IT’S WHERE SONGS SPARKLE LIKE SUN ON WATER, THE STARS SHINE BRIGHT, AND THE WORLD STOPS TO LISTEN.

We think you’ll agree that The Glimmerglass Festival is a one-of-a-kind summer destination, blending world-class opera with a relaxed, casual atmosphere and a beautiful lakeside setting in the heart of Central New York. The Cooperstown region’s welcoming accommodations, delightful dining and fun-filled attractions invite you to extend your visit and explore.

AND YOU’RE INVITED.
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2018 Festival Events

West Side Story

July 7, 2018 – August 24, 2018

Our production of West Side Story gets a hip, urban look, and features the original Jerome Robbins choreography in one of the most innovative, heartwrenching and relevant musicals of our time.

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The Cunning Little Vixen

July 8, 2018 – August 25, 2018

Inspired by “ Vixen Sharp-Ears,” a Czech cartoon, Janáček composed this poignant fable with lush orchestrations that summon the magic of a starlit night, the songs of birds and the peace of the ancient forest.

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The Barber of Seville

July 14 - August 25, 2018

Rossini’s comic bel canto masterpiece The Barber of Seville will be presented in a production directed by Francesca Zambello and conducted by Glimmerglass Festival Music Director Joseph Colaneri.

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Silent Night

July 15, 2018 – August 23, 2018

In a singular moment during the “war to end all wars,” peace broke out on Christmas Eve. Kevin Puts and Mark Campbell’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Silent Night brings to life the brief, legendary truce during World War I.

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Image by Sam Esty Rayner

Rosanne Cash

June 23, 2018

An intimate evening of songs and stories by Rosanne Cash that draws from her rich and distinctive connection to the musical legacy of the American South.

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ShowTalk: Puts and Campbell

July 14, 2018

Kevin Puts and Mark Campbell, composer and librettist of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Silent Night, as well as The Manchurian Candidate and Elizabeth Cree, share their insights on opera and the collaborative process.

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“Over There”

July 22, 2018

Join acclaimed bass-baritone and company Artistic Advisor Eric Owens for "Over There," an afternoon of songs offering a tribute to veterans.

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Bill Murray, Jan Vogler and Friends

July 24, 2018

Yes, that Bill Murray (Ghostbusters, Lost in Translation, Moonrise Kingdom), in a one-night-only program of chamber music and literature with cellist Jan Vogler, pianist Vanessa Perez, and violinist Mira Wang.

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Odyssey

July 31, 2018 – August 9, 2018

With music by Ben Moore and libretto by Kelley Rourke, this action-packed retelling of a hero's epic journey homeward features the Glimmerglass Youth Chorus and members of the Young Artists Program.

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Stars’ Night Out

July 31, 2018

The principal artists of the 2018 Festival present varied musical programs, from opera to pop to jazz to country.

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ShowTalk: The Artist As Citizen

August 4, 2018

Narrator, writer and broadcaster Jamie Bernstein explores the life and legacy of her father, Leonard Bernstein. Young Artists perform works by the American master, whose 100th birthday we celebrate this year.

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Trouble in Tahiti

August 7 – 20, 2018

Leonard Bernstein's one-act send-up of the suburban American dream features members of the Young Artists Program.

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The Soldier’s Tale

August 10, 2018

A soldier makes a deal with the devil in Stravinsky's theatrical chamber work, featuring members of the Glimmerglass Festival Orchestra -- with a special appearance by Joseph Colaneri as the Devil.

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ShowTalk: Operatic Beaumarchais

August 11, 2018

Plays by Pierre Beaumarchais were the source for Rossini’s The Barber of Seville along with operas by Corigliano, Mercadante, Milhaud, Mozart, Paisiello, Portugal and Salieri. Members of the Young Artists Program performas part of this exploration of operas inspired by the revolutionary playwright.

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Big Galut(e)

August 14, 2018

Music from the Jewish Diaspora's many homelands comes to life, as eclectic quintet Big Galut(e) presents rollicking Klezmer dance, sizzling tangos, heartfelt folk songs and Yiddish-flavored takes on classic opera.

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Margaret Atwood

August 17, 2018

With the Emmy Award-winning Hulu series The Handmaid's Tale and the Netflix series Alias Grace both enjoying critical acclaim, author Margaret Atwood comes to the Alice Busch Opera Theater for a wide-ranging talk.

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ShowTalk: The Economics of Art

August 18, 2018

James B. Stewart, a columnist at The New York Times, a staff writer at The New Yorker, and a professor at the Columbia University School of Journalism, speaks about money and the arts; Young Artists perform a program of related songs and scenes.

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“Beyond Liberty”

August 19, 2018

Beloved American baritone Thomas Hampson opens the American Songbook to explore the influential people and monumental events that helped create and define “the land of the free.” 

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ShowTalk: Tesori and Thompson

August 25, 2018

Jeanine Tesori and Tazewell Thompson will premiere a new opera as part of the 2019 Festival. In conversation with Faith Gay, they discuss their inspiration behind the new work and share excerpts of the work-in-progress.

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Join us for an evening honoring Elizabeth M. Eveillard and Sherwin M. Goldman at the 2024 Glimmerglass Festival Gala!

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2024 Festival - Identity & Illusion

Immerse yourself in myth, mystery, and adventure this summer!

Support Glimmerglass

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Ticket Packages Available Now!

There are many great reasons to purchase a Glimmerglass Festival ticket package (two or more shows)!