Opera at The Bay 2026
A partnership between Sarasota Opera and The Bay
Sarasota Opera and The Bay park are partnering again this year to present three opera films at The Bay's Oval amphitheater in April and May 2026 -- all free, open to the public, and under the stars!
Read more here.
Saturday, April 18, 7-10 PM, La bohème
‘Opera at The Bay’ kicks off from 7:00–10:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 18, with a screening of Giacomo Puccini’s La bohème, recorded during Sarasota Opera’s 2026 Winter Opera Festival and featuring soprano Ashley Milanese as Mimì, tenor WooYoung Yoon as Rodolfo, soprano Virginia Mims as Musetta, baritone Filippo Fontana as Marcello, bass Young Bok Kim as Colline, bass Brian Kontes as Benoit, and bass‑baritone Hans Tashjian as Alcindoro, with Artistic Director Victor DeRenzi conducting the Sarasota Opera orchestra. Set in 1830s Paris, the opera follows a group of young artists whose intertwined lives are shaped by love, friendship, and loss in the Bohemian Latin Quarter. La bohème showcases some of Puccini’s most beloved music.
Saturday, April 25, 7-10 PM, The Merry Widow
Audiences can return from 7:00–10:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 25 for Franz Lehár’s The Merry Widow, recorded during Sarasota Opera’s 2026 Winter Opera Festival and featuring soprano Raquel González as Hanna Glawari, baritone Jake Stamatis as Danilo, soprano Sara Kennedy as Valencienne, and tenor Patrick Bessenbacher as Camille, with Anthony Barrese conducting the Sarasota Opera orchestra. One of the most beloved operettas in the repertoire, the story follows the wealthy widow Hanna as she navigates mischief, romance, and high‑society intrigue in 1905 Paris, where a reunion with a former love sets off a swirl of elegant dances, witty complications, and unforgettable melodies.
Saturday, May 2, 7-10 PM, Il trovatore
The grand finale of Opera at The Bay will be Verdi’s Il trovatore, screened from 7:00–10:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, recorded during Sarasota Opera’s 2026 Winter Opera Festival and led by Canadian‑Italian soprano Aviva Fortunata as Leonora, with the “bold and commanding” (Broadway World) mezzo‑soprano Lisa Chavez as Azucena, tenor Victor Starsky as Manrico, baritone Ricardo José Rivera as Conte di Luna, and bass Young Bok Kim as Ferrando. At the podium is Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Victor DeRenzi; the production is directed by Marco Nisticò. Set in 15th‑century Spain, the opera entwines vengeance, passion, and fate in one of Verdi’s most dramatic scores.
Know Before You Go
Food and beverage will be available for purchase from The Nest Café. Limited seating is available in The Oval amphitheater and everyone is encouraged to set up a lawn chair or blanket on the plentiful green space for a true al fresco experience. The operas, all filmed in the Sarasota Opera House during the 2026 Winter Opera Festival, will be shown on the large LED screen with surround sound and English subtitles. Free parking is available across the site. The Bay is at 1055 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota.
Note: Registration is not required but is encouraged. Those who register using the links provided above will be entered into a raffle for a pair of tickets to a performance during the 2026/2027 Opera Season at Sarasota Opera.
To learn more about The Bay and for a park directory, visit https://www.thebaysarasota.org.