Upcoming Performances
Rinaldo
Handel’s Baroque blockbuster is viewed through the lens of a child’s fantasy in a contemporary pediatric ward. The young patients venture on a heroic journey, where knights, sorcerers, monsters, and magic are used as a salve for unimaginable challenges.
Countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo leads the talented cast in Louisa Proske’s reimagined production, conducted by Detroit Opera Music Director Roberto Kalb.
February 22 – March 2, 2025
Opera
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater grew from a now-fabled performance in March 1958 at The 92nd Street Y in New York City. Led by Alvin Ailey and a group of young African American modern dancers, that performance changed forever the perception of American dance. The Ailey company has gone on to perform for an estimated 25 million people at theaters in 48 states and 71 countries on six continents–as well as millions more through television broadcasts, film screenings, and online platforms.
Today, the Company continues Mr. Ailey’s mission by presenting important works of the past and commissioning new ones.
March 14-16, 2025
Dance
Così fan tutte
This brand-new production by Artistic Director Yuval Sharon offers a fresh take on Mozart’s controversial comedy, where the role of Artificial Intelligence turns the tale into a futuristic experiment. Don Alfonso’s manipulations of the “emotions” of his robotic inventions (the lovers) become an obsessive quest to develop spiritual machines. Will his laboratory of lovers lead to a breakthrough for “Humanity 2.0,” or are human habits of jealousy and deceit hardwired into us?
April 5-13, 2025
Opera
The Central Park Five
Anthony Davis, composer of X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Music for this true story adaptation of systemic discrimination. This gripping opera follows the wrongful convictions of five African American and Latino teenagers in the assault of a white female jogger in Central Park.
Despite racial injustice, resilience and redemption emerge as the five men fight for freedom.
May 10-18, 2025
Opera
Detroit Opera…has placed itself at the center of the operatic conversation”
David Allen
The New York Times
Look, Listen & Learn
PRE-OPERA TALKS: Rinaldo
Detroit Opera offers complimentary opera and dance talks one hour prior to each performance. Noted experts provide background and important information on what you will see on stage, enhancing your performance experience!
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PROGRAM: Rinaldo
Enjoy the performance program from the convenience of your phone! All the information contained in the program book is at your fingertips. Click below for the full experience.
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VIDEO: Rinaldo – Long Story Short
Love, magic, battles— Rinaldo has all the epic twists of your favorite fantasy saga! RV Mendoza fills us in on the daring knight Rinaldo, his love for Almirena, and the scheming sorceress Armida. Will love triumph over war and enchantment?
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BLOG: Handel’s London – A City in Opera
by Austin Richey, Ph. D.
In the early 18th century, London was a city of spectacle. Theaters buzzed with energy, coffeehouses teemed with debate, and the newly formed Royal Academy of Music sought to establish Italian opera as the pinnacle of entertainment for the city’s elite. Into this world stepped a 25-year-old German composer named George Frideric Handel, who, in 1711, stunned London audiences with his first Italian opera for the English stage: Rinaldo.
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BLOG: Handel’s Castrati: The Rockstars of the Baroque Stage
by Austin Richey, Ph. D.
In the 18th century, long before pop stars filled concert halls with screaming fans, another type of musical idol commanded the spotlight: the castrato. These extraordinary singers possessed voices of unparalleled power, agility, and range. At the height of their fame, they were celebrated, adored, and obscenely wealthy, commanding fees that eclipsed even those of composers like Handel himself.
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BLOG: The Mechanics of Baroque Opera: Illusion, Engineering, and Spectacle
by Austin Richey, Ph. D.
Opera in the Baroque era was as much about visual splendor as it was about music. Audiences didn’t just come to hear exquisite arias—they came for stage magic, for floating castles, fiery infernos, and gods descending from the heavens. The theaters of Handel’s day were laboratories of illusion, where stage designers pushed the limits of technology to transport audiences to enchanted landscapes and mythic battles.
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PODCAST: OperaHERE – Rinaldo
Host Arthur White, Detroit Opera’s Director of Community and Audience Engagement, chats with countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo and soprano Nicole Heaston, as they begin rehearsals for Detroit Opera’s production of Rinaldo! We also hear from renowned musicologist Wendy Heller about the impact of Handel’s Italianate operatic style in 18th century London.
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SUPPORT DETROIT OPERAFeatured Events
Glass/Handel at Spot Lite Detroit
February 20, 2025
When Baroque meets modern minimalism, magic happens! Experience an extraordinary fusion of Baroque and contemporary music as renowned countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo performs excerpts from his acclaimed Glass/Handel multimedia program at Spot Lite.
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Center Stage with the Detroit Opera Resident Artists
March 1, 2025
Indulge in an evening of operatic splendor with the Detroit Opera’s Resident Artists as they take center stage to present a mesmerizing concert of opera selections. This concert takes place at the Hawk Theatre in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
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Revelations Celebration Community Workshop
March 2, 2025
A free Revelations Celebration Community Workshop will be offered to the public, presented in association with the Fisher Foundation. Led by Master Teacher and former AILEY star Nasha Thomas and Teaching Artist Darius “Damazi” Williams, this all-ages workshop invites participants to celebrate movement and Alvin Ailey’s must-see signature work. Early registration is highly encouraged due to space and popularity!
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AileyDance for Active Aging Workshop
March 3, 2025
AileyDance for Active Aging is a FREE workshop that supports strength and flexibility training through a thoughtful and sequential progression of movement that promotes both cardiovascular and cognitive stimulation. The program also serves as an outlet for artistic expression by creating choreography which cultivates the imagination and fosters a sense of joy. Led by Master Teacher and former AILEY star Nasha Thomas. Early registration is highly encouraged due to space and popularity!
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Alvin Ailey Dance Masterclass
March 15, 2025
This masterclass will be taught by company members of world famous Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The class will include modern technique and movement from Mr. Ailey’s signature works. This is most suitable for intermediate/advanced dancers ages 13 and up. Free with an Alvin Ailey mainstage performance ticket or $15 without.
Pre-registration is required due to space limitations.
Detroit Opera House Tour
March 22, 2025
Join us for a 55-minute Detroit Opera House Highlights Tour (tour locations vary subject to performance schedule). These new tours are open to the public; reservations are required. Tickets are available online or on the day of at the Box Office (Broadway Street). $10 for adults and $8 for students.
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