The Santa Fe Opera Announces the American Premiere of Lili Elbe

The Santa Fe Opera Announces the American Premiere of Lili Elbe

The Santa Fe Opera's 69th season is quietly positioning itself as one of the most consequential in the company's history. The summer run culminates in the American premiere of Lili Elbe, a new opera in two acts by Grammy-winning composer Tobias Picker and librettist Aryeh Lev Stollman, with five performances scheduled August 1, 5, 14, 18, and 27. Former Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Lucia Lucas sings the title role.

The season also includes Puccini's Madama Butterfly, Mozart's The Magic Flute, Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, and Handel's Rodelinda, performed in the company's open-air amphitheater seven miles north of the Plaza — one of the most striking opera venues in the world, with the Jemez Mountains framing the stage at sunset. Apprentice Scenes return August 16 and 23.

If you're going: tailgating before the performance in the parking lot is a Santa Fe Opera tradition — locals arrive with folding tables, candles, and the kind of picnic that would embarrass a Michelin guide. Tickets to Lili Elbe are expected to move quickly given the premiere status.

Sources: Santa Fe Opera press release, Santa Fe NM True