accessible, free and welcoming to the full and rich diversity of the community, now and for generations to come. The Bay conserves, preserves, restores and transforms 53 acres of precious city-owned land along Sarasota Bay from what was mostly parking lot into a blue and green oasis – providing a sustainable bayfront gathering place for the community to experience and enjoy a wide range of park uses, free programs and events. The Bay Park Conservancy (BPC) is a 501c3 non-profit responsible for designing and implementing the Master Plan approved by the Sarasota City Commission to conserve, preserve, restore and transform 53 acres of precious city-owned land along Sarasota Bay into a blue and green oasis – providing a sustainable bayfront gathering place for the community to experience and enjoy a wide range of park uses, free programs and events. The BPC entered into a long-term partnership with the City to help fund, develop, operate, maintain and program the park for the benefit of the community now, and for generations to come.
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