L'elisir d'amore Preview Concert
A preview concert of our upcoming production of Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore. More info to come soon!
The Elixir of Love
Boston Summer Opera presents L’elisir d’amore! A fully realized production directed by BSO alum Becca Allen and conducted by BSO’s Resident Music Director Luca Antonucci.
One of the absolute staples of the bel canto repertoire, L’elisir d’amore is a heartwarming comedy full of charm, gorgeous melodies, and plenty of hijinx.
Nemorino is desperate for Adina to fall in love with him, although she is convinced they would be a terrible match. But when a suspicious Doctor Dulcamara arrives in town, could his “elixir of love” be just the solution Nemorino needs?
This production will be performed in Italian with English supertitles. The run time will be approximately two hours with one 15-minute intermission, making it accessible, engaging, and perfect for both first-time opera-goers and longtime fans.
The Elixir of Love
Boston Summer Opera presents L’elisir d’amore! A fully realized production directed by BSO alum Becca Allen and conducted by BSO’s Resident Music Director Luca Antonucci.
One of the absolute staples of the bel canto repertoire, L’elisir d’amore is a heartwarming comedy full of charm, gorgeous melodies, and plenty of hijinx.
Nemorino is desperate for Adina to fall in love with him, although she is convinced they would be a terrible match. But when a suspicious Doctor Dulcamara arrives in town, could his “elixir of love” be just the solution Nemorino needs?
This production will be performed in Italian with English supertitles. The run time will be approximately two hours with one 15-minute intermission, making it accessible, engaging, and perfect for both first-time opera-goers and longtime fans.
After a successful Rigoletto performance last summer, we are thrilled to return to the Arts at the Armory. Audiences will be welcome to order from the fabulous bar and food menu throughout the performance.
L'elisir d'amore Concert
A concert featuring famous arias Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore. More info to come soon!
Il Barbiere di Siviglia Preview Concert
A preview concert of our upcoming production of Il Barbiere di Siviglia. Light reception to follow.
More info soon!
The Barber of Seville
Boston Summer Opera and the Horizon Ensemble are teaming up again to bring The Barber of Seville to Boston!
Get your tickets here!
The Barber of Seville is one of the most popular operas, if not pieces of classical music, ever written — and you probably already know it! This music permeates all cultural boundaries, showing up everywhere, from Looney Tunes to Mrs. Doubtfire to opera houses around the world. The score is packed with ear worms, the comedy is razor sharp, and the vocal acrobatics are truly mind-blowing.
Rossini’s score requires fearless singing actors who can handle lightning-fast patter and sky-high runs. We are thrilled to have assembled an incredible cast to meet these many challenges — and each of them is a Boston Summer Opera alum! This production is a true celebration of the artists who have shaped Boston Summer Opera.
This production will be performed in Italian with English supertitles. The run time will be approximately two hours with one 15-minute intermission, making it fast-paced and accessible without sacrificing the musical and comic brilliance that makes Barber such a masterpiece.
Tickets
General Admission - $25
Student/Senior - $12.50
General Admission at the door - $30
Student/Senior at the door - $15
The Barber of Seville
Boston Summer Opera and the Horizon Ensemble are teaming up again to bring The Barber of Seville to Boston!
Get your tickets here!
The Barber of Seville is one of the most popular operas, if not pieces of classical music, ever written — and you probably already know it! This music permeates all cultural boundaries, showing up everywhere, from Looney Tunes to Mrs. Doubtfire to opera houses around the world. The score is packed with ear worms, the comedy is razor sharp, and the vocal acrobatics are truly mind-blowing.
Rossini’s score requires fearless singing actors who can handle lightning-fast patter and sky-high runs. We are thrilled to have assembled an incredible cast to meet these many challenges — and each of them is a Boston Summer Opera alum! This production is a true celebration of the artists who have shaped Boston Summer Opera.
This production will be performed in Italian with English supertitles. The run time will be approximately two hours with one 15-minute intermission, making it fast-paced and accessible without sacrificing the musical and comic brilliance that makes Barber such a masterpiece.
Tickets
General Admission - $25
Student/Senior - $12.50
General Admission at the door - $30
Student/Senior at the door - $15
A Bel Canto Evening
Boston Summer Opera presents a live opera concert celebrating the beauty of the voice, and fundraising for our upcoming 2026 season.
Gilbert & Sullivan in Concert: Where Musical Theatre Began!
A end-of-season concert celebrating Gilbert & Sullivan and the cover artists from our Pirates production!
The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert & Sullivan
Ahoy, mateys - Boston Summer Opera and the Horizon Ensemble are bringing The Pirates of Penzance to Back Bay!
This fully staged production brings Arlington Street Church’s beloved tradition of performing operetta at the church in the 80’s and 90’s back!
More info to come soon.
Summer Sounds at Bellforge Arts Center
Free and open to the public! Come hear (the other) BSO artists Hannah Shanefield, Dylan Evans, and Jacob LyteHaven perform opera and musical theater favorites.
Summer Sounds is Bellforge’s signature midweek music series. Each evening showcases two up-and-coming local artists, set against the backdrop of our outdoor campus. With beer garden vibes, refreshing cocktails, and great food options from local vendors, Summer Sounds is the perfect way to recharge midweek. Bring a blanket, grab a drink, and discover your next favorite artist under the summer sky.
The Jewish American Songbook
An evening of timeless tunes by Jewish composers from the Great American Songbook!
Verdi and Friends: Italian Opera Favorites
Boston Summer Opera returns to Lasell Village for a concert of Rigoletto highlights, plus other Italian opera favorites!
Featured performers are Hannah Shanefield, Vanessa Moya, Kartik Ayysola, Carlo Bunyi, and Jacob LyteHaven.
Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi
Boston Summer Opera is thrilled to present Rigoletto, an opera in two acts with music by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave.
This performance is kindly hosted by The Center for the Arts at the Armory in Somerville! The audience is welcome to order from their kitchen and bar menu during the performance.
Whether you’re a seasoned opera lover or a curious newcomer, this is your chance to experience one of opera’s most iconic works right in the heart of the city.
Starring renowned baritone David Small in the titular role, this production also marks Colombian tenor David Rivera Bozón’s highly anticipated debut of as the Duca. Soprano Hannah Shanefield returns to the beloved role of Gilda.
Why Rigoletto? Because it has everything: stunning music, raw drama, and tunes you'll recognize even if you've never set foot in an opera house. It is a major work — rarely produced in full outside of big houses — and we’re making it happen with a spirit of accessibility and musical excellence!
Tickets are affordable, vibes are welcoming, and the music is not to be missed. This is opera for everyone.
Cast
Rigoletto: David Small*
Gilda: Hannah Shanefield
Il Duca di Mantova: David Rivera Bozón
Sparafucile: Austin Martin*
Maddalena: Becca Allen*
Count Monterone: Carlo Bunyi*
Giovanna: Alesandra Tamargo Onjiko*
Marullo: Dalton Rowe
Matteo Borsa: Heming Cao
Count Ceprano: Wallace Brown*
Countess Ceprano: Natalia St. Jean*
Il Paggio: Emma West
Court Usher: Louis Shriber
Creative Team
Conductor: Luca Antonucci
Assistant Conductor: Julian Gau
Director: Larisa Bainton Hernandez
Stage Manager: Vanessa Moya
Assistant Stage Manager: Marion Amelia Palmiero*
Cover Cast
Rigoletto: Dylan Evans*
Gilda: Abigail Orr*
Gilda study cover: Sohyun Cho*
Il Duca di Mantova: Kartik Ayysola*
Sparafucile: Johan Hartman
Maddalena: Alesandra Tamargo Onjiko*
Matteo Borsa: Larson Miller*
Chorus
Kartik Ayysola, Sohyun Cho, Mencken Graham*, Quang Ha*, Johan Hartman, Larson Miller, Alesandra Tamargo Onjiko, Abigail Orr, Louis Shriber, Natalia St Jean, Emma West
*Indicates Boston Summer Opera debut
Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi
Boston Summer Opera kicks off our 2nd season with a concert performance of Verdi's iconic opera - Rigoletto!
Whether you’re a seasoned opera lover or a curious newcomer, this is your chance to experience one of opera’s most iconic works right in the heart of the city.
Starring renowned baritone David Small in the titular role, this production also marks Colombian tenor David Rivera Bozón’s highly anticipated debut of as the Duca. Soprano Hannah Shanefield returns to the beloved role of Gilda.
Why Rigoletto? Because it has everything: stunning music, raw drama, and tunes you'll recognize even if you've never set foot in an opera house. It is a major work — rarely produced in full outside of big houses — and we’re making it happen with a spirit of accessibility and musical excellence!
Tickets are affordable, vibes are welcoming, and the music is not to be missed. This is opera for everyone.
Cast
Rigoletto: David Small*
Gilda: Hannah Shanefield
Il Duca di Mantova: David Rivera Bozón
Sparafucile: Austin Martin*
Maddalena: Becca Allen*
Count Monterone: Carlo Bunyi*
Giovanna: Alesandra Tamargo Onjiko*
Marullo: Dalton Rowe
Matteo Borsa: Heming Cao
Count Ceprano: Wallace Brown*
Countess Ceprano: Natalia St. Jean*
Il Paggio: Emma West
Court Usher: Louis Shriber
Creative Team
Conductor: Luca Antonucci
Assistant Conductor: Julian Gau
Director: Larisa Bainton Hernandez
Stage Manager: Vanessa Moya
Assistant Stage Manager: Marion Amelia Palmiero*
Cover Cast
Rigoletto: Dylan Evans*
Gilda: Abigail Orr*
Gilda study cover: Sohyun Cho*
Il Duca di Mantova: Kartik Ayysola*
Sparafucile: Johan Hartman
Maddalena: Alesandra Tamargo Onjiko*
Matteo Borsa: Larson Miller*
Chorus
Kartik Ayysola, Sohyun Cho, Mencken Graham*, Quang Ha*, Johan Hartman, Larson Miller, Alesandra Tamargo Onjiko, Abigail Orr, Louis Shriber, Natalia St Jean, Emma West
*Indicates Boston Summer Opera debut
Rigoletto & Friends: The Golden Age of Italian Opera
Join us for an evening of music, wine, and conversation as we present a preview of our upcoming production of Rigoletto!
Don Giovanni
A concert featuring arias from Don Giovanni. Accompanied by Jacob LyteHaven, this performance highlighted our cover artists Daniel Reid, Julia Pottinger, Larisa Bainton Hernandez, and Heming Cao, as well as Johan Hartman, our Commendatore.
Don Giovanni
Our mainstage production of summer 2024!
We are proud to present Don Giovanni, an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte.
The Planets
In collaboration with the New England Conservatory Preparatory School and Boston Festival Orchestra, Boston Summer Opera sang the treble choir in Neptune, the final movement of The Planets by Gustav Holst.
Make Music Boston
In our first ever performance, Boston Summer Opera artists performed operatic and musical theater favorites at Faneuil Hall! Featured singers are Andrew Stack, Johan Hartman, Hannah Shanefield, and Molly Flynn, accompanied by pianist Julian Gau.
Make Music Boston is a live, free musical celebration on June 21, the longest day of the year! Enjoy and participate in concerts on streets, sidewalks, and parks across the city.