Lyric Opera 2026 Season NEXT program

By Derri Crenshaw

Interested in opera but never had the opportunity to attend a show? Mind-blowing vocal leaps and drama await once you sign up for Lyric Opera’s NEXT program to get $25 tickets on select dates. If you need an opportunity to dress up, leave the monotony of life or take your special someone on date night (think Valentine’s Day!), this is the perfect opportunity. The Lyric Opera House is a short walk from Washington Wells and it would be great to see new faces in the audience.

Any full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate or graduate students can sign up and pricing includes all fees. Scan the QR code to sign up.

If you’re a fan of drama, first on the docket is “Salome,” taken from the bible, envisioned by Oscar Wilde in his one-act play and revitalized once more by Richard Strauss with his lyrical score and German libretto. Opening on Jan. 25 is a tale drenched in envy and obsession, set in pre-war fascist Italy. How far will Salome go to get what she wants?

Salome, wearing red gloves covering all of her face but one eye. https://www.lyricopera.org/about/press-room/2025/salome/

If you want something more lighthearted, “Così fan tutte” is the perfect alternative. Two officers, stubborn in their belief that women’s feelings are fleeting, decide to switch places and don disguises in order to test their theory–on their own fiancées. But of course, the two ladies knew their plans all along. Laughs, trickery, manipulation and deception will all ensue during this three-hour production. And if you’re down for some Valentine’s Day fun, come to the college night Feb. 13 for games and food before the opera.