Pacific Opera Victoria (Photo by David Cooper)

The Vancouver Opera puts on multiple mainstage shows each year and is regarded as one of the finest opera orchestra companies in Canada.

Shows in Vancouver Opera’s 2026/2027 season include Tosca (on October 24th & 29th and November 1st), The Barber of Seville (on February 13th, 18th, 20th and 21st) and La Traviata (on April 24th & 29th and May 1st & 2nd).

While not an official Vancouver Opera production, Goh Ballet’s The Nutcracker features live musical performance by the Vancouver Opera Orchestra. The show takes the stage at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre from December 17th to 20th, 2026.

(Credit: The above photo is by David Cooper for Pacific Opera Victoria in 2026. The set for the Vancouver production is the same. In the photo there is Catherine Thornsley as Tosca, Asitha Tennekoon as Spoletta, and Yongzhao Yu as Cavaradossi with the Pacific Opera Chorus & Supernumeraries in Pucinni’s Tosca. That production was conducted by Giuseppe Pietraroia, directed by Brenna Corner, set & video design by Scott Reid, and lighting design by Michael Walton.)

For tickets and full details about Vancouver Opera and its performances, visit vancouveropera.ca.

This article contains the following information about Vancouver Opera:

What to Expect | This Season’s Shows | Schools and Other Programs | Tips and Advice | Other Information

The Vancouver Opera Company Shows

Vancouver Opera is the second-largest opera company in Canada, behind the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto. Vancouver Opera began in 1958 and has since grown into one of the premier performing arts organizations not only in the Lower Mainland but across Canada.

Nearly all Vancouver Opera’s mainstage productions take place at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. The theatre is located at 630 Hamilton Street downtown and seats nearly 3,000 people.

In addition to standard performances, Vancouver Opera offers a range of other programs. There’s the VOICES: Free Concert Series which features multiple events each season. Vancouver Opera in Schools tours throughout BC, bringing professional-quality opera performances to students. There are also summer camps and other youth programs on offer.

For tickets and the company’s official website see vancouveropera.ca.

What to Expect

Vancouver Opera usually stages three big productions each year. They are often in Italian, but sometimes French or German. Sometimes one of them is in English. The shows involve operatic singing (of course), and beautiful costumes and sets.

Regardless of the performance language, English surtitles (or translated text) are projected above the theatre’s stage. This is very helpful, especially when the singing is in a language you don’t understand.

At Vancouver Opera productions you can expect superb singing! They are an exceptional opera company, and Vancouver is very lucky to have them!

There’s usually a 25-minute intermission midway through each performance, along with a pre-show talk and a post-show talk. Both of the talks are short and very interesting. We recommend them, especially if you are new to opera.

The pre-show talk lasts about 15 minutes. Speakers provide background to the show and describe its history. The talks usually take place upstairs in the Mezzanine an hour before the main performance begins.

The post-show talk takes place shortly after the opera’s finale, after most of the audience has left the auditorium. Those who wish may stay and move to the front seats. The lead actors then come out, and audience members can ask them questions periodically.

For tickets and full details on the shows, visit Vancouver Opera‘s website.

Madama Butterfly at Vancouver Opera — Madama Butterfly (in 2025)

This Season’s Shows

Vancouver Opera’s 2026-27 Season once again features three productions. One takes place in the fall of 2026, while the other two happen in the first few months of 2027. All three are sung in Italian with English surtitles.

Tosca

The season opens with Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca, a dramatic opera set in Rome in the summer of 1800. Performances take place on October 24th, 29th, and November 1st, 2026.

The opera has themes of power, love, and betrayal. The action takes place during Napoleon’s invasion of Italy and the subsequent unrest. Characters include Cesare Angelotti, an escaped political prisoner, his friend and painter Mario Cavaradossi, opera singer and Cavaradossi’s girlfriend Floria Tosca, and local chief of police Baron Scarpia.

For more details click Tosca.

The Barber of Seville

In February 2027, Vancouver Opera’s next show is Gioachino Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. This opera is a comedic opera about romance, clever disguises, and misunderstandings. Performances take place on February 13th, 18th, 20th, and 21st, 2027.

The Barber of Seville is one of the most popular operas around the world, and is regarded as arguably the greatest comedic opera (opera buffa). It tells the story of the barber Figaro’s attempt to couple together the young Count Almaviva and Rosina, while knocking away Dr. Bartolo’s bids to make Rosina his own bride.

Click The Barber of Seville for more information.

