You won’t see many canonical works in this weekend’s recommendations. But every opera listed will provide audience members with unique and fascinating experiences. Here’s our recommendation for an opera-filled Mother’s Day weekend.

The Handmaid’s Tale – Boston Lyric Opera

On Friday and Sunday, the Boston Lyric Opera will present “The Handmaid’s Tale” two more times as it brings its 2018-19 season to a close. As always, new operas are works definitely essential viewings for opera lovers. This production is directed by Anne Bogart and features Jennifer Johnson Cano and Maria Zifchak in leading roles.

El Gato Montés – LA Opera

Plácido Domingo stars alongside Ana María Martinez, Nancy Fabiola Herrera, and Arturo Chacón-Cruz in this opera by Penella. Aside from being an opportunity to see these incredible artists perform together onstage, this performance has greater significance from a cultural perspective. Spanish-language opera should be in every major opera house around the world, as there is a lot of unexplored repertory that could attract new audiences. This is a bold step by the LA Opera and should be supported and experienced. This Saturday’s performance will be the fourth of the run.

El Pasado Nunca Se Termina – Fort Worth Opera

For three nights, audiences will experience a rare opportunity to see opera come together with the famed Nuevo Tecalitlán Mariachi for this opera by Leonard Foglia and José “Pepe” Martínez. Fort Worth is constant force in bringing together Spanish-language works for a Spanish-speaking audience and this will undeniably be a unique experience for those that check it out.

Owen Wingrave – little opera theater of new york

On May 10-12, audiences will get a chance to see a rare performance of Benjamin Britten and Myfanwy Piper’s opera. That alone makes this a worthwhile experience for those in Brooklyn. The opera will feature two different casts across the run.

Hérodiade – New Amsterdam Opera

Massenet’s “Hérodiade” is a hidden treasure in the opera repertory. It’s a work with tremendous melodic invention that deserves a lot more exposure than it usually gets. However, that not being the case, any rare opportunity that one has to see it is one that must be taken. That is what the New Amsterdam Opera is offering on Friday, May 10. The company has already put on a fair share of solid performances of rarely performed works (“La Forza del Destino” and “La Favorita”) and this one will be as rewarding.