Music Director James Conlon To Depart LA Opera After 20 Years; 40th Anniversary Season Lineup Announced

LA Opera has announced details for the company's 40th anniversary season, which will launch on September 20, 2025. In his 20th season with the company—his final season as Music Director before becoming Conductor Laureate—James Conlon will conduct three of the five mainstage productions, with other mainstage performances led by Resident Conductor Lina González-Granados and by guest conductor Dalia Stasevska.

The season also includes four concerts at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion along with several additional performances presented elsewhere through the company's Off Grand and Connects initiatives.

James Conlon begins his 20th season in Los Angeles by conducting the company premiere of Bernstein's West Side Story, starring Gabriella Reyes and Duke Kim, in a new-to-Los-Angeles production directed by Francesca Zambello, featuring the iconic original choreography by Jerome Robbins.

Giacomo Puccini's La Bohème returns in the company's beloved Herbert Ross production, conducted by Lina González-Granados and starring Janai Brugger, Oreste Cosimo and Erica Petrocelli.

John Holiday stars in an eagerly awaited revival of Akhnaten by Philip Glass, in the sensational Phelim McDermott production seen here in 2016, conducted by Dalia Stasevska.

Craig Colclough stars in Falstaff, Verdi's final comic masterpiece, conducted by James Conlon in a revival of the 2013 production created by director Lee Blakeley.

James Conlon crowns his 20-year tenure as Music Director with Mozart's The Magic Flute, in the globally acclaimed staging by Barrie Kosky and Suzanne Andrade, with internationally acclaimed bass Kwangchul Youn making his company debut as Sarastro.

The 2025/26 season at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion will include solo performances headlined by Juan Diego Flórez, Patti LuPone and Renée Fleming, as well as a gala concert celebrating James Conlon's legacy as Music Director.

LA Opera's annual Halloween presentation at the United Theater on Broadway will feature the legendary 1925 silent film classic The Phantom of the Opera starring Lon Chaney, featuring a live performance by the LA Opera Orchestra of the acclaimed soundtrack score composed by Roy Budd.

The company's longstanding partnership with Beth Morrison Projects will feature the world premiere of Hildegard, a new opera by Sarah Kirkland Snider based on the writings of composer and mystic Hildegard von Bingen, presented at The Wallis.

Tenor Ben Bliss, a former LAO young artist who is now an internationally acclaimed star, will appear in recital at The Wallis.

Soprano Nadine Sierra, one of today's brightest opera stars, will make her first LAO appearance in a recital at The Colburn School's intimate Zipper Hall.

The Paris-based ensemble Les Talens Lyriques, led by founder/conductor Christopher Rousset, will perform a concert of music by Handel at The Colburn School's Zipper Hall, joined by guest soprano Sandrine Piau.

LA Opera Connects will present numerous performances throughout the season, highlighted by the world premiere of The Tower of Babel, a new community opera commissioned from composer-librettist Carla Lucero, to be presented at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels under the baton of James Conlon.

Additional information, with complete casting, schedules and additional details, is available here:

MAINSTAGE PERFORMANCES AT THE DOROTHY CHANDLER PAVILION

(135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012)

The company premiere of West Side Story

September 20, 21m, 25, 27, 28m; October 4, 5m, 8, 2025
Composer: Leonard Bernstein
Lyricist: Stephen Sondheim
Book: Arthur Laurents
World premiere: August 19, 1957 (National Theatre, Washington DC)

Opening his 20th and final season as Music Director, James Conlon fulfills a lifelong dream by conducting the company premiere of one of the greatest of all Broadway musicals. Director Francesca Zambello gets to the emotional core of the landmark work in a grandly scaled production that features the iconic original choreography created by Jerome Robbins.

Maria: Gabriella Reyes *
Tony: Duke Kim

Conductor: James Conlon
Original Director and Choreographer: Jerome Robbins *
Director: Francesca Zambello
Associate Director: Eric Sean Fogel
Scenic Designer: Peter J. Davison
Costume Designer: Jessica Jahn
Lighting Designer: Mark McCullough
Chorus Director: Jeremy Frank
Choreography recreated by: Joshua Bergasse *
Sound Designer: Andrew Harper *
Fight Director: Andrew Kenneth Moss
Intimacy Director: Sara E. Widzer

* LA Opera debut

A co-production of Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera and Glimmerglass Festival
LAOpera.org/WestSideStory

