San Diego Opera announces its next season with ‘Fellow Travelers,’ ‘Rigoletto’

San Diego resident Andy Acosta (right) will reprise his role as Timothy Laughlin in “Fellow Travelers.” (Photo courtesy of San Diego Opera)

San Diego Opera announced its 2026–2027 season lineup, featuring four productions that span contemporary works and classic repertoire, with subscriptions going on sale Friday.

The season opens July 10–12 with the Southern California premiere of Fellow Travelers, a modern opera by Gregory Spears.

The production, staged at the Balboa Theatre, will mark the company’s only California presentation of the work to date, according to the company. Set during the McCarthy era, the opera explores a secret queer romance amid political persecution and has earned acclaim as a leading example of new American opera. San Diego resident Andy Acosta, a tenor, will reprise his role as Timothy Laughlin.

The fall brings Rigoletto, running Oct. 23–25 at the San Diego Civic Theatre. Composed by Giuseppe Verdi, the opera is a cornerstone of the repertoire, known for its dramatic intensity and iconic arias. Baritone Michael Chioldi will take on the title role in his return to the company.

A theatrical scene with a jester in a colorful costume surrounded by actors in dark cloaks on stage. — A scene from Giuseppe Verdi’s intense tragedy “Rigoletto.” (Photo courtesy of San Diego Opera)

Next winter, the company will present Susannah from Feb. 12–14, honoring the centennial of American composer Carlisle Floyd. The opera, set in the South, examines themes of morality, judgment and isolation, and is widely regarded as a modern classic in American opera.

The season concludes April 2–4 with The Marriage of Figaro, the enduring comic masterpiece by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The production returns to San Diego for the first time since 2018, bringing its intricate ensemble storytelling and humor back to the Civic Theatre stage.

A group of people performing on stage under a large cross, with dramatic lighting and shadows. — The group performs under a large cross in “Susannah.” (Photo courtesy of San Diego Opera)

“Coming up with a season is like solving a really fun puzzle,” said David Bennett, Joann Clark general director and San Diego Opera CEO, “and once you find the winning combination, it just feels right. This year what excites me is the range of programming, from the Southern California premiere of Fellow Travelers this July, to Carlisle Floyd’s modern classic Susannah, to tragic and comic masterpieces from Verdi and Mozart.”

Each production will be performed three times in a Friday-through-Sunday schedule and will feature accompaniment by the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, continuing a longstanding collaboration between the two organizations. Performances will be sung in their original languages with English and Spanish supertitles projected above the stage.

Subscription packages range from $159 to $1,188, depending on the number of operas and seating options. Single tickets are scheduled to go on sale Sept. 8, with prices starting at $51.

To learn more, go to sdopera.org.

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