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Ordway Center • Saint Paul, Minnesota • Est. 1963

Where voice BECOMES THUNDER

Minnesota Opera is the beating heart of American opera — five grand productions, world premieres, 33,000 students inspired yearly, and a 2025–2026 season that will leave you breathless. This is opera without apology: raw, cinematic, alive.

Explore Season 25/26 Our Story Since 1963 →
62Years of Opera
5Mainstage Shows
120+Artists / Season
4.9★Audience Love
Minnesota Opera stage production
NOW ON STAGE
La Bohème — Puccini's Paris in Saint Paul
Oct 4–12, 2025 • Ordway Music Theater • From $25
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LA BOHÈME ✦ TOSCA ✦ THE SHINING ✦ CARMEN ✦ DON GIOVANNI ✦ LA BOHÈME ✦ TOSCA ✦ THE SHINING ✦ CARMEN ✦ DON GIOVANNI ✦ 
01 — WHO WE ARE

Not your grandmother's opera.

See what we do

From a church basement in 1963 to America's most fearless opera company.

Minnesota Opera was founded by Walker Art Center to bring world-class lyric theater to the Twin Cities. Today we perform at the magnificent Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Saint Paul, with the Minnesota Opera Orchestra and Chorus, international stars, and bold new American works.

We commissioned and premiered The Shining, The Fix, Silent Night (Pulitzer Prize in Music) and Doubt. We sing in Italian, French, German — and English with supertitles above every seat. No tux required. Jeans welcome. Goosebumps guaranteed.

33KStudents reached yearly
18🏆World premieres
98%Seats filled 2024
Meet ArtistsSupport Us
Ordway Theater interior Minnesota Opera orchestra
OUR MISSION
To sing every story that matters — with unmatched artistry, radical welcome, and deep roots in Minnesota.
1963 — BEGIN
First production: The Bartered Bride at Walker Art Center.
1985 — ORD WAY HOME
Resident company of Ordway Center for the Performing Arts.
2012 — PULITZER
Silent Night wins Pulitzer Prize in Music.
2026 — FUTURE
New Works Initiative: 3 premieres in 3 years.
02 — SEASON 2025 / 2026

Five nights that will change you

Full Calendar
La Boheme
Oct 4-12 • Puccini

La Bohème

Snow falls on Paris. Mimi lights Rodolfo's candle. The most beloved love story ever sung — new cinematic staging.

From $25
Tosca
Nov 8-16 • Puccini

Tosca

Passion, politics, murder at dawn. Soprano showdown with thunderous Te Deum and cliffhanger finale.

From $29
The Shining
Mar 14-22 • Moravec

The Shining

Our legendary Stephen King commission returns. Redrum in the Overlook — horror you can sing.

From $35
Carmen
May 2-10 • Bizet

Carmen

Seville burns. Free-spirited Carmen meets fate in a sun-drenched, flamenco-infused new production.

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Don Giovanni
June 2026 • Mozart

Don Giovanni

Mozart's bad boy in a neon-noir Minneapolis nightclub. Seduction, revenge, hellfire — with laughs.

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03 — FIRST TIME?

Opera is easier than you think

Singer close up
🎭 WHAT TO WEAR?
Anything. Jeans, gowns, flannel. We care about your ears, not your outfit.
💬 WILL I UNDERSTAND?
Yes! English supertitles above the stage for every word. Plus pre-show talks 45 min before.
⏱️ HOW LONG?
2–3 hours with intermission. Drink at Ordway bars, stretch, meet friends.
💰 UNDER 35?
$25 mO tickets, $15 student rush, free Opera Insights. Opera for the price of pizza.
Plan Your Night Ordway Guide
04 — STARS & ORCHESTRA

Voices that shake the walls

Soprano
Soprano

Brenda Rae — Violetta & Mimi

Minnesota native returns home after triumphs at Met, Vienna, Bavarian Opera. “A voice of liquid gold.”

Tenor
Conductor

Maestro Christopher Franklin

Principal conductor leading 55-piece Minnesota Opera Orchestra — Puccini like you've never felt it.

Pianist
Resident Artists

The Next Generation

8 young artists, 200 auditions, 1 family. Free recitals, school tours, and future Met stars today.

Tickets • Subscriptions • Access

Best seats from $25. No fees. No fear.

Subscribe & save 30%: all 5 operas, same seat, free exchanges. Single tickets, group of 10+, pay-what-you-can dress rehearsals. Everyone belongs at Ordway.

  • ✔ Free pre-opera talks + supertitles
  • ✔ $15 Student & $25 Under-35 tickets
  • ✔ Audio description, ASL, sensory-friendly
Buy NowDonate a Seat

2025/26 Packages

Full Season (5)
Save 30% + perks$125+
Pick 3 Flex
Your choice$75+
Single Night
From balcony to front$25+
05 — VISIT ORDWAY

In the heart of Saint Paul

Ordway Center

345 Washington St, Saint Paul, MN 55102

Light rail Green Line to Central Station • RiverCentre ramp parking $9 with validation • 15 min from Minneapolis, 10 min from MSP.

Doors 90 min before • Restaurants: Concierge dining, Barrio, Dark Horse. Come early for sunset over Rice Park.

PLAN PARKING →
Is there a dress code?

No. Most wear smart casual. Opening nights get sparkly.

Can I bring kids?

Yes! Ages 6+. Family Day + backstage tours. Booster seats free.

How do supertitles work?

English translations projected above stage for all non-English operas — and even English ones.

Refunds / exchanges?

Free exchanges for subscribers up to 48h. Single tickets exchangeable for $5.

06 — JOURNAL / NEWS

Backstage whispers & news

Casting announcements, rehearsal diaries, education stories and community voices from Minnesota Opera.

View Archive
Opera news
Season News

Announcing 2025-2026 Season: Five Operas, One Unforgettable Year

Puccini double, King horror, Bizet passion and Mozart mischief...

Read soon →
Education
Education

33,000 Students: Opera In Schools Expands Statewide

From Duluth to Mankato, our teaching artists bring voice to classrooms...

Read soon →
Audition
Auditions

Resident Artist Program Opens 2026 Applications

Your path to the Ordway stage starts here...

Read soon →
07 — SUPPORT

Opera lives because of you

Ticket sales cover only 38% of what it costs to put 120 artists on stage. Donors power premieres, school buses, $25 tickets and free park simulcasts. Join 4,200 Minnesotans who keep the music alive.

Donate TodayOur Impact
Audience applause

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an opening night.

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