The Onion is a new opera in which family secrets collide with a memory-enhancing AI. Through contact with their younger selves, its characters bring to the surface the experiences that have shaped their lives: a sexist theft of scientific work, the vanishing of a parent, the erasure of a gender identity. Will the intervention of an AI hurt or heal?

The opera unfolds on an island in the Pacific Northwest where a neuroscientist has sequestered herself with her daughter to create the Onion, an AI device that allows anyone using it to re-live a personal memory. Rounding out the human roles are the Onion’s young co-inventor and the neuroscientist’s ex-partner. The Onion itself is a character in the opera: its independence and influence on the human characters seem to grow each time they use it.

EPSG:4326

The Onion

Amherst College

Huntington Theatre

In October2021, we announced As Told By: History, Race, and Justice on the Opera Stage, the most extensive and ambitious presentation of opera by Black composers to ever take place in the US. Ulysses Kay’s Frederick Douglass is the second installment of five operas that depict vital figures of Black liberation and thought across 250 years of history.

Frederick Douglass

New England Conservatory of Music

Experience the evocative power of "Noah’s Flood," an opera composed by Benjamin Britten, brought to life by the Boston Lyric Opera. This compelling work is based on a 15th-century play that tells the story of one family's resilience amidst a cataclysmic storm. Britten, inspired by a devastating flood in his own coastal town, composed this opera to reflect themes of survival and hope. 

In a remarkable collaboration, the Boston Lyric Opera joins forces with the Boston Children’s Chorus, Boston String Academy, Back Bay Ringers, Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the New England Conservatory Preparatory School. Under the direction of David Angus, hundreds of young talents from the Boston area will perform alongside seasoned BLO artists, creating a rich tapestry of voices and instruments.

"Noah’s Flood" is more than just an opera; it is a community endeavor that highlights the importance of climate resilience, a topic that has only grown more relevant over the decades. This performance is made possible by the generous support of the Mattina R. Proctor Foundation and is presented by arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, the publisher and copyright owner.

Join the Boston Lyric Opera in celebrating this unique fusion of music, collaboration, and storytelling, as they bring to the stage a timeless narrative of endurance and unity.

Noah’s Flood

Boston Symphony Hall

The live stream of this event is available to NEC Community members only. To watch the stream, please click the “Streaming Access” button at the top of the page and enter the NEC Community streaming password on the video window labeled “NEC-Produced Stream” when prompted.

NEC Opera: "L'incoronazione di Poppea"

New England Conservatory

Podcast link: https://youtu.be/4hagYvrYbuM

The Artelize Podcast and Kasper Holten - Pedefining Opera for the modern world

Podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d36M5Hi6O80

The Artelize Podcast - A legacy of innovation in Opera: Celebrating Marc A. Scorca

Podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59E40S_EQSY

The Artelize Podcast: A love letter that was never sent

Podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THv6htilWtI

The Artelize Podcast and Adolfo Corrado: Mediterranean flavors, opera and social media

Five artists escape the city to a remote farm, seeking a creative retreat and the inspiration of nature. They paint, write, farm, and some even fall in love, but extreme weather upends their plans, altering their lives forever. The Seasons is set in a near future in which the seasons seem to be out of order. Co-conceived by celebrated playwright Sarah Ruhl and countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo, this innovative work creates a new narrative from Vivaldi arias, ensembles, and excerpts from The Four Seasons, all woven together with dance by choreographer Pam Tanowitz. Directed by Zack Winokur with music direction by Stephen Stubbs, the piece uses timeless music to find new ways we can draw connections between our emotions and the weather.

The Seasons

Emerson Paramount Center

Yale Opera presents a new production of Tchaikovsky’s romantic fairy tale Iolanta. Metropolitan Opera conductor J. David Jackson leads the Yale Philharmonia and an exciting young cast in this lush opera about the transformative power of love.

