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Winston-Salem’s Piedmont Opera, now in its 49th Season, is among the leading regional opera companies in the country. A proud member of OPERA America, Piedmont Opera produces the highest quality productions possible using international, national, regional, and local professional singers and technicians.
Piedmont Opera draws audiences from 16 states and communities throughout the Piedmont, Upstate, and Virginia. It is the second-largest opera company in North Carolina.
Piedmont Opera’s Productions
Operas
Each year, Piedmont Opera presents two regularly scheduled productions.
Pagliacci – November 8, 9, & 11
Upcoming November 8, 9, and 11, Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci will be presented in an immersive opera experience at the Millennium Center, 101 W 5th Street, Winston-Salem. The traditional divide between the stage and the seat will not exist in this exciting and unique experience. Even the hallway and the ballroom become part of the unfolding story. The event center becomes a carnival square with a circus atmosphere. The show begins, but you are inside the world; the audience moves within the opera. Each guest’s experience is unique in this immersive, intimate, and unforgettable event. Tickets will be available at a later date.
Carmen – March 27 & March 29, 2026
Set in Seville, Spain, this opera is as musically dazzling as it is dramatically intense. Carmen will be presented on March 27 & 29, 2026, at High Point Theatre, 1014 Mill Avenue, High Point, with passionate new staging featuring a custom production design in collaboration with Knoxville Opera. Tickets will be available at a later date.
Opera LITE
Whether you are curious about opera or an aficionado, Opera LITE is a great way to experience the music in a low-pressure, informal setting, with a fun theme and beautiful singing. You will meet classically trained up-and-coming artists, hear an informative talk and Q&A with the artists, and enjoy a reception with nibbles.
The event will be held from 3pm – 4:30pm, October 5, at the Mary Alice Warren Community Center, 7632 Warren Park Drive, Lewisville. $15 for adults; children 10 and under free. See this webpage for tickets.
Free Community Concert
African Queens, a free community concert underwritten by The John W and Anna H Hanes Foundation, will be curated and performed by Grammy-Award-winning soprano Karen Slack. African Queens celebrates the history and legacy of seven extraordinary African queens, revered figures whose stories remain unrepresented in Western cultural narratives. Piedmont Opera will be collaborating with Triad Cultural Arts on this 2026 project. African Queens Concert will be held on June 28, 2026, location to be determined.
Other Operatic Events
La Lunch Pagliacci, October 28 – Join Piedmont Opera’s Joseph Mechavich and principal cast members for a fun and educational introduction to Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. The event ticket price includes a plated lunch, speakers, and seating at The Historic Brookstown Inn in Winston-Salem. See This site for tickets.
Opening Night Diner – Pagliacci, November 8 – Enjoy an elegant diner before the opera, from salad to desert. Vegan option available. See this site for tickets.
Holiday Concert With Jill Gardner, December 5 – This is an incredible opportunity to meet the one and only Jill Gardner! Ms. Gardner is an American soprano noted for her “effortlessly produced, rich voice” and is renowned for her masterful interpretation of the role of Tosca. Only 50 tickets are available for this event. See this site for tickets.
Community Outreach
Educational
Piedmont Opera and UNCSA’s A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute take Touring Children’s Opera into elementary schools and other organizations that support children and underserved audiences. The operatic play of Jack and the Beanstalk exposes students to opera while teaching important moral lessons. It is a 40-minute production with a 10-minute Q&A with the cast. Teachers receive a packet with pre- and post-show information and activities that align with NC teaching standards. See the Piedmont Opera Educational Outreach page for more information about bringing this program to your school.
Student Night
Students and their chaperones are invited to attend the final dress rehearsal for a production. Tickets are only $5 for students and $15 for chaperones. Student ID is required for college students – no assigned seating, general seating only. Groups are welcome. One chaperone is required for every 10 students. A Know-Before-You-Go guide is available for download, explaining theater etiquette, opera appreciation, a glossary of opera terms, and more. A study guide for the upcoming opera will also be available (2025/26 season to come.) See the Student Night website for more information.
Photo credit: Piedmont Opera’s Facebook page.
Storytime
Young children, their families, and caretakers are introduced to opera as an accessible art form and have the opportunity for an up-close experience with professional opera singers through this unique Storytime program. A Piedmont Opera singer reads a book at a library or school from the organization’s children’s library. During or after the reading, the singer demonstrates their operatic voice and talks about what it is like to be an opera singer. Afterward, kids and adults are encouraged to meet and greet the artist, and kids receive a sticker. The book is donated to the host organization’s library. This program brings opera to students and families who otherwise may not be exposed to the art and inspires new and young audiences. For information about hosting a Storytime program see Piedmont Opera’s Storytime webpage.
There are currently no upcoming Storytimes open to the public.
HOPera – Piedmont Opera Is Redefining Opera Glasses!
Piedmont Opera’s HOPera (a mix of Beer and Opera) brings this art form to new audiences in unexpected places! Talented opera singers surprise patrons by performing shortened songs of light, familiar opera and Broadway music in bars, breweries, or restaurants across the Triad. See their HOPera Website for details.
Rock, Jazz, Wind Ensembles, Symphonies
You will find many types of music in Winston-Salem, from Classical to Patriotic to Beach Music and Rock. The Salem Band wind ensemble performs free concerts in Salem Square. They are dancing in the street on 4th, and Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, and Mozart are at Reynold’s Auditorium. You will find Jazz at Corpening Plaza and local artists playing at Bailey Park, both free. Check out our concerts article for these events and more.
Does Opera LITE sound like a great introduction to opera? Let us know what you think in the comments.