A classic staging of La Bohème returns

November 22, 30m; December 4, 6, 10, 14m, 2025
Composer: Giacomo Puccini
Librettists: Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa
World premiere: February 1, 1896 (Teatro Regio, Turin, Italy)

Rodolfo is a struggling poet, burning his manuscripts to keep out the winter chill. Mimì is his new neighbor, with big dreams and a deadly illness. A chance meeting has them falling in love, but when you're at the bottom of Parisian society, every day could be your last. Resident Conductor Lina González-Granados leads Puccini's transcendent score. Director Brenna Corner stages a much loved, timeless production originally created by Hollywood great Herbert Ross, returning to our stage for the first time since 2016.

Mimì: Janai Brugger ° ‡
Rodolfo: Oreste Cosimo *
Musetta: Erica Petrocelli ‡
Marcello: Gihoon Kim *
Schaunard: Emmett O'Hanlon *
Colline: William Guanbo Su *

Conductor: Lina González-Granados
Original Production: Herbert Ross
Director: Brenna Corner
Scenic Designer: Gerard Howland
Costume Designer: Peter J. Hall
Additional Costumes: Jeannique Prospere
Lighting Designer: Pablo Santiago
Chorus Director: Jeremy Frank

* LA Opera debut
° Recipient of the Eva and Marc Stern Artist Award
‡ Former member of the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program

An original LA Opera production
Sung in Italian with English subtitles
LAOpera.org/Boheme

The return of Akhnaten: the rise and fall of a pharaoh

February 28; March 8m, 11, 14, 19, 22m, 2026
Composer: Philip Glass
Librettist: Philip Glass in association with Shalom Goldman, Robert Israel, Richard Riddell and Jerome Robbins
World premiere: March 24, 1984 (Stuttgart State Theatre, Germany)

This eagerly anticipated revival transports audiences to Ancient Egypt in an enthralling portrait of a trailblazing pharaoh. Countertenor John Holiday portrays Akhnaten, determined to lead Egypt into a new age even as his plan to abandon the old gods puts his kingdom (and his life) in peril. Director Phelim McDermott revives his visually arresting production, replete with soaring acrobats, astonishing jugglers and towering sets, and Ukrainian-born Finnish conductor Dalia Stasevska makes her company debut.

Akhnaten: John Holiday
Nefertiti: Sun-Ly Pierce *
Queen Tye: So Young Park ‡
Amenhotep III: Zachary James

Conductor: Dalia Staveska *
Director: Phelim McDermott
Scenery Designer: Tom Pye
Costume Designer: Kevin Pollard
Lighting Designer: Bruno Poet
Chorus Director: Jeremy Frank
Choreographer: Sean Gandini

* LA Opera debut
‡ Former member of the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program

A co-production of LA Opera and English National Opera. A collaboration with Impossible.
Sung in English, Ancient Egyptian, Hebrew and Akkadian with English subtitles
LAOpera.org/Akhnaten

Craig Colclough stars in Falstaff, Verdi's final comic masterpiece

April 18, 26m, 30; May 2, 6, 10m, 2026
Composer: Giuseppe Verdi
Librettist: Arrigo Boito
World premiere: February 9, 1893 (Teatro alla Scala, Milan, Italy)

Sir John Falstaff finds himself a bit short on cash, so he hatches a scheme: seduce two merry (and wealthy) wives of Windsor and live out his days in luxury. Too bad this bumbling knight happened to send both his targets the same love letter! James Conlon conducts one of his personal favorites, Verdi's utterly delightful comic masterpiece, returning to our stage for the first time since 2013. Longtime company favorite Craig Colclough stars as the boastful Falstaff, leading a brilliant ensemble cast.

Falstaff: Craig Colclough °
Alice Ford: Nicole Heaston
Ford: Ernesto Petti *
Nannetta: Deanna Breiwick *
Fenton: Anthony León ‡
Quickly: Hyona Kim

Conductor: James Conlon
Original Production: Lee Blakeley
Director: Shawna Lucey
Scenic and Costume Designer: Adrian Linford
Chorus Director: Jeremy Frank

* LA Opera debut
° Recipient of the Eva and Marc Stern Artist Award
‡ Former member of the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program

An original LA Opera production
Sung in Italian with English subtitles
LAOpera.org/Falstaff

James Conlon crowns his legacy as Music Director with The Magic Flute

May 30; June 6, 11, 14m, 17, 21m, 2026
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Librettist: Emanuel Schikaneder
World premiere: September 30, 1791 (Theater auf der Wieden, Vienna, Austria)

James Conlon ends his extraordinary tenure as Music Director with the world's most delightful opera in one of our most emblematic productions. Mozart's catchy melodies meet astonishing projected animations in our perennial crowd pleaser, which has enthralled audiences on four continents to date.

