The Festival’s 2026 Season explores the American journey through bold opera and musical theater.
The Glimmerglass Festival has announced its programming for the 2026 season, running from July 10 to August 17, 2026, with a dynamic lineup that invites audiences to explore the ever-evolving idea of America.
The 2026 Festival will feature a new production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! directed by Francesca Zambello; Puccini, Illica, and Giacosa’s Madame Butterfly; Mozart and Da Ponte’s Così; and Gregory Spears and Greg Pierce’s Fellow Travelers, alongside special Pavilion events and the youth opera Robin Hood by Ben Moore and Kelley Rourke. From the wide-open plains of America’s heartland to the political tensions of the 1950s, each story invites audiences to reflect on personal and national ideals, as well as what it means to build, question, and carry forward the American Dream.
Artistic & General Director Rob Ainsley shared:
“As the nation approaches its 250th birthday, we are excited to present a season that explores our American journey — its promises, its contradictions, its joys, and its challenges. Through iconic musical theater, powerful opera, and new American works, we’ll reflect on the stories we’ve inherited and those we’re still writing. These pieces remind us that even against vast social and historical backdrops, personal connections remain at the heart of it all. Glimmerglass is not just a destination for extraordinary performances — it’s a place where we come together to experience these stories with our community and with curiosity.”
Season subscriptions renew beginning July 14, 2025. New subscriptions will go on sale October 6, 2025, and single tickets will be available starting January 26, 2026.
2026 MAINSTAGE PRODUCTIONS
OKLAHOMA! | July 10, 12m, 18, 21m, 27m, and August 2m, 6, 8m, 13, 15
Music by Richard Rodgers
Book & Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Director | Francesca Zambello
Conductor | James Lowe
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s beloved musical returns to the Alice Busch Opera Theater in a bold new production directed by Francesca Zambello and conducted by James Lowe. Set on the cusp of statehood, Oklahoma! celebrates the dreams and complexities of settlers forging new lives on the frontier. This fresh staging evokes both the grandeur of the American landscape and the optimism of the artists who created the work as World War II raged. Oklahoma! is many things: a landmark of musical theater, a grand love story, and an invitation to reflect on the promise of America.
MADAME BUTTERFLY | July 11, 13m,19m, 28m, 31, and August 3m, 8, 15m, 17m
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by Luigi Illica & Giuseppe Giacosa
Original Production Director | Francesca Zambello
Revival Director | Joshua Horowitz
Conductor | Joseph Colaneri
Francesca Zambello’s acclaimed production of Madame Butterfly returns to Glimmerglass, directed by Joshua Horowitz and conducted by Joseph Colaneri. This elegant, visually stunning staging presents a nuanced examination of the American presence in Japan and the cultural collision at the heart of Puccini’s timeless masterpiece.
COSÌ | July 17, 20m, 30, and August 1m, 9m, 11m, 14
Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte
English adaptation by Kelley Rourke
Director | Eric Einhorn
Conductor | Joseph Colaneri
Mozart’s sparkling comedy about love, loyalty, and deception takes on new life in an American college setting. Featuring an updated libretto in English by Kelley Rourke, this fresh adaptation directed by Eric Einhorn and conducted by Joseph Colaneri puts human nature to the test in an experiment that soon spins out of control — what happens when the game goes too far? With sharp humor and surprising twists, Così brings a contemporary edge to Mozart’s classic “school for lovers,” asking what women — and men — are really like.
FELLOW TRAVELERS | July 18m and August 1, 4m, 7, 10m, 16m
Music by Gregory Spears
Libretto by Greg Pierce
Director | Kevin Newbury
Conductor | Kelly Kuo
Set during the 1950s “lavender scare,” Fellow Travelers follows two men whose relationship becomes a dangerous secret in an era of government surveillance and fear. Based on Thomas Mallon’s acclaimed novel and recently adapted as a CBS/Paramount limited series, this gripping opera blends political intrigue with an intimate love story. Fellow Travelers is a poignant reminder of resilience and the fight to live authentically. Kevin Newbury’s acclaimed production will see the Glimmerglass return of conductor Kelly Kuo, last seen in 2024’s Elizabeth Cree.
ROBIN HOOD | August 2, 4, and 7m
Music by Ben Moore
Libretto by Kelley Rourke
Continuing Glimmerglass’s proud tradition of sharing opera for and with young people, the 2026 season will feature a new production of Robin Hood, which Francesca Zambello commissioned for the Festival and directed in 2017. When the law of the land is corrupt, what’s an honest citizen to do? In the absence of the King, the Sheriff has seized the country’s assets for himself and his cronies. Robin Hood is the unlikely leader of a band of ordinary folks doing their best to survive in the forest until just rule returns to the land. This season, Robin Hood will take the mainstage at the Alice Busch Opera Theater, giving local youth performers the opportunity to collaborate with Festival artists and creative teams. Thanks to generous sponsorship, tickets to the youth opera are free for children 12 and under.
SPECIAL PAVILION EVENTS
VIGNETTES: ELLIS ISLAND | July 30 and August 11
Music by Alan Louis Smith
A powerful song cycle inspired by real stories of early 20th-century immigrants, Vignettes: Ellis Island gives voice to those who passed through one of America’s most iconic gateways. Drawing on interviews from the Ellis Island Oral History Project, composer Alan Louis Smith brings to life the resilience, hope, and humanity at the heart of the immigrant experience through twenty deeply moving musical portraits.
HAPPY END | July 28 and 31
Music and Lyrics by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht
Book by Elisabeth Hauptmann
Religion and capitalism collide in this sharp, jazz-infused musical satire by Kurt Weill. Featuring songs like the unforgettable “Surabaya Johnny” and “Bilbao Song,” Happy End is presented as part of a new collaborative partnership between The Glimmerglass Festival and Opera Saratoga. These performances will be the culmination of a regional tour to communities across New York State..
In addition to mainstage productions, the youth opera, and Pavilion performances, the Festival will present musical highlights from the Great American Songbook on the Outdoor Stage, bringing timeless favorites into a setting that’s as open and welcoming as the music itself. Additional concerts, artist conversations, and special events will round out a summer season rich in story, song, and community. All dates are subject to change. Complete casting, creative teams, concerts, and additional programs for the 2026 Festival will be announced in the coming months.
Season subscriptions renew beginning July 14, 2025. New subscriptions will go on sale October 6, 2025 and single tickets will be available starting January 26, 2026.