The Chicago Opera Theater has announced its 50th anniversary season which will feature six productions.

The company will kick things off with the Chicago premiere of David T. Little’s “Soldier Songs.” Nathan Gunn stars with Lidiya Yankovskaya conducting.

Performance Date: Oct. 5, 2023

Next up is “The Nose,” also in its Chicago premiere. Yankovskaya conducts a production by Francesca Zambello starring Aleksey Bogdanov and Curtis Bannister.

Performance Date: Dec. 8 & 10, 2023

Next up is the Midwest premiere of “Book of Mountains and Seas” by Huang Ruo. Miles Lallemant conducts the singers of Ars Nova Copenhagen in a production by puppeteer Basil Twist.

Performance Date: Jan. 27 & 28, 2024

Taylor Stayton stars in “Platée” with Gary Thor Wedow conducting and Chas Rader-Shieber directing. 

Performance Date: March 8 & 10, 2024

Gillan Rae Perry and Marcus Amaker’s “The Weight of Light” gets a concert premiere as part of the Vanguard Initiative. The showcase will feature Hayley Fox, Michelle Mariposa, Karlos Piñero-Mercado, Louise Floyd, and Leah Dexter. Alexandra Enyart conducts. 

Performance Date: April 27, 2024

There will be a 50th anniversary Gala.

Performance Date: April 27, 2024

Closing out the season will be “Music of Remembrance: Before It All Goes Dark” by Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer. The work stars Ryan McKinny and Megan Marino. Joseph Mechavich conducts and Erich Parce directs.

Performance Date: May 25 & 26, 2024