Opera Santa Barbara has announced its 2026-27 mainstage season at the Lobero Theatre.

Ben Lowe leads the cast of Verdi’s “Rigoletto” in the title role, joined by soprano Oriana Falla as Gilda, tenor Arnold Geis as the Duke of Mantua, bass Colin Ramsey as Sparafucile, and mezzo-soprano Xeni Tziouvaras as Maddalena. Octavio Cardenas directs and Kostis Protopapas conducts.

Performance Dates: Nov. 6 – 10, 2026

Gioachino Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville” receives a new production directed by Richard Gammon, with Lyndon Meyer on the podium. The cast features baritone Matthew Peterson as Figaro, tenor Chris Mosz as Count Almaviva, soprano Sunwoo Park as Rosina, and bass-baritone Mattia Venni as Doctor Bartolo.

Performance Dates: Feb. 19 – 24, 2027

The season concludes with the California premiere of Craig Bohmler and Steven Mark Kohn’s “Riders of the Purple Sage,” based on Zane Grey’s 1912 Western novel. Tara Faircloth directs and Joseph Mechavich conducts. The cast features soprano Karin Wolverton as Jane Withersteen, baritone Keith Phares as Tull, baritone Luis Alejandro Orozco as Lassiter, and tenor Joshua Dennis as Venters.

Performance Dates: April 23 & 25, 2027

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