Jeni Houser (The Queen of the Night) performs in a new production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute opening July 4. Photo by Bronwen Sharp for the Santa Fe Opera
OPERA News:
SANTA FE — The Santa Fe Opera confirms the following casting and creative team updates for the 2026 Season running July 3 through August 29:
All Productions
David Zimmerman has returned to the Santa Fe Opera for his 19th season as Wig and Makeup Designer for all productions.
Andrew Kenneth Moss returns to the Santa Fe Opera as the Fight and Intimacy Director for all productions.
Madama Butterfly
Hanako Ingliss makes her Santa Fe Opera debut as Trouble in Madama Butterfly.
The Magic Flute
The Santa Fe Opera was deeply saddened by the passing of Rainelle Krause earlier this year. She was scheduled to make her Santa Fe Opera debut as the Queen of the Night, a signature role she performed with mastery around the world. The company is grateful to soprano Jeni Houser, who will assume the role in her Santa Fe Opera debut.
Eugene Onegin
Elmina Hasan has withdrawn from the role of Olga; Lindsay Ammann will sing the role of Olga in her company debut. Native New Mexican and Santa Fe Opera audience favorite Susan Graham will assume the role of Larina, replacing the previously scheduled Lindsay Ammann. Susan Graham performed the role of Larina earlier this year in the Palais Garnier’s production directed by Ralph Fiennes.
Rodelinda
Maximilian Moore returns to the Santa Fe Opera stage as Flavio in Rodelinda.
Lili Elbe
Apprentice Singer Son Jin Kim has withdrawn from the program; former Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Singer Drew Comer replaces him in the role of Christian X.
Apprentice Program for Singers, Apprentice Scenes & Concert
Previously announced Apprentice Singers Ángel Vargas and Christian Simmons have withdrawn from the program; Morgan Mastrangelo and Atticus Rego have joined the class of 2026 Apprentice Singers.
Michelle Cuizon and Alison Pogorelc will direct the Apprentice Scenes on August 16.
Incoming Music Director of the Houston Grand Opera and current Music Director at Komische Oper Berlin and Spain’s Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia, James Gaffigan, joins the Santa Fe Opera to conduct the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra at the Apprentice Concert on August 23. Melanie Bacaling will serve as Stage Director.
About the 2026 Season
This summer, the Santa Fe Opera presents a lineup of classic, rarely performed and new works. Running July 3 through August 29, the 69th Festival Season features 38 performances of two new productions, two celebrated revivals and an American premiere. An homage to the company’s first-ever performance in 1957, Opening Weekend takes flight on July 3 with Lee Blakeley’s acclaimed production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, revived by Melanie Bacaling. Next, on July 4, is a new international co-production with Garsington Opera of Mozart’s The Magic Flute directed by Christopher Luscombe. Centering the season from July 18 is a revival of Alessandro Talevi’s production of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, originally presented during the opera’s 2021 Season. On July 25, Handel’s Rodelinda is offered for the first time at the Santa Fe Opera, led by Santa Fe Opera Music Director and early music specialist Harry Bicket with direction by R.B. Schlather. Finally, on August 1, the Santa Fe Opera presents the American premiere of Lili Elbe, an opera in two acts by Grammy-winning composer Tobias Picker and librettist Aryeh Lev Stollman, featuring former Apprentice Singer Lucia Lucas in the title role. The popular Apprentice Scenes return on August 16, showcasing the opera’s singing and technical apprentices. The Apprentice Concert on August 23 features the Apprentice Singers in a concert with The Santa Fe Opera Orchestra led by James Gaffigan.
Says General Director Robert K. Meya, “As we celebrate the Santa Fe Opera’s 69th Season, we honor a legacy built on bold creativity, artistic excellence and a spirit of discovery that has defined our company. 2026 offers audiences a confection of beloved classics, rarely heard masterpieces and thrilling new works, culminating in our 46th American premiere: Tobias Picker and Aryeh Lev Stollman’s Lili Elbe. This significant premiere reaffirms our enduring commitment to presenting works that speak to our time and illuminate the future of our art form.”
Individual tickets and subscriptions for both the 2026 and 2027 Seasons are on sale now at santafeopera.org.
About The Santa Fe Opera
Named “Festival of the Year” in 2022 by the International Opera Awards, the Santa Fe Opera annually draws 70,000 people from New Mexico and around the globe. Nestled atop a mountain vista in northern New Mexico, the company’s iconic Crosby Theatre is open on three sides, allowing visitors to enjoy performances complemented by the elements. Since 1957, the company has presented over 2,000 performances of 180 operas by 92 composers spanning five centuries of opera, creating a legacy of 45 American premieres and 19 world premieres.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility at the Santa Fe Opera
Opera has the power to speak truth, broaden perspectives and invite empathy. The Santa Fe Opera is committed to the continuous work of becoming an antiracist and anti-oppressive organization and incorporating the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility. Our goal is to create a joyful and engaging environment in which a diverse community of artists, staff, volunteers and audiences alike belong.
