Kristina Mkhitaryan, Louise Alder, Xabier Anduaga, Christina Nilsson Headline Oper Frankfurt 2026-27 Season
By David SalazarOper Frankfurt has announced its 2026-27 season, marking Intendant Bernd Loebe’s 25th season with the company.
New Productions
Karsten Januschke conducts Tchaikovsky’s “Mazeppa” in a Frankfurt premiere, directed by Matthew Wild with set and costume designs by Herbert Murauer. Petr Sokolov, Nombulelo Yende, Alexander Roslavets, Mikhail Pirogov, Karolina Makuła, Jarrett Porter, Jihun Hong, and Kudaibergen Abildin make up the cast. The production is acquired from the Tirol Festival in Erl.
Performance Dates: Sept. 13 – Oct. 16, 2026
George Petrou conducts Karolina Bengtsson, Michael Porter, Peter Marsh, Aleksander Myrling, and Pete Thanapat in Mozart’s “Zaide,” directed by David Hermann, presented at the Bockenheimer Depot.
Performance Dates: Sept. 30 – Oct. 18, 2026
Yuriy Mynenko, Monika Buczkowska-Ward, Paula Murrihy, Iurii Iushkevich, Cecelia Hall, and Jonas Müller star in Händel’s “Ottone.” Jetske Mijnssen directs with set and costume designs by Ben Baur. Václav Luks conducts.
Performance Dates: Oct. 11 – Nov. 21, 2026
Thomas Guggeis conducts Chausson’s “Le roi Arthus” in a Frankfurt premiere, directed by Manuel Schmitt. Domen Križaj, Magdalena Hinterdobler, Thomas Blondelle, Erik van Heyningen, Andrew Kim, Thomas Faulkner, Kihwan Sim, and Sven Hjörleifsson make up the cast. The production is a co-production with the National Theatre, Prague.
Performance Dates: Nov. 8 – Dec. 16, 2026
Thomas Guggeis and Simone Di Felice conduct Verdi’s “Un ballo in maschera” directed by Andrea Breth with set designs by Johannes Leiacker. Matteo Lippi, Guanqun Yu, Mikołaj Trąbka, Emanuela Pascu, Anna Nekhames, Younji Yi, Taehan Kim, Pete Thanapat, Inho Jeong, and Michael McCown are among the cast.
Performance Dates: Dec. 6, 2026 – Jan. 30, 2027
Karsten Januschke conducts Cláudia Ribas, Iurii Iushkevich, Lubov Karetnikova, Kelsey Lauritano, Elizabeth Reiter, Andrew Bidlack, and Jarrett Porter in Händel’s “Flavio.” Tilman Köhler directs the Frankfurt premiere presented at the Bockenheimer Depot.
Performance Dates: Dec. 19, 2026 – Jan. 10, 2027
Kihwan Sim, Magnus Dietrich, Cláudia Ribas, Liviu Holender, Theo Lebow, Sebastian Geyer, Thomas Faulkner, Alyona Rostovskaya, Anna Nekhames, Kelsey Lauritano, Ruby Dibble, Alfred Reiter, Aleksander Myrling, Cecelia Hall, Kudaibergen Abildin, and Aleksander Myrling perform in Prokofiev’s “The Love for Three Oranges,” directed by Damiano Michieletto with set designs by Paolo Fantin. Patrick Hahn conducts.
Performance Dates: Feb. 14 – March 13, 2027
Lukas Rommelspacher conducts Sebastian Schwab’s “A Skateboarder’s Heart” in a world premiere, directed by Max Koch. Iurii Iushkevich, Andrew Kim, Juanita Lascarro, Philippe Jacq, Alina Avagyan, and Dietrich Volle make up the cast.
Performance Dates: Feb. 20 – March 10, 2027
Francesco Lanzillotta and Simone Di Felice conduct Respighi’s “La fiamma” in a Frankfurt premiere, directed by Hans Walter Richter. Performers are Chiara Isotton, Matteo Lippi, Ivan Inverardi, Teresa Romano, Claudia Mahnke, Nombulelo Yende, Daniela Zib, Nina Tarandek, and Zanda Švēde.
