Onstage at OIO

Opera in Bloom

Celebrate opera singers in the blush of their greatness!

ELEVATE YOUR OPERA EXPERIENCE

The New OIO Theatre

“A new theater will be transformational for our artists and audiences,” said Nancy J. Preis, general director of Opera in the Ozarks. “It will offer artists a stage worthy of their talents. Our new home will also be a welcoming space for audiences to enjoy an intimate and high-quality performance.”

2026 SEASON / JUNE 26 - JULY 24

Opera in Bloom

Come Celebrate With Us!

Candide, Leonard Bernstein

Tue, Jun 30 – Wed, Jul 22

Coming soon

The Marriage of Figaro, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Fri, Jun 26 – Fri, Jul 24

Coming soon
 

Sour Angelica & Gianni Schicchi, Giacomo Puccini

Sat, Jun 27 – Thu, Jul 23

Coming soon

2026 Season / JUNE 26 - JULY 24

Other Shows & Events

Featuring OIO Musicians and Performers

Broadway Cabaret

Saturday July 18

TBA

Details coming soon

Broadway Cabaret

Monday July 20

TBA

Details coming soon

Chamber Music

Tuesday July 21

TBA

Details coming soon

Opera Watching 101

Get the most out of our unique experience! Check out our FAQ below.

If you have a question you don’t see answered here, email us or call us at (479) 253-8595.

Just because you’re attending an opera doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be comfortable! Opera in the Ozarks doesn’t have a dress code; so if you’d like to dress up or dress down, please feel free to do so. Because our opera season is in the summe, we recommend you dress comfortably and dress cool. The good news is that air-conditioning was installed for our 64th season.

Although Opera in the Ozarks performs many of its operas in their original languages, we also project English supertitles above our stage. While our artists are singing in French, German, or Italian, you’ll be able to follow the words and the actions in English.

Our performances begin at 7:30 p.m. with an Opera Talk at 7:00 p.m. If you would like to hear the Opera Talk we suggest you arrive 20-30 minutes before 7:00 to find a parking spot and look around. If you’re only coming for a performance, arriving 30-40 minutes before 7:30 p.m. should leave you enough time to find a parking spot and your seat.

Our Sunday matinee shows, in our own theater at Inspiration Point, begin at 3:00 pm. Opera Talk will begin at 1:30PM.

Being on time to a performance is a courtesy to other opera goers who are seated and listening attentively. Late-comers may not be seated until a break or an intermission.

The Opera Talk is your chance to hear a sneak preview of the opera you’ll be seeing that evening. Our General Director, Nancy Preis, generally leads our Opera Talks and you’ll also hear from 2 or 3 of our singers. The singers usually talk about the characters they play and musical devices  you should listen for. Time allowing, they will answer any questions you have about the opera or their experiences at Opera in the Ozarks.

We do have a small concession stand where we sell water and soft drinks.  We suggest making an evening out of attending one of our performances and enjoy one of the many fine restaurants in Eureka Springs, just 6 miles east of our theatre. Please see our area attractions page for some dining ideas. 

As a general rule of thumb, there are a few key places where clapping is a good idea:

When the conductor comes out to start the overture.
After a particularly well-sung aria.
At the end of an act or the end of the opera when the singers are taking bows.

If you’re unsure of where to clap, following the crowd is always a good idea for your first experience at an opera.

Also, feel free to shout “Bravo!” if you’ve heard or seen something you really enjoyed. Although, the word you shout changes depending on the situation. Here is a quick “Bravo” guide:

Say Bravo (Brah-voh) for a male performer’s exceptional performance.
Say Brava (Brah-vah) for a female performer’s exceptional performance.
Say Bravi (Brah-vee) for a group’s exceptional performance.

  • Please turn off all cell phones and beepers before the opera begins.
  • Please refrain from talking during the performance. This includes talking during the Overture because in many operas the overture can be a “highlight reel” of what to expect musically and dramatically on stage.
  • Please do not hum or sing along with the performers. If you’d like to sing with us, please ask about our auditions!

Past Productions

Each year we perform three fully produced operas. Click to explore photos from our past shows.

Special feature

Here is our 2021 production of The Magic Flute. Due to Covid, our 2021 Family Opera could not go in to the community, so we decided to perform it live on our MainStage, and video for our audiences that could not get to our theater. This is a re-working of the classic opera, that has been themed around ecology and the preservation of our planet. Below is the full production video, photo gallery with concept art, as well as behind the scenes videos from our Costume Designer Kim Welborn and Director Robert Swedberg.

Magic Flute Production & Bonus Videos

The Magic Flute Photos

BTS: Costume Design Concepts

USITT- The Association for Performing Arts and Entertainment Professionals asked Kim Welborn to come on their podcast “TECHnically Speaking” to share her experience creating the costumes for “The Magic Flute”.

Performance DVDs & Streaming Past Productions

We have selected one performance of each cast of three of our 2024 operas that you can purchase in our store: either streaming or DVD. Each show has been recorded with multiple microphones for clear, balanced audio, English translation subtitles and in HD.

L’Enfant Et Les Sortilèges

7-14-24 Performance

L’Enfant Et Les Sortilèges

7-14-24 Performance

L’Enfant Et Les Sortilèges

7-14-24 Performance