Yale Opera presents Iolanta

Boch Center

NEC Opera: Mozart "Così fan tutte"

Experience the evocative power of Erich Wolfgang Korngold's "Die tote Stadt," presented by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in collaboration with the Boston Lyric Opera. This opera, known as "The Dead City," is a poignant exploration of memory and loss, set against the backdrop of post-World War I trauma. Korngold, a prodigious talent who later became a significant figure in Hollywood's musical landscape, began composing this work at the tender age of 19, completing it by 23. The opera debuted simultaneously in Cologne and Hamburg in December 1920, quickly becoming one of the era's most celebrated operatic achievements.

"Die tote Stadt" features a stellar cast led by soprano Christine Goerke, who brings the character of Marietta to life with her powerful voice. She is joined by Elisa Sunshine as Juliette, Karen Cargill as Brigitte, and Brandon Jovanovich as Paul. The ensemble also includes BLO Jane & Steven Akin Emerging Artist alumnus tenor Neal Ferreira and baritone Elliot Madore, both of whom have recently captivated audiences in BLO’s production of Matthew Aucoin’s "Eurydice." The Tanglewood Festival Chorus, under the direction of James Burton, adds a rich choral dimension to the performance.

Conducted by the esteemed Andris Nelsons, this production promises to deliver the lush, romantic soundscapes that Korngold is renowned for. Sung in German with English supertitles, the opera's narrative delves into the protagonist's struggle with the haunting memories of a lost loved one, a theme that resonated deeply with audiences in the aftermath of the Great War. This collaboration between the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Lyric Opera offers a rare opportunity to experience a masterful work that bridges the twilight of the Romantic era with the dawn of modern cinematic music.

Die tote Stadt

New York City, 1932: Elaine plays piano while her husband ignores her. Jimmy is over the moon to see his first Broadway show. Estelle prepares for her first date since her husband’s death. 

Figures from five Edward Hopper paintings come to life through intimate vignettes as imagined by John Musto and Mark Campbell in this chamber opera, based on "Room in New York," "Hotel Window," "Hotel Room," "Two on the Aisle," and "Automat.” 

NEC Festival: Opera – Musto "Later the Same Evening"

Student Life and Performance Center

Experience the grandeur of Verdi's "Aida" as the Boston Lyric Opera presents a specially staged concert of this timeless masterpiece. Set in the ancient lands of Egypt, the story revolves around the poignant love triangle between the valiant commander Radamès, the Ethiopian princess Aida, and the Egyptian princess Amneris. This production, conducted by BLO Music Director David Angus, promises to captivate audiences with its powerful arias, dramatic duets, and some of the most exhilarating choral works ever composed.

The performance features an exceptional cast, including Michelle Johnson as Aida, Diego Torre as Radamès, Alice Chung as Amneris, Morris Robinson as Ramfis, and Brian Major as Amonasro. The Boston Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chorus, along with the Back Bay Chorale, will bring Verdi’s stirring score to life, culminating in the monumental Act Two Triumphal March.

Following the performance, attendees are invited to join The Opera Gala 2024, an event dedicated to raising funds in support of BLO’s free youth and community programs. This evening promises to be a celebration of operatic excellence and community spirit, showcasing the talents of some of the finest voices in the opera world today.

Aida

Emerson College

Passion and politics collide in this star-studded production of Mozart’s rarely performed work. Against the backdrop of a raging war, the King of Pontus must put his family’s loyalty to the test. With a bristling score written by Mozart at the age of 14, Mitridate explores the tension of family ties amidst jealousy, aging, betrayal, and desire.

Mitridate, re di Ponto

Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre

Full of passion, anger, and struggle, the alluring music and human storytelling of Carmen is timeless. Reimagined over centuries through theater, film, opera and dance, the story revolves around a powerful but tragic female heroine. Jorma Elo’s version, set to the iconic score by Rodion Shchedrin after Georges Bizet, is a whirlwind of dance as technically ravaging as it is emotionally.

