Opera Santa Barbara (OSB) has announced its 2027-28 season will include two operas at The Granada Theatre: Giacomo Puccini’s “Turandot,” Oct. 1 and 3, and Camille Saint-Saëns’s “Samson and Delilah,” April 7 and 9, 2028.

These will be the company’s first productions of both operas, which are known for their epic scale; the vocal demands they place on their lead singers, and their large orchestras and choruses, OSB said.

The company’s third opera of this season will be announced at a later date.
“Opera Santa Barbara is delighted to be returning to The Granada after an absence of four years,” said Kostis Protopapas, OSB’s artistic and general director.

“We are taking advantage of this opportunity to finally tackle two epic works that have been on our wish list for many years,” he said.

“We’re thrilled to welcome our Resident Company, Opera Santa Barbara, back to The Granada,” said Palmer Jackson, chairman/CEO of The Granada Theatre.

“There’s something especially meaningful about seeing our local opera company bring grand opera to life on our stage,” he said. “The scale and ambition of these two productions promise an exciting homecoming, and we look forward to sharing it with our community.”
Both operas will receive new productions from two OSB director/designer teams.

Octavio Cardenas and Daniel Chapman, whose history with the company includes “Rigoletto,” “Pagliacci,” and “Zorro,” will conjure up the mythical world of “Turandot.”

Crystal Manich and François-Pierre Couture, who led the company’s forays into the Wagnerian realm with “Das Rheingold” and “The Valkyrie,” will stage “Samson and Delilah,” which concludes with a collapsing temple, OSB said.

Singers headlining the casts are:

“Turandot” — Alexandra Loutsion will sing the title role and Adam Diegel will portray Calaf, singing the iconic “Nessun Dorma.”

In “Samson and Delilah” Robert Stahley and Sarah Saturnino will take on the title roles, with Ben Lowe as the High Priest of Dagon.

Alexandra Enyart will conduct “Turandot,” and Protopapas will conduct “Samson and Delilah.”

Ticket information: Current OSB subscribers can purchase tickets now through the Granada Theatre Box Office by visiting ticketing.granadasb.org or calling 805-899-2222.

Sales to the general public will open at a later date.

For more about the productions and about Opera Santa Barbara, visit operasb.org.