STUDENT DRESS REHEARSALS
About the Program
Student Dress Rehearsals are an immersive way for students to go beyond an ordinary field trip to get an intimate experience with the Opera. This FREE program offers a rare opportunity for students to see the show before the public and without a large crowd for a more personal and meaningful experience.
Opera Omaha offers FREE tickets to students and chaperones our upcoming productions. Study guides and other resources are made available to help prepare students for their visit, and Opera Omaha provides Prelude Talk Speakers well versed in the themes and history of the opera to speak with students in advance of the rehearsal, so they have a richer understanding of the production and performance experience. Students get to see the elements of opera come together from the Director, Conductor, Singers, Symphony, Costume Designers, Stage Managers and all other technicians that make show go-on.
These experiences serve as an on-ramp for new opera fans being welcomed into the art form by caring professionals looking to be as inviting as possible to help dissolve the barriers that many perceive when thinking about these performances.
About the Operas
The Barber of Seville
Dress Rehearsal Date: Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Escape on a wild ride through the streets of Seville, where schemes unfurl, passions flare, and chaos occasionally reigns. Figaro, the mischievous barber, is at the center of it all, pulling strings and outwitting anyone who thwarts his plans to help Count Almaviva win Rosina’s heart. From fiery verbal duels to hilarious deceptions, The Barber of Seville is a spirited romp starring Rossini’s lively score and iconic arias.
Sung in Italian with English supertitles
Recommended for students in middle school and older
Susannah
Dress Rehearsal Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Susannah explores the destructive effects of false accusations and the cruelty of mob mentality. Set in a stark Tennessee town, a young woman is targeted by suspicion and gossip that mounts in intensity. The music is undeniably American and inspired by familiar folk melodies that underscore the opera’s setting. Directed by renowned soprano Patricia Racette in her Opera Omaha debut, Susannah confronts the complexity of human nature through Susannah’s search for beauty and one man’s lust for power.
Sung in English with English supertitles
Recommended for students in high school and older
Content note: This production contains appearances of firearms and spoken references to violence and sexual assault.
Hercules
Free Student Tickets for Performance: Friday, March 13, 2026
The English Concert returns to Opera Omaha to perform Handel’s spectacular Hercules. Fresh from battle, Hercules returns home victorious, but his wife Dejanira is consumed by fear that he has been unfaithful. Her jealousy sets off a tragic chain of events that no amount of glory or strength can stop. With Handel’s soaring arias and powerful choruses, Hercules reminds us that the devastating consequences of mistrust can bring even the mightiest to their knees.
Sung in Italian with English supertitles
Recommended for students in middle school and older
Note: This is a one-night only performance, so there will be free student tickets available for the performance.
Bluebeard’s Castle
Dress Rehearsal Date: Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Opera Omaha and the Omaha Symphony join forces to produce Bluebeard’s Castle, where every shadow hides a secret, and every door unlocks a new terror. Bartók’s psychological thriller unfolds as Judith, newly wed to the enigmatic Bluebeard, dares to open his castle’s forbidden doors. The walls close in and the air grows thick with dread as each turn of a key draws her closer to a horrifying secret. With a score that raises the tension with every note, Bluebeard’s Castle is not just an opera—it is a musical descent into madness.
This concert also features Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. It's not just one of the most famous works in the classical repertoire—it's one of the most famous works in the world. Beginning with four of the most recognizable notes in history, Beethoven crafts a musical universe of tension, drama, and ultimate triumph. From its thunderous opening to its blazing finale, the Fifth is a symphonic journey through adversity, brimming with emotional intensity and spirit.
Sung in Hungarian with English supertitles
Recommended for students in middle school and older
Content note: This production contains themes of violence including domestic violence.
UnShakeable
Dress Rehearsal Date: To Be Announced
The Family Opera Series returns with the one-act opera, UnShakeable. Three years after a mysterious epidemic has left its survivors plagued by memory loss, two actors reunite in a desolate theater using the only common language they can find: Shakespeare. As they search for sparks of their forgotten past, they’ll need the audience’s help to connect them to memories and emotions that linger just out of reach.
Sung in English with English supertitles
Recommended for students in elementary school and older
Reservations
Reservation requests can be made online through the form below. Reservations must be made by teachers or program staff who will be accompanying students.
Reservations for each opera will open no less than two months in advance. You must request a reservation for each opera separately.
Prior to submitting your request, please review the frequently asked questions below.
Registration for The Barber of Seville is now open
Frequently Asked Questions
WHO CAN ATTEND STUDENT DRESS REHEARSALS?