Carmen

Citizens Bank Opera House

Mozart’s Don Giovanni, regarded by many as one of the greatest operas of all time, tells the centuries-old story of the libertine Don Juan.

Don Giovanni tries to seduce Donna Anna, which goes awry and he ends up killing her father, the Commendatore, unbeknownst to her. Donna Anna asks her fiancé, Don Ottavio, to avenge her father’s death. The opera follows Don Giovanni’s salacious escapades, aided and abetted by his servant Leporello. Giovanni makes his rounds seducing and duping numerous characters, bragging along the way and escaping accountability by obscuring his identity. In a cemetery, Giovanni meets the Commendatore’s statue, who forebodingly warns him that he will laugh no longer. When offered the chance to change his ways, will Don Giovanni repent?

Don Giovanni

Symphony Hall

Linda Ronstadt Music Hall

Ill and feverish, Boston-born writer and poet Edgar Allan Poe – his creativity and inspiration in the doldrums after his wife Virginia’s death two years prior – plans to sail to Baltimore on a “voyage of discovery.” But is a ship scheduled to depart?

Dominick Argento: The Voyage of Edgar Allan Poe

Hailed by The New York Times as “one of the nation’s most intriguing opera companies,” Odyssey Opera, in partnership with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP), presents the New England premiere of Dominick Argento’s opera The Voyage of Edgar Allan Poe, on Friday, April 5, 2024, in Poe’s birthplace of Boston. In a one-night only, semi-staged production, Grammy Award-winning conductor Gil Rose leads a formidable cast including tenor Peter Tantsits playing the lead role of Poe, the Odyssey Opera chorus, the acclaimed BMOP orchestra, and more.

Odyssey Opera Resurrects “Voyage of Edgar Allan Poe” April 5 in Boston

The Huntington at The Huntington Theatre

The Voyage of Edgar Allan Poe

Come join us for the spring production of NEC's Undergraduate Opera Studio, Michael Meraw, artistic director.

NEC Undergraduate Opera Studio: Spring Opera

Visionary Black composer Julia Perry (1924-1979) was a revolutionary artist whose groundbreaking operas, symphonies, and choral works innovatively combined musical idioms of the African diaspora with 20th century European techniques. On the anniversary of her 100th birthday, musician Ashleigh Gordon, co-founder of Castle of Our Skins and a powerful advocate for Black composers, will explore Perry’s fascinating life and work in a dynamic discussion with conductor and composer Dr. Julius P. Williams (Berklee College of Music). The evening will also include riveting performances of Perry’s music by Boston Lyric Opera artists, as well as an audience Q&A. 

Opera Night at the Bpl

Boston Public Library - Central Library

Come join us for Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, the spring production of NEC's Undergraduate Opera Studio, Michael Meraw, artistic director.

Opera events in Boston, MA

The Onion

MassOpera

Frederick Douglass

Boston Modern Orchestra Project

Noah’s Flood

Boston Lyric Opera

NEC Opera: "L'incoronazio...

New England Conservatory

The Artelize Podcast and ...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast - A ...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast: A l...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast and ...

Artelize

NEC Opera: "L'incoronazio...

New England Conservatory

The Seasons

Boston Lyric Opera

Yale Opera presents Iolan...

Yale School of Music

NEC Opera: Mozart "Così f...

New England Conservatory

Die tote Stadt

Boston Lyric Opera

NEC Festival: Opera – Mus...

New England Conservatory

Aida

Boston Lyric Opera

Mitridate, re di Ponto

Boston Lyric Opera

Carmen

Boston Opera House

Don Giovanni

Arizona Opera

Dominick Argento: The Voy...

Boston Modern Orchestra Project

Odyssey Opera Resurrects ...

New Music USA

The Voyage of Edgar Allan...

Odyssey Opera

NEC Undergraduate Opera S...

New England Conservatory

Opera Night at the Bpl

Boston Lyric Opera

NEC Undergraduate Opera S...

New England Conservatory