Opera Columbus is set to launch its 44th season with the Columbus premiere of “Rappaccini’s Daughter (La hija de Rappaccini).”

The opera will be performed at the Southern Theatre on Sept. 19 and 21, 2025, and will mark the second time in the company’s history that a full opera will be performed in Spanish.

Composed in 1992 by Daniel Catán, “Rappaccini’s Daughter” is based on Nathaniel Hawthorne’s haunting short story.

In a statement, Julia Noulin-Mérat, Opera Columbus’s General Director + CEO said, “We’re thrilled to kick off our 44th season with a performance as exciting, mysterious, and rarely performed as ‘Rappaccini’s Daughter.’ This opera blends beauty and darkness and will feature a good mix of beloved artists you won’t want to miss.”

The production marks the Opera Columbus directing debut of Brandon Shaw McKnight, with Rolando Salazar conducting. The production will star Dane Suarez as Giovanni, with Cecilia Violetta López as Beatriz, Monica Danilov as Isabella, Carlos Ahrens as Baglioni, Richard Ollarsaba as Rappaccini, Skye Marie Johnson as Flower, Cynthia López Olaya as Flower, and Anabella Petronsi as Flower.

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