You’re the studio audience for a delicious double feature! The Cook-Off, a fresh new comic opera, is set during a televised cooking competition. Grammy-nominated composer Shawn E. Okpebholo and Pulitzer Prize and Grammy Award-winning librettist Mark Campbell have whipped up a delightful concoction, as moving as it is hilarious.

The Cook-Off & Bon Appétit

University of Dayton

A tempestuous heart. A fatal attraction. Seductive music. This is Bizet’s iconic Carmen—the story of a fiery woman who dances to her own rhythm, a soldier ensnared by her captivating spirit, and the jealousy that propels them toward tragedy. Featuring some of opera’s most passionate melodies, from the “Habanera” to the “Toreador Song,” Carmen explodes with energy.

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Bizet’s Carmen

Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center

At its heart, Verdi’s majestic opera, Aida" class="css-u850">Aida, is an intimate story of love—forbidden and unrequited—enmeshed in a struggle for imperial power between Egypt and Ethiopia. Aida, an Ethiopian princess held in captivity, secretly falls in love with the handsome general leading the war against her homeland. Full of large, lush musical moments, a massive chorus, grand sets, and dazzling costumes, Aida transports you to a time of romance and spectacle.

Verdi’s Aida

Amahl and the Night Visitors tells the story of three mysterious kings following a star to bring gifts to a wonderful child. They stop for a rest at the home of Amahl, a shepherd boy who lives with his mother, and when Amahl offers his simple gift to the child, a miracle happens. A heartwarming story of kindness and generosity, Amahl and the Night Visitors is the perfect beginner’s opera and a joyous way to usher in the holiday season for the entire family!

Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors

In celebration of the 75th anniversary of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic musical, South Pacific, Dayton Opera and Wright State University present this award-winning classic. A favorite among opera and musical theatre fans alike, South Pacific features Dayton Opera artists alongside an ensemble from Wright State, with the Philharmonic performing its lush and beautiful score. Don’t miss beloved tunes such as “Bali Ha’i,” “Some Enchanted Evening,” “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair,” and many more!

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific

Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca is a thrilling roller-coaster ride of political intrigue, passion, and betrayal, filled with some of the most ravishing music in opera. A feast for both the eye and ear, this truly grand opera will satisfy opera lovers, new and old, with magnificent singing, exquisite sets, and sumptuous costumes.

Puccini’s Tosca

Porgy and Bess premiered on Broadway in 1935 and its music took root in our culture, with iconic songs like “Summertime” and “I Got Plenty o’ Nuttin’,” becoming popular classics. It’s themes of community resilience, acceptance, and redemption weave a poignant story, all told through a “melting pot” of musical styles from folk to blues, to spirituals, to jazz, to Broadway theater music, and classical to create what is considered by many to be the greatest American opera.

Kathleen Clawson

Events

Upcoming events

15 - 16 May, 2026

Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess In Concert · Dayton Performing Arts

Past events

6 - 7 Feb, 2026

The Cook-Off & Bon Appétit · Dayton Performing Arts

1 - 2 Nov, 2025

Bizet’s Carmen · Dayton Performing Arts

About

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