Pre-Opera Talks

Perfect for newcomers, opera aficionados or anyone in between, our pre-opera talks provide an engaging 20-minute overview of the opera. Learn about the opera’s music, characters, composer and historical background from a music expert.

Live pre-opera talks occur 55 minutes prior to each performance. Audio recorded pre-opera talks can be found on the details page for each opera once they are available (usually the week of the opening).

Now Available:
Simon Boccanegra Mary Queen of Scots Manon

Onstage, a kneeling performer in a brown costume and bright pink shawl gestures toward a sheet of music held by another performer in a black coat.

2026–27 Season Pre-Opera Talks

Simon Boccanegra (September 12–27)

Sidney Chen

Mary, Queen of Scots (September 20–October 4)

Anne Hege

Manon (October 15–November 1)

Michael Mohammed

The Marriage of Figaro (October 31–November 29)

Kip Cranna

Strauss In Concert (November 6

Jessica Bejarano

Das Rheingold (May 29–June 22, 2027)

Alek Shrader

Tosca (June 4–July 2, 2027)

Cole Thomason-Redus

Fall 2025
Rigoletto, Jessica Bejarano (Sep 5-Sep 27)
Dead Man Walking, Kip Cranna (Sep 14-Sep 28)
Parsifal, Peter Susskind (Oct 25-Nov 13)
The Monkey King, Sidney Chen (Nov 14–Nov 30)

Summer 2026
The Barber of Seville, Alek Shrader (May 28–21)
Elektra, Anne Hegge (Jun 7–Jun 25)

Previous Seasons

More PRE-OPERA TALKS