Tamino: Miles Mykkanen *
Pamina: Sydney Mancasola
Papageno: Kyle Miller *
Queen of the Night: Aigul Khismatullina *
Sarastro: Kwangchul Youn *
Monostatos: Zhengyi Bai *

Conductor: James Conlon
Production: Suzanne Andrade and Barrie Kosky
Animation Designer: Paul Barritt
Conception: 1927 (Suzanne Andrade and Paul Barritt) and Barrie Kosky
Associate Director: Erik Friedman *
Scenic and Costume Designer: Esther Bialas
Chorus Director: Jeremy Frank

* LA Opera debut

A production of the Komische Oper Berlin
Sung in German with English subtitles
LAOpera.org/Flute

CONCERTS AT THE DOROTHY CHANDLER PAVILION

(135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles CA 90012)

Juan Diego Flórez in Recital

February 10, 2026
If you were here for his recital in 2023, you witnessed vocal majesty. If you missed it—well, don't make the same mistake twice. Decorated tenor Juan Diego Flórez is back at LA Opera for one night only, performing highlights from his illustrious career as one of the premiere bel canto tenors of all time, as well as classic Spanish songs remembered from a childhood in his native Peru.
LAOpera.org/Florez

Patti LuPone: Matters of the Heart

February 21, 2026
From Broadway to Hollywood, nobody embodies show business like Patti LuPone. Don't miss this legendary diva's return to our stage with a 25th anniversary performance of her iconic cabaret show, Matters of the Heart, featuring Broadway classics along with music by Brian Wilson, Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman, Judy Collins and more.
LAOpera.org/LuPone

James Conlon Gala Concert

April 24, 2026
James Conlon has made unparalleled contributions to the musical life of Los Angeles over a remarkable two decades as the company's Richard Seaver Music Director. Join us in celebrating his legacy at a special concert devoted to the work of three of his favorite opera composers: Mozart, Verdi and Wagner. Spend an evening under the spell of the signature sound inspired by his close relationship with the LA Opera Orchestra and enjoy glorious singing of an array of exceptional guest artists.
LAOpera.org/ConlonConcert

Renée Fleming in Recital

June 13, 2026
Legendary soprano Renée Fleming never fails to thrill audiences with her peerless interpretive insight, her wide-ranging artistic interests and, above all, a voice so ravishingly beautiful it takes your breath away. Join us for a special one-night-only recital appearance by one of the greatest artists ever to grace the opera stage.
LAOpera.org/Fleming2026

LA OPERA OFF GRAND PRESENTATIONS (various locations)

Each season, the company explores a range of musical expression and unusual repertoire through the Off Grand initiative, presented in different venues across the city, both large and small. The goal is to expand the definition of what an opera company is, and who it's for. Off Grand highlights of the 2025/26 season include:

The Phantom of the Opera (1925 silent film) with Live Orchestra

October 30, 31, 2025
Composer: Roy Budd
Film premiere: September 6, 1925
World premiere of Roy Budd's soundtrack score: October 8, 2017 (London Coliseum, London, UK)

Lon Chaney's immortal star turn in The Phantom of the Opera had filmgoers fainting in their seats when it premiered in 1925, and it still delivers plenty of thrills and chills a century later. Composer Roy Budd, best known for his film scores for Get Carter with Michael Caine and The Wild Geese with Richard Burton, completed his most ambitious project shortly before his death: a new soundtrack score for his favorite film from childhood. For our annual Halloween mashup of horror film and live music, see the silent horror classic unfold on the big screen alongside a live performance of Budd's soundtrack score by the LA Opera Orchestra.

