Student Night at the Opera
The window to request Student Night tickets for the 2025-2026 Season is now open. Click here to request Student Night tickets.
Students in grades 3 to 12 are invited to the San Diego Civic Theatre to attend the final dress rehearsal of three classic operas at no charge.
Teachers receive study guides tailored to elementary, middle, and high schools and are required to attend virtual workshops to help them introduce opera to their students.
Title I schools or organizations located in Title I neighborhoods are eligible for up to $500 per performance in bus reimbursement, ensuring accessibility for all.
The operas offered in 2025-2026 are Pagliacci (October 29), The Barber of Seville (February 11), and Carmen (March 25). All Student Night at the Opera performances are at 6:30 pm.
- A minimum of ten people per group, including no more than two chaperones, is required. Maximum number of people per group is 60.
- Each group must have a minimum of one responsible adult chaperone for every ten students, and no more than two chaperones per every ten students.
- Study guide for Opera:
Many operas have mature themes and subject matter. Not all operas are suitable for all audiences. Please note age requirements below.
2025-2026 Student Night at the Opera
Pagliacci
By Ruggero Leoncavallo
(Sung in Italian with English and Spanish text projected above the stage)
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
6:30 – 8:30 pm
For Grades 3-12 and chaperones
Click here to request Student Night tickets for Pagliacci.
A troupe of comedy actors arrive in a rural village and start setting up for the evening performance. The leading clown, Canio, is married to the beautiful Nedda, but company members whisper that she might be cheating on him. When the comedy starts, only the clowning can keep Canio’s rage at bay — or can it? One of the most popular operas ever written has even shown up in episodes of “The Simpsons,” “Seinfeld,” and an unforgettable commercial for Kellogg’s Rice Krispies.
The Barber of Seville
By Gioachino Rossini
(Sung in Italian with English and Spanish text projected above the stage)
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
6:30 – 9:00 pm
For Grades 3-12 and chaperones
Click here to request Student Night tickets for The Barber of Seville.
Rossini’s hilarious prequel to Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro was considered a must-see long before Bugs Bunny brought its frenetic overture to an even larger audience. Count Almaviva is in love with the beautiful Rosina, but how can he get past her paranoid and greedy guardian, Dr. Bartolo? Enter the charismatic, quick-witted barber Figaro, who will stop at nothing to play matchmaker for his lovesick friend. Filled with side-splitting hijinks, mistaken identities, and some of the most popular opera music ever written, this Barber will have you rolling in the aisles before you leave humming Rossini’s infectious tunes.
Carmen
By Georges Bizet
(Sung in French with English and Spanish text projected above the stage)
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
6:30 – 9:30 pm
For students in grades 4-12 and chaperones
Click here to request Student Night tickets for Carmen.
The most fearless and indomitable heroine in all opera is back! When Carmen tosses a flower to the soldier Don José, he becomes obsessed, leaving his post to join her band of smugglers. But when she loses interest and sets her sights on a bullfighter, Don José may not be able to handle the rejection.
With a score packed with opera classics, including the “Habanera,” the “Toreador Song,” and one of the greatest overtures ever written, you’ll be joining Don José as you fall under the spell of Carmen.
Location: All performances are at the San Diego Civic Theatre in downtown San Diego.
Cost: Tickets are free of charge, but advance registration is required.
New Transportation Reimbursement Guidelines This Season!
- San Diego Opera will reimburse ONLY Title 1 schools and groups located in Title 1 school neighborhoods for transportation expenses up to $500.
- You must schedule your own buses.
- Schools in districts that provide school buses must use those district buses. San Diego Opera is not able to reimburse schools with access to school district buses for charter bus expenses.
- Only schedule a bus after you have been informed about the status of your ticket request.
- Within 30 days of attending Student Night, please invoice San Diego Opera directly (the maximum invoice amount is $500) by submitting an electronic invoice to educate@sdopera.org.
- Each invoice must be addressed to San Diego Opera, identify the school or group, include the date of the Student Night, and bill San Diego Opera specifically for the amount due.
This program is limited to K-12 public and private schools and youth groups from nonprofit organizations or government agencies only. A minimum of ten people per group, including no more than two chaperones, is required.
For more information, contact (619) 533-7000 or email educate@sdopera.org.
Student Night at the Opera is generously supported by grants from City of San Diego Arts and Culture Commission, The Prebys Foundation, and many individual donors who care about introducing the next generation of opera lovers to this art form.
Corporate Sponsors
