Opera Theatre of Saint Louis has announced plans for a live, in-person 2021 Festival Season.

The upcoming festival will include a ground-breaking free ticket initiative, comprehensive cast lists, and thorough health protocol to provide the safest experience for artists, patrons, and staff.

The festival will run between May 22 and June 20 and will feature four all-new productions on an outdoor stage adjacent to the company’s usual venue at Webster University’s Loretto-Hilton Center.

The four new productions will be 90 minutes or less and will be presented in the company’s new outdoor venue with no intermissions. the company also announced that “Harvey Milk” will be postponed until the 2022 Festival Season.

The season opens with Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi“ with Leonard Slatkin conducting a cast that includes Levi Hernandez, Joshua Blue, Elena Villalón, La’Shelle Allen, and Jermaine Smith. 

Performance Dates: May 22-June 11, 2021

William Grant Still’s “Highway 1, U.S.A.” is the second opera of the season and will star Will Liverman, Nicole Cabell, Christian Mark Gibbs, and Rehanna Thelwell, Leonard Slatkin conducts. 

Performance Dates: May 29-June 17, 2021

Poulenc’s “La voix humaine” will star Patricia Racette, who will also direct the production.

Performance Dates: June 5-20, 2021

Opera Theatre will also present the New Works, Bold Voices Lab, a collection of three world premieres by contemporary composers to be performed as one suite of works. Originally scheduled for digital release, they will move to the main stage for live performances. The operas presented will be “On the Edge” by Laura Karpman and Taura Stinson; “Moon Tea” by Steven Mackey and Rinde Eckert; and “The Tongue & The Lash” by Damien Sneed and Karen Chilton.

The operas will be conducted by Daniela Candillari and will star Monica Dewey, Melody Wilson, Mack Wolz, Markel Reed, Jonathan Johnson, Jarrett Porter, Michael Day, and Calvin Griffin.

Performance Dates: June 10-18, 2021

The 2021 Festival Season concludes with two one-night-only concert events, the annual Center Stage showcase, featuring singers from OTSL’s Gerdine Young Artist Program and “I Dream a World,” commemorating Juneteenth, curated by soprano Nicole Cabell and baritone Will Liverman.

Performance Dates: June 15 & 19, 2021