La Traviata

The final production of the season is Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata, one of the most widely-performed operas. Shows run on April 24th and 29th, and May 1st and 2nd, 2027.

The opera tells the tragic story of a woman whose pursuit of love faces harsh judgment. It centres on the relationship between courtesan Violetta Valéry and the well-to-do Alfredo Germont, and Alfedo’s father’s demands to Violetta that she end their romance due to it damaging his family’s reputation.

To learn more about the show click La Traviata.

Vancouver Opera

VOICES: Free Concert Series

The VOICES series first began in the Vancouver Opera’s 2023-24 season. It features smaller concerts that are presented for free to the public. They’re sometimes produced in partnership with other organizations.

The 2025-26 VOICES series included VOICES Rising 2026, a free pre-show at the Opera in the Park event that included songs sung from each of the upcoming 2026-27 productions. There was also Simply Lyrical, a night of Spanish music co-presented by No Chamber Music Society.

The free shows in 2026-27 have not yet been announced as of mid-September. Check the Vancouver Opera website for the most up-to-date info.

Our Experience at the Vancouver Opera

Last season we went to see the Vancouver Opera’s production of La Bohème on opening night. The atmosphere was lively before the show even began. The lobby was busy, guests enjoyed drinks on the outdoor balcony, and many people dressed up for the occasion, including some in gowns.

The performance had a full house and ended with a standing ovation. The singers were excellent, especially the four main characters at the centre of the story. The opera had four acts, with a 25-minute intermission between the second and third acts.

Musetta’s Waltz Fundraising Gala

In addition to the scheduled shows, Vancouver Opera also hosts its annual fundraising gala, Musetta’s Waltz. The 2026 event took place on Friday, May 1st, at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. The gala raises money to support opera productions and educational programs. The proceeds help fund future performances across Metro Vancouver.

The 2026 gala was staged on the set of La Bohème and included live performances, a cocktail reception, and a themed three-course dinner. The venue opened for guests at 5:00 pm, with dinner beginning at 6:45 pm. Tickets were quite pricy. Individual tickets cost around $750, and tables of ten cost around $7,500, but the event benefits a good cause.

For more information about the event, click Musetta’s Waltz Fundraising Gala.

Opera in the Park

Vancouver Opera’s annual Opera in the Park event was on July 19th in 2026. This free outdoor concert took place at Deer Lake Park in Burnaby. The event began at 7:30 pm, and it featured performances by Vancouver Opera artists.

Vancouver Opera Cast from HMS Pinafore

Vancouver Opera in Schools and Other Programs

Vancouver Opera in Schools brings professional opera performances to schools throughout BC. It’s one of the biggest programs of its kind in the country. The performers sing these shows in English, rather than Italian or French as in the mainstage productions. The program introduces students to opera as an art form.

Vancouver Opera also offers specific programs for youth of various school ages. There is Project Opera for elementary students. It offers teachers a range of ways to bring Vancouver Opera artists into their classrooms. There are also mentorship programs for high school students and summer camps.

Finally, there are programs for adults as well like Opera 101. It’s a five-part course taught on Zoom that introduces the history and contemporary world of opera.

Tips and Advice

Keep reading below for suggestions and extra information to help you make the most out of your opera experience.

Things to Know In Advance

TIP #1: Arrive early. Don’t risk arriving late due to traffic.

TIP #2: Consider joining the pre-show talk before the main performance begins, especially if you are new to opera or not familiar with the particular production. The background information is very interesting and helps explain the story.

TIP #3: Aside from the fact that you have to look up to see the surtitles, the best seats in the house, in our opinion, are at the very front of the theatre, in the middle of the auditorium. There, you can see the whole stage and the actors up close (a wonderful, amazing experience).

Post Show Talk and Interviews — Post-Show Talk at HMS Pinafore

Things to Know about the Show

TIP #4: If the production is in Italian, French or German, and you aren’t fluent in that particular language or already familiar with the story, then consider reading up on the plot in advance. This will help you better understand and follow the story, enhancing your experience.

TIP #5: The venue projects the words of the opera in English on a screen above the stage. Consequently, even if you don’t understand Italian, you can still follow the story and what the actors are singing. The scene-setting text between acts can be harder to read from some seats, so bring glasses if you need them.

TIP #6: The surtitles are easy to see from pretty much everywhere in the theatre. If you plan to rely on them heavily, however, you might not want to sit in the first few rows, especially if you have neck problems.

TIP #7: Guests cannot take photos or videos during the performance. At the end, when the actors take their bows, the audience can use cameras and phones to take pictures.