The Cincinnati Opera has announced its 2021 summer festival.

The season opens with Opera in the Park. The evening is a free, family-friendly outdoor concert in Washington Park. Opera in the Park will showcase favorite selections from opera and musical theater performed by stars from the 2021 season.

Performance Date: June 13, 2021

The first production of the season will be Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville” in a production that hails originally from the Glimmerglass Festival. The production will feature scenic design by John Conklin, costume design by Lynly A. Saunders, and lighting design by Robert Wierzel. Wig and make-up design is by James Geier.

Performance Dates: June 16-18, 2021 

Bizet’s “Carmen” returns to the stage in a new-to-Cincinnati production designed by R. Keith Brumley for Lyric Opera of Kansas City, with lighting design by Thomas C. Hase and wig and make-up design by James Geier.

Performance Dates: July 1-11, 2021

The company will finally perform the world premiere of Gregory Spears and Tracy K. Smith’s “Castor and Patience” with Kazem Abdullah conducting and Kevin Newbury directing.

Performance Dates: July 9-18 2021

The season will also include the world premiere of William Menefield and Sheila Williams’s “Fierce.” with Lynn Meyers, producing artistic director of Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, making her Cincinnati Opera debut as stage director and dramaturg.

Performance Dates: July 14-23, 2021

The season concludes with Puccini’s “Tosca.”

Performance Dates: July 22-25, 2021