Cincinnati Opera announces its 2025 Summer Festival, including an all-new production of Fiddler on the Roof

The company’s 105th anniversary season also features Verdi’s Rigoletto, Puccini’s Tosca, and the return of Studio Sessions.

Performances take place June 12 through July 27, 2025, at Cincinnati’s historic Music Hall.

CINCINNATI (October 30, 2024)—Cincinnati Opera’s Christopher Milligan, The Harry Fath General Director & CEO, and Evans Mirageas, The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director, have unveiled details for the company’s 2025 Summer Festival, its 105th anniversary season.

Next summer, Cincinnati Opera will present one of the world’s all-time favorite musicals, Fiddler on the Roof, in a brand-new production. Also featured will be a new-to-Cincinnati production of Rigoletto, Giuseppe Verdi’s tragic story of vengeance gone wrong, and a revival of the company’s production of Tosca, Giacomo Puccini’s gripping tale of love, betrayal, and political intrigue. Rounding out the 2025 Summer Festival is the return of Studio Sessions, a series of intimate, artist-curated concerts presented cabaret-style. Performances run from June 12 through July 27, 2025, at Cincinnati Music Hall (1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202).

The 2025 Summer Festival also marks Evans Mirageas’s 20th season as Cincinnati Opera’s artistic director. Said Mirageas, “For our 105th summer of opera and my 20th with this extraordinary company, we’re excited to offer opera as a catalyst for connection, both with oneself and one’s community. From the affecting emotional landscapes of Tosca and Rigoletto to the life-affirming message of Fiddler on the Roof to the soul-stirring intimacy of Studio Sessions, the 2025 season offers experiences that will resonate deeply with the spirit and illuminate our shared humanity.”

Said Christopher Milligan, “We’re thrilled to invite audiences to experience our 2025 Summer Festival, a season that reflects our commitment to both tradition and exploration. We aspire to offer accessible points of entry to enjoy opera, and we hope that productions like Fiddler on the Roof alongside classics like Rigoletto and Tosca, plus our Studio Sessions series, will open the doors of Music Hall to all who are curious about exploring this inspiring art form.”

Cincinnati Opera
2025 Summer Festival

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Rigoletto
Music by Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave

Thursday, June 12, 2025 | 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 14, 2025 | 7:30 p.m.
Springer Auditorium | Cincinnati Music Hall
Sung in Italian with projected English translation

Opening the 2025 Summer Festival is Giuseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto. Set in a corrupt 16th-century court, the opera follows the tragic story of the jester Rigoletto, whose attempt to protect his daughter, Gilda, from the immoral Duke of Mantua spirals into a harrowing tale of betrayal and revenge. Known for its riveting drama and unforgettable music including the iconic aria “La donna è mobile,” Rigoletto reminds us that fate cannot be fooled.

Singing the title role is baritone Michael Chioldi, who enjoyed recent successes as Rigoletto at The Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, and Austin Opera; said Broadway World, “Not only does he give us every note in his beautiful baritone, he makes us feel his love, anger, pain and grief at every moment.” His daughter, Gilda, will be sung by soprano Kathryn Lewek, of whom the New York Times said, “Singing like Lewek’s is what the magic of opera is all about.” Appearing as the Duke of Mantua is Zach Borichevsky, who was praised as possessing a “tenor [with] a magical brilliance that brought goosebumps” (Music City Review). As the assassin Sparafucile, Cincinnati Opera Artistic Advisor Morris Robinson brings his “booming, focused bass” that lends “chilling effectiveness” (ArtsATL) to the role.

This new-to-Cincinnati production from The Atlanta Opera, originally directed by Tomer Zvulun, features scenic design by John Conklin, costume design by Vita Tzykun, lighting design by Thomas C. Hase, and hair and makeup design by James Geier. John Fiore will conduct the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and Henri Venanzi will lead the Cincinnati Opera Chorus.

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Tosca
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa

Thursday, June 26, 2025 | 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 28, 2025 | 7:30 p.m.
Springer Auditorium | Cincinnati Music Hall
Sung in Italian with projected English translation

The season continues with Puccini’s glorious ode to undying love, Tosca. Floria Tosca, a passionate singer, is caught in a dangerous triangle between her lover, the artist Cavaradossi, and the villainous police chief, Scarpia. As tensions escalate, Tosca must confront her deepest fears and make an agonizing choice to save the man she loves. With its gripping drama and stirring music, Tosca remains one of opera’s most compelling works.

