Opera in the South East 2026 - 2027
From Bizet and Rossini to Gilbert & Sullivan and Mozart - where you can see opera and operetta performed in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Kent, Surrey, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, East & West Sussex and the Isle of Wight including fully staged, semi-staged and concert versions of complete operas.
Locations covered include Brighton, Aylesbury, Canterbury, Windsor, High Wycombe, Portsmouth, Oxford and Southhampton.
Pagliacci
The MarloweThe Friars, Canterbury Kent CT1 2AS
1st May 2026
When Canio, leader of a theatre troupe, sees his life reflected in rehearsals for an upcoming opera, he becomes convinced that his wife is having an affair. Can Canio temper his spiralling emotions, or will his jealousy get the better of him?
Website
The Gondoliers
The MarloweThe Friars, Canterbury Kent CT1 2AS
2nd May 2026
Two handsome and charming gondoliers discover that one is the long-lost heir to the throne of Barataria - but which one? In the pursuit of the truth, a bewildering series of events threaten both their marriages and their claim to the throne.
Website
Carmen
Churchill TheatreHigh Street, Bromley BR1 1HA
6th May 2026
The music of Carmen has been widely acclaimed for the brilliance of its melodies, enthralling atmosphere and orchestration, as well as for the skill with which Bizet musically represented the emotions and suffering of his characters.
Website Book Tickets Now
Madama Butterfly
Churchill TheatreHigh Street, Bromley BR1 1HA
7th May 2026
One of the world's most popular operas, Puccini's Madama Butterfly tells the heart-breaking story of the beautiful young Japanese girl who falls in love with an American naval lieutenant - with dramatic results.
Website Book Tickets Now
The Flying Dutchman
Milton Keynes TheatreMarlborough Gate, Central Milton Keynes, MK9 3NZ
15th May 2026
This gripping reimagining of The Flying Dutchman explores the deep ache of loneliness and the fragile hope of human connection. Inspired by the sublime beauty of the Welsh coast.
Website Book Tickets Now
Blaze of Glory!
Milton Keynes TheatreMarlborough Gate, Central Milton Keynes, MK9 3NZ
16th May 2026
Set in a 1950s Welsh Valleys community, Blaze of Glory! follows the fortunes of a small group of miners who embark upon a musical escapade by reforming their Male Voice Choir to raise spirits following a mining disaster.
Website Book Tickets Now
The Mikado (Reimagined as The McAdo)
Royal Hippodrome Theatre106-114 Seaside Rd, Eastbourne BN21 3PF
22nd May 2026 to 24th May 2026
In a bold new take, Eastbourne G&S has transported the well-loved tale of mistaken identity, threatened executions and mischievous little maids to Historical Scotland?
Website
Garsington Opera 2026 Festival
Garsington OperaWormsley, Stokenchurch, near High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP14 3YE
27th May 2026 to 25th Jul 2026
The 2026 Festival includes La Traviata, Der Rosenkavalier, I'l Ritorno D'Ulisse and The Importance of Being Earnest.
Website
Play Opera LIVE: Shipwrecked!
MAST Mayflower StudiosCommercial Road, Southampton, SO15 1GE
30th May 2026
This interactive and educational show, for all the family, is the perfect introduction to the wonderful world of opera and classical music.
Website
Grange Festival 2026
The GrangeNorthington, Alresford, Hampshire SO24 9TZ
2nd Jun 2026 to 12th Jul 2026
This year's festival includes Puccini's La Boheme, Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, and Handel's Giulio Cesare, all revered masterpieces of differing styles, brought to life by Olivier award-winning creative teams.
Website
Grange Park Opera Festival 2026
Opera HouseGrange Park Opera, West Horsley Place, Epsom Road, West Horsley KT24 6AN
4th Jun 2026 to 12th Jul 2026
The 2026 festival includes Krishna, Das Rheingold, Don Carlo and Il Barbiere di Siviglia.
Website
The Marriage of Figaro
Layer Marney TowerLayer Marney, Nr. Colchester, Essex C05 9US
5th Jun 2026 to 7th Jun 2026
Bursting with glorious melodies - from the fizzing overture to the heart-stopping beauty of 'Dove sono' and the jubilant finale - The Marriage of Figaro is Mozart at his most brilliant. Presented by Wild Arts.
Website
Animal Magic
The Wilfrid Noyce CentreCrown Court Carpark, Godalming GU7 1DY
6th Jun 2026
Concert which includes a performance of The Zoo with music by Arthur Sullivan with a libretto by Bolton Rowe, along with a selection of songs about animals.