This program is open to public or private schools, homeschools, or nonprofit organizations serving K-12 and university students.
We recommend the student dress rehearsal experience for students in middle school and above. This season Susannah is recommended for students in high school and older.
Please contact Opera Omaha if you have specific questions about content or appropriateness.
HOW MANY CHAPERONES NEED TO ATTEND?
All student groups must be accompanied by a teacher and/or chaperone. One adult chaperone per every 10 students in attendance is required, regardless of the age/grade of students. We ask that chaperones accompany their student groups in all areas of the theater during their visit, including the lobby.
WHO CAN REGISTER?
Reservations must be made by teachers or program staff who will be accompanying students.
We are not able to accept individual registrations for Student Dress Rehearsals.
HOW MANY CHAPERONES NEED TO ATTEND?
All student groups must be accompanied by a teacher and/or chaperone. One adult chaperone per every 10 students in attendance is required, regardless of the age/grade of students.
HOW DO I REGISTER?
Register your group online. Please use the link above to register. You must register for each opera separately, and registration will open no less than 2 months in advance of each opera. Filling out an application does not guarantee acceptance into the program.
Please be realistic in your registration numbers and let Opera Omaha know if you have significant changes to your numbers.
WHEN DOES REGISTRATION CLOSE?
Registration closes 1 week prior to each dress rehearsal date, or when capacity is reached. Registration Deadlines:
The Barber of Seville- October 15, 2025
Susannah- January 21, 2026
Hercules- March 6, 2026
Bluebeard’s Castle with Omaha Symphony- April 15, 2026
UnShakeable- To Be Announced
WHERE IS THE OPERA?
The Barber of Seville, Susannah, and Hercules are performed at the Orpheum Theatre, 409 S 16th St, Omaha, NE 68102
Bluebeard’s Castle is performed at The Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas Street, Omaha, NE 68102
WHAT TIME IS THE OPERA?
The Barber of Seville
Wednesday, October 22,2025
Arrival 6:15-6:30pm
Prelude Talk 6:30pm
Dress Rehearsal 7 – 10pm
Susannah
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Arrival 6:15-6:30pm
Prelude Talk 6:30pm
Dress Rehearsal 7 – 10:00pm
Hercules (Performance)
Lobby Opens 6:30pm
Prelude Talk 6:40pm
Performance 7:30-11pm
Bluebeard’s Castle
Timing to Be Confirmed- will be in the evening
In scheduling transportation back to your school, allow at least 15 minutes leeway in the length of the performance. As these are rehearsals, the conductor and/or stage manager may pause or stop to make adjustments during or after the performance.
Leaving at intermission is fine, but please make sure to let us know your plans so we can seat your group accordingly.
WHAT IS THE DRESS CODE?
You can dress up or down, but make sure you wear something that makes YOU feel comfortable. Some people like to dress up to come to the opera, and some come in jeans.
WHAT IF WE NEED TO CANCEL?
Any changes in a school’s attendance status should be communicated to Opera Omaha. In the event Opera Omaha needs to make a change to a Student Dress Rehearsal due to weather or other circumstances you will be notified by email as soon as possible.
Resources for students and teachers
STUDY GUIDE
Opera Omaha prepares a study guide and/or shares learning materials for each Student Dress Rehearsal, which includes information about attending an opera and the production, discussion questions, and a list of additional resources. The study guide is shared approximately two weeks in advance of the Student Dress Rehearsal.
View Study Guides
ARTIST VISITS
Opera Omaha will offer a limited number of artist visits to those attending The Barber of Seville Student Dress Rehearsals. Artist visits will take place the week following the performances, October 27-31.
Artists visits can include short musical performances, masterclasses, Q&A sessions, or discussion of life as an opera artist. If you are interested in an artist from the production visiting with your students, indicate that on your reservation and you will be contacted by a member of the Opera Omaha staff. Spaces are limited and will be reserved on a first come, first served basis.
PRELUDE TALKS
Prior to each Student Dress Rehearsal there is a Prelude talk in the balcony led by an artist connected to the opera giving student audiences extra insight into the opera they are about to experience with behind the scenes highlights as well as history and context.
Opera Omaha study guides and resources help align the Dress Rehearsal Experience with Nebraska’s Fine Arts Standards in Music and Theatre.
Contact
Opera Omaha is dedicated to empowering school communities to provide arts learning opportunities for all students. If you have questions or suggestions about how we could make the Student Dress Rehearsals or opera more engaging for your students, please let us know! For more information please contact:
Lauren Medici, Director of Partnerships and Programs
lmedici@operaomaha.org
(402) 346-7372
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