Performance Dates: March 14 – May 1, 2027
Thomas Guggeis conducts AJ Glueckert, Bianca Andrew, Michael Porter, Bianca Tognocchi, Kihwan Sim, Jihun Hong, Andrew Kim, Jarrett Porter, Peter Marsh, Pete Thanapat, and Alfred Reiter in Martinů’s “The Greek Passion,” in a Frankfurt premiere. Matthew Wild directs with set designs by Herbert Murauer.
Performance Dates: April 25 – May 9, 2027
Michael Wendeberg conducts Lucia Ronchetti’s “Battaglia – The Women of Palermo” in a world premiere, directed by Claus Guth. Megumi Kasakawa, Anna Nekhames, Cecelia Hall, Corinna Scheurle, Zanda Švēde, and Juanita Lascarro are among the cast.
Performance Dates: June 6 – 27, 2027
Revivals
Simone Di Felice conducts Puccini’s “Turandot” directed by Andrea Breth. Elza van den Heever and Olesya Golovneva take on the title role. They are joined by Alfred Kim, Julia Stuart, Liviu Holender, Sven Hjörleifsson, Michael Porter, Thomas Faulkner, Michael McCown, and Erik van Heyningen.
Performance Dates: Aug. 22 – Oct. 3, 2026
Takeshi Moriuchi and Alden Gatt conduct Mozart’s “Così fan tutte” directed by Mariame Clément. The cast includes Karolina Bengtsson, Kelsey Lauritano, Karolina Makuła, Taehan Kim, Finn Sagal, Matteo Ivan Rašić, Andrew Kim, Elizabeth Reiter, Bianca Tognocchi, Sebastian Geyer, and Liviu Holender. The production is generously supported by DZ Bank.
Performance Dates: Aug. 23, 2026 – Jan 21, 2027
Tim Anderson conducts Schönberg and Martin’s “Waiting for Today” directed by David Hermann. Elizabeth Reiter, Sebastian Geyer, Juanita Lascarro, Theo Lebow, Simon Neal, and Anna Gabler perform.
Performance Dates: Sept. 19 – Oct. 17, 2026
Giuliano Carella conducts Rossini’s “Tancredi” directed by Manuel Schmitt. Theo Lebow, Bianca Tognocchi, Kihwan Sim, Cláudia Ribas, Daniela Zib, and Ruby Dibble make up the cast.
Performance Dates: Oct. 16 – Nov. 5, 2026
Alden Gatt and Thomas Guggeis conduct Humperdinck’s “Hänsel und Gretel” directed by Keith Warner. Karolina Makuła and Bianca Andrew share the role of Hansel, alongside Karolina Bengtsson as Gretel. Sebastian Geyer, Liviu Holender, Claudia Mahnke, Juanita Lascarro, Peter Marsh, Ruby Dibble, and Younji Yi round out the cast.
Performance Dates: Nov. 13 – Dec. 26, 2026
Kudaibergen Abildin, Monika Buczkowska-Ward, Enkelejda Shkoza, Andreas Bauer Kanabas, Andrei Popov, Aleksander Myrling, Sebastian Geyer, Peter Marsh, Zanda Švēde, Thomas Faulkner, Enkelejda Shkoza, and Barbara Zechmeister perform in Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Christmas Eve,” directed by Christof Loy with set designs by Johannes Leiacker. Takeshi Moriuchi conducts.
Performance Dates: Dec. 11 – Jan. 3, 2027
Marco Jentzsch, Christina Nilsson, Marina Prudenskaya, Domen Križaj, Andreas Bauer Kanabas, Michael Porter, Erik van Heyningen, Jihun Hong, Dietrich Volle, and Daniela Zib perform in Wagner’s “Tannhäuser,” directed by Matthew Wild with set designs by Herbert Murauer. Jonathan Darlington conducts.
