Opera North has announced its 2026 to 2027 season: Big, bold and brilliantly dramatic

If you have been meaning to give opera a go, this might be your year.

Opera North has unveiled its 2026 to 2027 season, bringing a packed programme of new productions, returning favourites, and audience-friendly ticket offers to Leeds and beyond. And honestly, it sounds like a brilliant mix for seasoned opera lovers and complete newcomers alike.

The new season will feature seven operas, with stories travelling across Russia, Italy, Germany, America, India and more. Expect love, regret, passion, fate, heartbreak and a fair bit of drama, all set to some of the most powerful music ever written.

One of the big highlights is a brand new production of Eugene Onegin, Tchaikovsky’s much-loved story of missed chances and lost love, which opens at Leeds Grand Theatre in October 2026. Later in the season comes Dead Man Walking, Jake Heggie’s gripping contemporary opera based on the memoir of Sister Helen Prejean, in what promises to be one of the most emotional and thought-provoking shows of the year.

There is also the return of Orpheus, Jasdeep Singh Degun’s award-winning reimagining of Monteverdi’s Orfeo, which beautifully blends South Asian classical music with Western Baroque sounds. It was a huge success when it first premiered, so its comeback will be welcome news for many.

Fans of classic opera are well looked after too. Rigoletto and Don Giovanni both return, while Wagner’s epic Tristan und Isolde will also take centre stage in spring 2027. Opera North is also bringing some festive magic to the Howard Assembly Room with a new production of A Christmas Carol, which feels like a lovely fit for the venue.

What is especially nice about this season is how much emphasis Opera North is placing on accessibility. More than 38.5 per cent of tickets across the season will be available for under £30, with more than 300 tickets priced under £30 at every performance. There will also be £10 tickets for under-30s, a discount for people trying opera for the first time, and the return of the popular pay-what-you-can performance, this time for Rigoletto.

Opera North is also continuing its work to make performances as welcoming as possible, with English subtitles at every opera, plus relaxed, audio-described and signed performances throughout the season.

Alongside the main productions, there is plenty more happening too, from orchestral concerts and intimate lunchtime performances to school matinees, singing workshops and a new monthly Dementia Café in Leeds.

Laura Canning, General Director of Opera North, said the company wants to make opera “vital for everyone”, whether you are a regular or stepping into the theatre for the very first time.

And that really does feel like the spirit of this season. Big stories, world class music and lots of ways to get involved without spending a fortune.

Package booking opens on Tuesday 31 March, with individual tickets on sale from Thursday 14 May.

For more information, head to Opera North.