About Pensacola Opera
Pensacola Opera in Concert
Established in 1983 to bring world-class performances to audiences in Florida, Pensacola Opera is proud to present its latest season of comedy and classics. The Pensacola Opera’s mainstage productions may be enjoyed by audiences in one of two ways. In addition to the in-person, limited-capacity presentations at the Saenger Theatre, patrons can also experience the Pensacola Opera via special livestreams. The live experience, of course, fills the senses with the music and drama of spirited productions like Don Giovanni, Carmen and H.M.S. Pinafore.
Pensacola Opera Background
The Pensacola Opera’s story began in 1983 when a group of opera lovers from all walks of life joined together with the shared mission of mining the area’s rich array of talent to create local productions. The Pensacola Chamber Opera was the first name of this grassroots company, which made its debut with an English-language production of Mozart’s Così fan tutte, presented in three performances to a total audience of 700. In the early 1990s, the young company now known as the Pensacola Opera found its performance home at the Saenger Theatre, a historic 1,800-seat venue in downtown Pensacola. From this invaluable base, the Pensacola Opera began to offer season subscriptions as well as the many community and educational outreach programs that have earned the company recognition. By the 2000s, a company that started as an entirely volunteer-run labor of love had become a more professional organization with a wide range of artistic and educational endeavors. The 25th anniversary season in 2008 included productions in new venues such as Northwest Florida State College (then Okaloosa-Walton College) in Niceville. Many more milestones followed, such as the 2009 reopening of the renovated Saenger Theatre with a wildly successful production of Aida, and a regional tour for the company’s first original commissioned opera, The Widow’s Lantern by David Ott. In January 2020, stage director Fenlon Lamb wowed Pensacola audiences with his production of Don Giovanni. Marking its 38th season in 2021, the Pensacola Opera continues to greatly enrich the cultural life of Northwest Florida.