Performance Dates: Jan. 17 – Feb. 13, 2027
Lothar Koenigs conducts Inna Kločko, Simon Neal, AJ Glueckert, Zanda Švēde, Gerard Schneider, Bianca Andrew, Sven Hjörleifsson, Michael McCown, Andrew Bidlack, Peter Marsh, Inho Jeong, Pete Thanapat, and Jarrett Porter in Strauss’ “Salome.” Barrie Kosky directs with set and costume designs by Katrin Lea Tag.
Performance Dates: Jan. 23 – Feb. 19, 2027
Julia Jones conducts Händel’s “Alcina” directed by Johannes Erath with set and costume designs by Kaspar Glarner. Monika Buczkowska-Ward, Elmar Hauser, Katharina Magiera, Younji Yi, Karolina Bengtsson, Michael Porter, and Erik van Heyningen make up the cast.
Performance Dates: Feb. 20 – March 27, 2027
Thomas Guggeis conducts Marco Jentzsch, Andreas Bauer Kanabas, Nicholas Brownlee, Magdalena Hinterdobler, Aile Asszonyi, Claudia Mahnke, Julia Stuart, Elizabeth Reiter, Cecelia Hall, Katharina Magiera, Monika Buczkowska-Ward, Ruby Dibble, Karolina Makuła, and Judita Nagyová in Wagner’s “Die Walküre,” directed by Vera Nemirova with set designs by Jens Kilian.
Performance Dates: March 26 – May 6, 2027
Thomas Guggeis conducts Wagner’s “Das Rheingold.” Nicholas Brownlee, Mikołaj Trąbka, Theo Lebow, Magnus Dietrich, Simon Bailey, Michael McCown, Thomas Faulkner, Anthony Robin Schneider, Claudia Mahnke, Elizabeth Reiter, Zanda Švēde, Anna Nekhames, Karolina Makuła, and Katharina Magiera make up the cast. Vera Nemirova directs with set designs by Jens Kilian.
Performance Dates: April 4 – May 9, 2027
Benjamin Reiners conducts Francesco Demuro, Teona Todua, Barnaby Rea, Jonas Müller, Aleksander Myrling, and Philippe Jacq in Adam’s “Le postillon de Lonjumeau,” directed by Hans Walter Richter. The production is acquired from the Tirol Festival in Erl.
Performance Dates: May 7 – June 19, 2027
Nombulelo Yende, Young Woo Kim, Sofija Petrović, Andreas Bauer Kanabas, Kihwan Sim, Iain MacNeil, Thomas Faulkner, Kudaibergen Abildin, and Alina Avagyan star in Verdi’s “Aida,” directed by Lydia Steier with set designs by Katharina Schlipf. Pier Giorgio Morandi conducts.
Performance Dates: May 15 – June 25, 2027
Liviu Holender, Alyona Rostovskaya, Magnus Dietrich, Judita Nagyová, Irina Simmes, Bianca Andrew, Bianca Tognocchi, and Michael McCown perform in Poulenc’s “Dialogues des Carmélites,” directed by Claus Guth with set designs by Martina Segna. Giedrė Šlekytė conducts.
Performance Dates: June 13 – June 26, 2027
Recitals
The company will present a recital with soprano Louise Alder and tenor Mauro Peter.
Performance Date: Sept. 8, 2026
Mezzo-soprano Kelsey Lauritano will give a recital.
Performance Date: Nov. 3, 2026
Soprano Kristina Mkhitaryan will give a recital.
Performance Date: Dec. 15, 2026
Baritone Johannes Martin Kränzle will give a recital.
Performance Date: Jan. 12, 2027
Tenor Ismael Jordi will give a recital.
Performance Date: March 9, 2027
Tenor Xabier Anduaga will give a recital.
Performance Date: April 20, 2027
Soprano Christina Nilsson will give a recital.
Performance Date: May 18, 2027
Baritone Huw Montague Rendall will give a recital.
Performance Date: June 1, 2027
