New Works
The Santa Fe Opera is proud to play a major role in the commissioning and production of new American opera. Our company has presented 19 world premieres, in addition to over 40 American premieres.
World Premieres
The Righteous (2024)
Music, Gregory Spears & Libretto, Tracy K. Smith
M. Butterfly (2022)
Music, Huang Ruo & Libretto, David Henry Hwang
The Lord of Cries (2021)
Music, John Corigliano & Libretto, Mark Adamo
The Thirteenth Child (2019)
Music, Poul Ruders & Libretto, Becky and David Starobin
The (R)evolution Steve Jobs (2017)
Music, Mason Bates & Libretto, Mark Campbell
Cold Mountain (2015)
Music, Jennifer Higdon & Libretto, Gene Scheer
Oscar (2013)
Music & Libretto, Theodore Morrison
Life is a Dream (2010)
Music, Lewis Spratlan & Libretto, James Maraniss
The Letter (2009)
Music, Paul Moravec & Libretto, Terry Teachout
Madame Mao (2003)
Music, Bright Sheng & Libretto, Colin Graham
Ashoka’s Dream (1997)
Music, Peter Lieberson & Libretto, Douglas Penick
Emmeline (1996)
Music, Tobias Picker & Libretto, J.D. McClatchy
Modern Painters (1995)
Music, David Lang & Libretto, Manuela Hoelterhoff
The Tempest (1985)
Music, John Eaton & Libretto, Andrew Porter
The Confidence Man (1982)
Music & Libretto, George Rochberg
Yerma (1971)
Music & Libretto, Heitor Villa-Lobos
Opera (1970)
Music & Libretto, Luciano Berio
Wuthering Heights (1958)
Music & Libretto, Carlisle Floyd
The Tower (1957)
Music & Libretto, Marvin David Levy
Santa Fe Opera stands practically alone among major American summer festivals as a proponent of new opera.
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American Premieres
Dr. Sun Yat-sen (2014)
Music & Libretto, Huang Ruo
Adriana Mater (2008)
Music, Kaija Saariaho & Libretto, Amin Maalouf
Tea: A Mirror of Soul (2007)
Music, Tan Dun & Libretto, Xu Ying
The Tempest (2006)
Music, Thomas Adès & Libretto, Meredith Oakes
L’Amour de Loin (2002)
Music, Kaija Saariaho & Libretto, Amin Maalouf
Venus and Adonis (2000)
Music, Hans Werner Henze & Libretto, Hans-Ulrich Treichel
A Dream Play (1998)
Music & Libretto, Ingvar Lidholm
Blond Eckbert (1994)
Music & Libretto, Judith Weir
The Tsar Has His Photograph Taken (1993)
Music, Kurt Weill & Libretto, Georg Kaiser
The Protagonist (1993)
Music, Kurt Weill & Libretto, Georg Kaiser
The Sorrows of Young Werther (1992)
Music, Hans-Jürgen Von Bose & Libretto, Rose and Filippo Sanjust
Oedipus (1991)
Music & Libretto, Wolfgang Rihm
Judith (1990)
Music & Libretto, Siegfried Matthus
A Night at the Chinese Opera (1989)
Music & Libretto, Judith Weir
Friedenstag (1988)
Music, Richard Strauss & Libretto, Joseph Gregor
The Black Mask (1988)
Music, Krzysztof Penderecki & Libretto, Harry Kupfer
The Egyptian Helen (1986)
Music, Richard Strauss & Libretto, Hugo von Hofmannsthal
The King Goes Forth to France (1986)
Music, Aulis Sallinen & Libretto, Paavo Haavikko
The English Cat (1985)
Music, Hans Werner Henze & Libretto, Edward Bond
A Florentine Tragedy (1984)
Music & Libretto, Alexander von Zemlinsky
Intermezzo (1984)
Music, Richard Strauss & Libretto, Joseph Gregor
We Come to the River (1984)
Music, Hans Werner Henze & Libretto, Edward Bond
L’Orione (1983)
Music, Pier Francesco Cavalli & Libretto, Francesco Melosio
Die Liebe der Danae (1982)
Music, Richard Strauss & Libretto, Joseph Gregor
Von Heute auf Morgen (1980)
Music, Arnold Schoenberg & Libretto, Gertrud Schoenberg
Lulu, with Act III (1979)
Music & Libretto, Alban Berg
The Duchess of Malfi (1978)
Music & Libretto, Stephen Oliver
The Italian Straw Hat (1977)
Music, Nino Rota & Libretto, Ernesta Rota
The Cunning Little Vixen (1975)
Music & Libretto, Leoš Janáček
L’Egisto (1974)
Music, Pier Francesco Cavalli & Libretto, Giovanni Faustini
Owen Wingrave (1973)
Music, Benjamin Britten & Libretto, Myfanwy Piper
Melusine (1972)
Music, Aribert Reimann & Libretto, Claus H. Henneberg
The Devils of Loudun (1969)
Music & Libretto, Krzysztof Penderecki
Help! Help! The Globolinks (1969)
Music & Libretto, Gian Carlo Menotti
The Bassarids (1968)
Music, Hans Werner Henze & Libretto, W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman
Die Jakobsleiter (1968)
Music & Libretto, Arnold Schoenberg
Boulevard Solitude (1967)
Music, Hans Werner Henze & Libretto, Grete Weil
Cardillac (1967)
Music, Paul Hindemith & Libretto, Ferdinand Lion
The Stag King (1965)
Music, Hans Werner Henze & Libretto, Heinz von Cramer
The Nose (1965)
Music, Dmitri Shostakovich & Libretto, Yevgeny Zamyatin, Georgy Ionin and Alezander Preis
Daphne (1964)
Music, Richard Strauss & Libretto, Joseph Gregor
Lulu, Act I & II (1963)
Music & Libretto, Alban Berg
News of the Day (1961)
Music, Paul Hindemith & Libretto, Marcellus Schiffer
Perséphone (1961)
Music, Igor Stravinsky & Libretto, André Gide
Capriccio (1958)
Music, Richard Strauss & Libretto, Clemens Krauss
Showcase Productions
UnShakeable (2016, 2019)
Music, Joseph Illick & Libretto, Andrea Fellows Fineberg
Shoes for Santo Niño (2012)
Music, Stephen Paulus & Libretto, Andrea Fellows Fineberg
Noah’s Flood (1996, 1999, 2013)
Music & Libretto, Benjamin Britten
The Pirates of Penzance (2002)
Music, Arthur Sullivan & Libretto, W.S. Gilbert
H.M.S Pinafore (2001)
Music, Arthur Sullivan & Libretto, W.S. Gilbert
The Beggar’s Opera (2000)
Music, Johann Christoph Pepusch & Libretto, John Gay
Opera For All Voices Productions
This Little Light of Mine (2022)
Music, Chandler Carter & Libretto, Diana Solomon-Glover
Hometown to the World (2021)
Music, Laura Kaminsky & Libretto, Kimberly Reed
Sweet Potato Kicks the Sun (2019)
Music, Augusta Read Thomas & Libretto, Leslie Dunton-Downer
Visit our repertory page for a list of our performances
searchable by year, title and composer.