Before starting its 2017 season, the Santa Fe Opera has announced its 2018 season with a company premiere.

The company will hold its premiere of “Candide” to celebrate Leonard Bernstein’s centennial.  The musical opened on Broadway in 1956  and closed after 72 performances. However, the work continues to performed by numerous companies and is Bernstein’s most popular stage work. For the company premiere opening on June 29, 2018, Santa Fe Opera will use the Scottish Opera’s production which premiered in 1988. The production stars soprano Brenda Rae, tenor Alek Shrader, and bass Kevin Burdette.

On July 14, 2018, the company will present John Adams and Peter Sellars’ “Doctor Atomic.” The opera will open in the Los Alamos lab of the Manhattan Project and will star baritone Ryan McKinny, soprano Julia Bullock, and baritone Daniel Okulitch.

Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” will be performed with two acclaimed Cio-Cio-San interpreters: Kelly Kaduce on June 30, 2018, and Ana Maria Martinez beginning July 30, 2018.

Mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack stars in Rossini’s “L’Italiana In Algeri” which opens July 21, 2018.

Finally, the season concludes with Richard Strauss’ “Ariadne auf Naxos,” and will star soprano Amanda Echalaz, tenor Bruce Sledge, and soprano Erin Morley. The opera returns for the first time since 1999.