Cincinnati Opera will present four productions and two studio sessions during its 2026 Summer Festival, running June 18 through August 2 at Cincinnati Music Hall. The season includes a world premiere, a Richard Strauss work not staged at Music Hall in more than 25 years, and a co-production shared with Opera Philadelphia and Seattle Opera. Artistic Director Evans Mirageas announced the lineup from the Music Hall stage.

The festival opens June 18 with a new staging of Strauss’s “Salome,” featuring soprano Kathryn Lewek in her role debut in the title part, with conductor Robert Spano leading the performances. On July 9, the company presents the world premiere of “Lalovavi,” an Afrofuturist opera created by composer Kevin Day and librettist Tifara Brown under Cincinnati Opera’s Black Opera Project, with a cast including Brittany Olivia Logan, Talise Trevigne, and Morris Robinson.

Bizet’s “Carmen,” featuring mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges in the title role, opens July 25 in a co-production with Opera Philadelphia and Seattle Opera. Ricky Ian Gordon’s chamber opera “Orpheus and Euridice” runs July 28 through Aug. 1. Two artist-curated Studio Sessions take place June 25 and July 1. Single tickets start at $21; subscriptions begin at $60.

Source: BroadwayWorld