Image credit: Christian Gridelli
Three operas featured in their Chicago premieres
alongside new concert series and expanded opportunities to explore the creative process
Chicago Opera Theater (COT), a leading force in producing new and rarely staged operas, has announced its exciting 2025/26 season, featuring three Chicago premieres and a series of Discovery Concerts that explore the operatic repertoire beyond the usual classics. This season will bring fresh, dynamic works to the stage, alongside opportunities for audiences to engage with the creative process of new operas.
The season kicks off in December 2025 with the Chicago premiere of Falstaff, Antonio Salieri’s comedic opera inspired by Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor. This production commemorates the 200th anniversary of Salieri’s death. In March 2026, COT will stage the Chicago premiere of Kurt Weill’s politically charged Der Silbersee: A Winter’s Fairy Tale, a work that defied Nazi censorship and remains a powerful statement on societal oppression. The season will also showcase Trusted, a world premiere by composer Aaron Israel Levin and librettist Marella Martin Koch, created through COT’s Vanguard Initiative, with a public piano/vocal workshop in September 2025 and a concert world premiere in May 2026.
COT’s commitment to arts education continues through its Opera for All program, which brings the magic of opera to Chicago Public Schools (CPS). This 30-week program supports students in exploring music, storytelling, and the visual arts, and culminates in students creating and performing their own original operas, inspired by the themes of COT’s season.
Edlis Neeson General Director Lawrence Edelson emphasizes the importance of COT’s mission to bring rare and innovative works to Chicago’s smaller, intimate venues, offering audiences a distinctive operatic experience. “This season, we present operas that challenge expectations, expand the operatic canon, and bring underrepresented voices to the stage,” Edelson says.
Board President Allen Heinemann notes that under Edelson’s leadership, COT has stabilized financially while continuing its artistic excellence. COT’s bold programming reflects a strategic vision for the future, ensuring its continued impact on the city’s cultural landscape.
2025/26 Season Highlights
- September 21, 2025: Trusted – Vanguard Piano/Vocal Workshop at DePaul University, offering audiences a behind-the-scenes look at the development of this new opera.
- October 19, 2025: Discovery Concert: Shakespeare Sings – A concert featuring arias and scenes from operas inspired by Shakespeare’s plays, including works by Purcell, Rossini, Verdi, and more.
- December 3, 5, 7, 2025: Falstaff, ossia Le tre burle – Salieri’s comedy about the misadventures of Sir John Falstaff, performed at The Studebaker Theater.
- January 18, 2026: Discovery Concert: In America’s Embrace – A celebration of operas by immigrant composers, including works by Kurt Weill, Erich Korngold, and others.
- March 4, 6, 8, 2026: Der Silbersee: A Winter’s Fairy Tale – The Chicago premiere of Weill’s masterpiece that was banned by the Nazis.
- May 30, 2026: Trusted – Concert World Premiere of the opera developed through the Vanguard Initiative.
Opera Highlights
Falstaff is a comedic gem by Salieri, based on Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor. The production, directed by Robin Guarino and conducted by Christine Brandes, will feature internationally acclaimed baritone Stephen Powell in the title role. The opera follows the mischievous Sir John Falstaff as he attempts to woo two married women, only to be outwitted by their clever tricks.
Der Silbersee: A Winter’s Fairy Tale by Kurt Weill and Georg Kaiser explores the emotional and political turmoil of the 1930s. With its genre-defying score and sharp critique of societal issues, this work is a powerful commentary on reconciliation and hope in a fractured world. Directed by Lawrence Edelson, the production will feature tenor Curtis Bannister and bass-baritone Justin Hopkins.
Trusted explores themes of trust, betrayal, and family through the story of a financial advisor exposed for a decades-long fraud. The opera’s piano/vocal workshop and concert world premiere offer a rare opportunity for audiences to engage with the creative process as the work evolves.
Subscription and Ticket Information
Subscriptions for COT’s 2025/26 season are now available, offering discounts, priority seating, and other benefits. Single tickets will go on sale August 15, 2025.
For more information, visit chicagooperatheater.org.
About Chicago Opera Theater
Since its founding in 1973, Chicago Opera Theater has been committed to producing new, rarely staged operas while providing opportunities for emerging artists and engaging audiences with the art form in innovative ways. COT’s dedication to bringing unique operatic experiences to Chicago continues to enrich the city’s vibrant cultural landscape.
