The upcoming 2025–26 season for Calgary Opera will look a little bit different than in past years, owing to a desire by the company to find a balance between the crowd-pleasing operas for opera lovers, and more accessible works for newcomers.

While lovers of the genre will instantly recognize a pair of the new season’s productions, Madama Butterfly and The Barber of Seville, make no mistake, Calgary Opera’s productions of Hansel and Gretel and Little Red Riding Hood are very much operas as well.

Jonathan Brandani, Calgary Opera’s Artistic Director said that the latter two were some of the most exciting titles that the company will be putting on during the season, because they offer something that will be accessible to not just opera-loving adults but also families.

On Hansel and Gretel, he said that the opera version of that classic story which tells the tale of two siblings who fall into the clutches of a witch, has been immensely popular since its first showing in 1893.

“It’s a beautiful, mysterious journey to the magic of childhood and the dangers of childhoods. The music is lush, romantic—it’s like a movie score, in a way—it’s very, very accessible,” Brandani said.

That production, which is sung in English, will also feature the puppetry of The Old Trout Puppet Workshop which, according to Brandani, works perfectly with the art form of opera.

“Opera, it’s not really a very realistic art form, and puppetry it’s kind of the same. We pretend to know that it’s a real character but we know that it’s fiction, and the fiction is very there on the stage,” he said.

That production will also feature the Cantaré Children’s Choir, alongside the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.

It runs from Jan. 31, 2026 to Feb. 6 at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium.

The other fairy tale production for the season, Little Red Riding Hood, is a novelty because this version is premiering at Calgary Opera, Brandani said.

“It’s a different take on this fairy tale. It’s funny, whimsical, and for example, the character playing the wolf at the beginning of the story discloses that he doesn’t want to be the bad guy. But, you know, somebody has to do it. So, you know, let it go on,” he said.

“At the end, the wolf in the story is absolutely not a vegetarian, and he hates the mention of vegetables or sweets. So, Little Red Riding Hood discovers that every time she mentions sweets or desserts, the wolf kind of gets sick, and so she has a power over him. So, it’s a very funny little twist on Little Red Riding Hood, and I think will be perfect for the holiday presentation.”

The roles in that production, he said, would be performed by Calgary Opera’s own McPhee Artist Development Program singers.

“They will bring it on tour, and it’s a great opportunity for our McPhee artists, a resident company of young artists, to tour and to present their talents but also to expose kids in many different schools to the beauty of opera, the magic of opera, and this story which is very funny, very entertaining, and with very easy listening music,” he said.

“I think, will be the perfect choice to sparkle like to ignite some passion or some curiosity about opera.”

That production will have a number of holiday-friendly dates, running from Nov. 28 to Nov. 30, and then from Dec. 5 through 7, before going on tour from Feb. 2, 2026 through Feb. 27, 2026 at various Southern Alberta schools.

Natural evolution of how to make Calgary Opera’s operas more relevant for audiences

The season’s opening production of Madama Butterfly returns to the Calgary Opera stage after not having been shown for over a decade.

Brandani said that this season was the right one to bring it back because it has been such an audience favourite.

He said the story has been updated from the turn of the 20th Century to post-WW2 in order to make it not just the story of one single woman but to speak to the experience of many different Japanese war brides.

“It’s a story that is heartbreaking. The music is lush and really brings to tears every time you see this opera. You can’t escape the power of Puccini’s music. And there are many reasons why it has been on the top 10 charts since 1904,” Brandani said.

“It’s an opera that can also be controversial, because it represents an Asian cultural culture, a Japanese culture and identity. We know the history of oppression or misrepresentation that Asian communities over the world have been experiencing.”

He said that was among the reasons why Calgary Opera partnered with stage director Mo Zhou, for the production.

“The creative team will be led by an all-female first-generation [Asian American and Pacific Islander] people. It’s meticulously researched, emotionally charged, and it confronts the opera’s legacy head-on. In our version, it will be illuminating the devastating truths that are often hidden behind the beautiful music and the gorgeous romanticized story,” Brandani said.

Brandani said that reflects a larger conversation going on about how to make opera more relevant for the public.

“How can we tell stories that at first sight they seem far removed from reality, far removed from us, because they’re so idealized or romanticized?” Brandani said.

It also moves the story to the 80th anniversary of the end of WW2.

“We were thinking of this opportunity to really put a spotlight on the atrocities of war and the nuclear bomb. And really, through great music and great art, stimulate a conversation in the community and face head-on, very hard questions,” said Brandani.

Madama Butterfly runs from Nov. 1 through 7, at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium.

Season selections are like the seasoning for a multi-course meal

Brandani said that selecting The Barber of Seville was part of trying to build a season that reflected the different tastes of audience members.

“When I put together a season, I really try to think of different flavours, like a menu for a multi-course meal, and I think of what could go well with what already have on the plate,” he said.

“We needed something uplifting, some laughter, some comedy. The Barber of Seville is the perfect choice because the opera was premiered in 1816 and it’s now more than two centuries that people worldwide have been laughing out loud at the utter comedy of the comedic situations in that show.”

He said that it also has some of the most instantly recognizable music for audiences, thanks to its use in pop culture by Bugs Bunny, Disney productions, and innumerable movies.

“I’m just thinking of the Largo al factotum, which is probably the worldwide anthem of opera singers. So, it’s a brilliant comedy filled with memorable tunes that everybody will recognize, either from the movies or commercials,” Brandani said.

The production would be set closer to the modern era than in the original 19th century, but that the company would be respecting the original story and working to make the most out of the comedy for audiences, he said.

“We have a brilliant cast, I have to say if you allow me, for both operas. We’re really proud to bring to Calgary some of the finest international opera singers and artists and also some of the stars of tomorrow,” Brandani said.

“There are a few young soloists that will be joining us for the first time… and we’re happy to expose them to our Calgary audiences, and give them a first chance with our audience because we believe in the next generation of singers and we want to give them opportunities.”

Brandani said one of the additional change-ups for the 2025–26 season was the addition of matinee performances on Sunday instead of a Wednesday night show.

“We knew that our audiences really would love this change, and we’re getting a lot of positive feedback already because it’s a great choice that will allow, you know, people to enjoy an opera in the afternoon,” he said.

He said that the company would continue its work to promote opera outside of the stage as well, with family activities at the Mamdani Opera Centre, including a spotlight series that takes visitors behind the scenes to see how operas are created from a technical sense.

“Opera is the most collaborative art form, and it brings together not just musicians and singers, but also set designers, costume designers, hair and makeup artists, and lighting designers. It’s actually hundreds of people that make this one production on the stage possible every night,” Brandani said.

“It’s the hard work of these talented artists, most of them actually based in Calgary, that allow us to thrive.”

For more details, and tickets, see www.calgaryopera.com.