As the summer winds down, the festival season is also drawing to a close. But that also means that the 2019-20 season will slowly start to get underway. So this weekend’s top recommendations showcase this transitional period at its finest.

Glimmerglass Festival – The Queen of Spades

Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece will be showcased in a production by Francesca Zambello with Michelle Rofrano conducting. Julia Wolcott, Maxwell levy, Patricia Schuman, and Nicholas Davis will be among the singers starring in the work. The opera will be presented on Sunday in the second of three shows.

Opera Steamboat – Frida

Robert Xavier Rodriguez’s “Frida” is growing in popularity around the U.S. and this latest production, which gets a showcase on Friday, August 9, 2019, is an opportunity to see why.

Seattle Opera – Rigoletto

The Seattle Opera has always signaled the arrival of the 2019-20 season, and this Saturday, the company will showcase a new production of Verdi’s “Rigoletto” with a solid cast that features Lester Lynch in the title role and Madison Leonard as his daughter Gilda. On Sunday, Giuseppe Altomare takes on the role with Soraya Mafi as Gilda. Carlo Montanaro conducts a production by Lindy Hume.

Wolf Trap Opera – The Barber of Seville

This Rossini classic will be showcased on August 9 with a cast that includes Johnathan McCullough in the title role, Taylor Raven as Rosina, Christopher Bozeka as Count Almaviva, and Calvin Griffin as Bartolo. But the big attraction here is conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya who is running Chicago Opera Theater. This is an opportunity to hear the musical powers of one of the top conductors working today.