Presented at the United Theater on Broadway (929 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90015)
LAOpera.org/Phantom

Hildegard (world premiere)

November 5, 6, 8, 9m, 2025
Composer and Librettist: Sarah Kirkland Snider *
Director: Elkhanah Pulitzer
Projection Designer: Deborah Johnson *
Creative Producer: Beth Morrison

LA Opera and Beth Morrison Projects continue a pioneering partnership with their 17th collaboration: a new piece by composer-librettist Sarah Kirkland Snider, based on the writings of an extraordinary figure from medieval history. The year is 1147, and Benedictine visionary/composer/polymath Hildegard von Bingen has begun transcribing her visions of God, enlisting a young nun to help illustrate her visions. The two women quickly develop a transformative partnership that awakens them creatively, spiritually and romantically. An unforeseen crisis threatens their hard-won accomplishments and the intimacy—in all its complexity and secrecy—that has become their salvation.
Presented at The Wallis (9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90210)
LAOpera.org/Hildegard

Ben Bliss in Recital

December 7, 2025
Tenor Ben Bliss, who trained early in his career with LA Opera’s Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program, has gone on to conquer stages from the Metropolitan Opera to Vienna and Paris. One of the most distinguished Mozart tenors of his generation, he also excels in the French lyric repertoire and recently created the male lead in the world premiere of Jeanine Tesori’s Grounded at the Met. He’s even returned to LA Opera in leading roles that include Tamino in The Magic Flute. Now, hear his “honeyed lyric tenor” (New York Times) in an intimate recital in Beverly Hills, joined by pianist Christopher Allen.
Presented at The Wallis (9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90210)
LAOpera.org/Bliss

Nadine Sierra in Recital

March 21, 2026
From La Scala to the Metropolitan Opera, this sought-after soprano has proven herself to be one of today’s most brilliant stars. Winner of the Richard Tucker Award and Beverly Sills Artists Award, two of opera’s most prestigious honors, she will trade the opera house for Zipper Hall, giving us the opportunity to marvel at her stylistic depth and interpretive skills in a delightfully intimate environment, collaborating with pianist Bryan Wagorn. Indulge in what The Guardian calls a “diamond-bright and pitch perfect voice” as Nadine Sierra takes us on an unforgettable musical journey.
Presented at The Colburn School's Zipper Hall (200 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012)
LAOpera.org/Sierra

Les Talens Lyriques

May 24, 2026
Led by conductor and founder Christophe Rousset, the acclaimed Paris-based music ensemble Les Talens Lyriques teams up with an extraordinary guest artist, French soprano Sandrine Piau, for a cornucopia of musical delights by Baroque master George Frideric Handel.
Presented at The Colburn School's Zipper Hall (200 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012)
LAOpera.org/Talens

For more information about LA Opera’s Off Grand initiative, visit LAOpera.org/OffGrand.

LA OPERA CONNECTS: COMMUNITY AND EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS

(various locations)

Many thousands of Angelenos experience the magic of opera throughout the year thanks to hundreds of performances offered each season through LA Opera Connects, with an astonishing variety of programs that share the wonder and promise of the art form with all ages, neighborhoods and communities. Here are just two highlights of these initiatives:

Live Simulcast

One of LA Opera’s favorite events is the annual simulcast of one of our mainstage productions. Presented in partnership with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, the performance is transmitted live in high-definition video from nine cameras at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to large LED screens in open-air venues throughout Los Angeles County, and admission is always free of charge.
(Date and locations to be announced.)

Community Opera at the Cathedral: The Tower of Babel (world premiere)

May 8, 9m, 2026
Composer and Librettist: Carla Lucero
Conductor: James Conlon
Director: Eli Villanueva

In one of LA Opera’s best loved traditions, hundreds of musicians and stage performers of all ages, along with professional singers and instrumentalists from LA Opera, will come together to perform a family-friendly community opera, presented free of charge at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. The 2026 offering will be a newly commissioned opera by composer-librettist Carla Lucero (creator of The Three Women of Jerusalem, returning this March). Based on the famous Old Testament story, The Tower of Babel will be performed in English, Hebrew, Mandarin and Spanish.
Presented at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (555 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012)

For more information about LA Opera Connects programming, visit LAOpera.org/Connects.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Season tickets for the 2025/26 season are now available, starting at $155 for all five mainstage opera productions. Tickets for individual events will go on sale in June. For more information, please visit LA Opera’s website at LAOpera.org or call LA Opera’s box office at 213.972.8001.

Unless otherwise specified, performances take place at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (135 North Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, 90012).

Visit LAOpera.org for continually updated casting information and performance dates.

Artist headshots and production photographs are available here:
LAOpera.org/about-us/press-room/press-image-library

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