Following her extraordinary company debut as Cio-Cio-San in Cincinnati Opera’s 2023 production of Madame Butterfly, soprano Karah Son returns to Music Hall to sing Tosca; The Guardian (U.K.) has lauded her Tosca as “forceful and convincing … Son brings a potent dignity and sense of agency to the role.” Matthew White returns to Cincinnati Opera with his “elegant tenor capable of exciting high notes” (Cincinnati Business Courier) in his role debut as Cavaradossi. Appearing as Scarpia is baritone Anthony Clark Evans, who most recently moved Cincinnati audiences with his affecting portrayal of Germont in the company’s 2024 production of La Traviata.

Cincinnati Opera will revive its celebrated production of Tosca featuring stage direction by Jose Maria Condemi, scenic and costume design by Robert Perdziola, lighting design by Thomas C. Hase, and hair and makeup design by James Geier. Conductor Clelia Cafiero makes her U.S. debut leading the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and Henri Venanzi directs the Cincinnati Opera Chorus.

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Fiddler on the Roof
Based on Sholem Aleichem stories by special permission of Arnold Perl
Music by Jerry Bock | Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick | Book by Joseph Stein
Produced on the New York stage by Harold Prince
Original New York stage production directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins

Wednesday, July 23, 2025 | 7:30 p.m.
Friday, July 25, 2025 | 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 26, 2025 | 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 27, 2025 | 3 p.m.
Springer Auditorium | Cincinnati Music Hall
Sung in English with projected lyrics

Winner of nine Tony Awards, Fiddler on the Roof tells the story of Tevye, a milkman in a small Russian village, who struggles to uphold his family’s traditions in a rapidly changing world. As his daughters grow up and challenge age-old customs, Tevye must navigate the tension between honoring the past and embracing the future. Through its exploration of love, tradition, and resilience, Fiddler on the Roof captures the universal struggle of families facing change.

“Fiddler on the Roof has been a global sensation since its Broadway premiere in 1964,” said Evans Mirageas. “We believe this piece is perfectly suited for the operatic stage. With its sweeping symphonic score, richly crafted roles, and emotional depth, it’s a natural fit for the talents of our extraordinary cast, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Opera Chorus, and Cincinnati Ballet. Our production will give this classic new life, celebrating its vibrancy and universality.”

Max Hopp will make his U.S. debut as Tevye, a role he has performed to acclaim in Europe; said the New York Times of his portrayal, “Max Hopp carried most of the evening. … [His] performance peeled back the character’s many layers and identities—Everyman, fool, pious Jew, paterfamilias—without ever reducing him to a single one.” With “singing and acting [that] radiate intensity” (Opera News), GRAMMY Award-winning mezzo-soprano Victoria Livengood makes her company debut as Golde, Tevye’s wife. Their daughters, Tzeitel, Hodel, and Chava, will be sung by sopranos Rachel Kobernick, Rachel Blaustein, and Jennifer Zetlan. The cast also includes mezzo-soprano Janice Meyerson as Yente, baritone Simon Barrad as Perchik, and vocalist Sarah Folsom as Fruma Sarah.

Cincinnati Opera’s new production will be directed by Crystal Manich and will feature scenic design by Andrew Boyce, costume design by Chad Phillips, lighting design by Thomas C. Hase, hair and makeup design by James Geier, and choreography by Michael Pappalardo, featuring dancers from Cincinnati Ballet. Levi Hammer will conduct the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and Henri Venanzi leads the Cincinnati Opera Chorus.

Fiddler on the Roof is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com

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Studio Sessions
Tuesday, June 17, 2025 | 8 p.m.
Thursday, July 10, 2025 | 8 p.m.
Thursday, July 17, 2025 | 8 p.m.
Wilks Studio | Cincinnati Music Hall

Beyond the mainstage, Cincinnati Opera will host three Studio Sessions in Music Hall’s Wilks Studio, each offering an artist-curated, up-close, and personal performance experience. These intimate concerts will immerse audiences in a unique atmosphere where artists take center stage, guiding the evening through storytelling and song. Studio Sessions provide a rare opportunity to connect with opera in a way that feels both fresh and deeply personal. Featured artists and programming will be announced at a later date.

Casts, Community Programs, and Tickets
Full season casting and community programming for the 2025 Summer Festival will be shared in early 2025. Subscriptions for Cincinnati Opera’s 2025 Summer Festival are now available and start at $105. Tickets to individual performances go on sale April 1, 2025, and start at $36. Discounts are available for seniors, educators, U.S. veterans and active military personnel, full-time students, ArtsWave ArtsPass members, and SNAP cardholders. For more information, visit cincinnatiopera.org or contact the Cincinnati Opera Box Office at 513-241-2742.