Website
The Marriage of Figaro
Kelvedon HallKelvedon Hatch, Brentwood CM14 5TN
14th Jun 2026
Bursting with glorious melodies - from the fizzing overture to the heart-stopping beauty of 'Dove sono' and the jubilant finale - The Marriage of Figaro is Mozart at his most brilliant. Presented by Wild Arts.
Website
The Yeomen of the Guard
Woolwich HallRoyal Military Academy Sandhurst, GU47 0PR
27th Jun 2026 to 28th Jun 2026
Join the Savoy Singers for this exciting new bespoke staging of Gilbert and Sullivan?s ?The Yeomen of the Guard?, with full chorus and dazzling soloists.
Website
King for a Day
The Holy Trinity ChurchThe High Street, Guildford
27th Jun 2026 to 30th Jun 2026
Giuseppe Verdis King for a Day (Un giorno di regno) is unusually for Verdi, is a comedy. Presented by Guildford Opera.
Website
The Marriage of Figaro
Borde HillBorde Hill Ln, Haywards Heath RH16 1XP
4th Jul 2026
Bursting with glorious melodies - from the fizzing overture to the heart-stopping beauty of 'Dove sono' and the jubilant finale - The Marriage of Figaro is Mozart at his most brilliant. Presented by Wild Arts.
Website
The Marriage of Figaro
Thaxted Parish ChurchWatling St, Thaxted, Dunmow CM6 2PE
5th Jul 2026
Bursting with glorious melodies - from the fizzing overture to the heart-stopping beauty of 'Dove sono' and the jubilant finale - The Marriage of Figaro is Mozart at his most brilliant. Presented by Wild Arts.
Website
The Marriage of Figaro
FalconhurstMarkbeech, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 5NR
10th Jul 2026
Bursting with glorious melodies - from the fizzing overture to the heart-stopping beauty of 'Dove sono' and the jubilant finale - The Marriage of Figaro is Mozart at his most brilliant. Presented by Wild Arts.
Website
The Marriage of Figaro
St Mary's Arts Centre59 Strand Street, Sandwich, CT13 9HN
11th Jul 2026
Bursting with glorious melodies - from the fizzing overture to the heart-stopping beauty of 'Dove sono' and the jubilant finale - The Marriage of Figaro is Mozart at his most brilliant. Presented by Wild Arts.
Website
The Magic Flute
The Players TheatreNelson Street, Thame OX9 2DP
18th Jul 2026
Will Tamino escape the serpent? Will he find his love, Pamina and will he discover the truth about the Queen and Sarastro? Take a magical journey with Opera Anywhere?s production of The Magic Flute.
Website
The Magic Flute
West Green House OperaThackham's Lane, Nr Hartley Wintney, Hook, Hampshire RG27 8JB
18th Jul 2026 to 19th Jul 2026
An adventurous Prince Tamino is rescued by three mysterious ladies and ordered by their mistress, the vengeful Queen of the Night, to rescue her daughter, Pamina, from the evil Sarastro.
Website
The Marriage of Figaro
Ham CourtWeald, Bampton OX18 2HG
21st Jul 2026
Bursting with glorious melodies - from the fizzing overture to the heart-stopping beauty of 'Dove sono' and the jubilant finale - The Marriage of Figaro is Mozart at his most brilliant. Presented by Wild Arts.
Website
Le Villi
West Green House OperaThackham's Lane, Nr Hartley Wintney, Hook, Hampshire RG27 8JB
24th Jul 2026
This was the young Puccinis very first opera which he wrote for a competition in Italy long before he became the operatic giant we all know and love.
Website
Tosca
West Green House OperaThackham's Lane, Nr Hartley Wintney, Hook, Hampshire RG27 8JB
25th Jul 2026 to 26th Jul 2026
Perhaps opera's most gripping thriller, Puccini's masterpiece, ?Tosca? is a tale of passion, power, jealousy and betrayal where the action unfolds in Rome over a period of just twenty four hours.
Website
Cosi Fan Tutti
Two Sisters TheatreHever Castle & Gardens, Hever, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 7NG
26th Jul 2026
Playful deception meets its match in Merry Opera's production of Mozart's sparkling comic opera, reminding us that loveis rarely as simple - or as certain - as we'd like to believe.
Website
The Pirates of Penzance
The HawthHawth Avenue, Crawley RH10 6YZ
31st Jul 2026
Performed by a six-strong cast of actor/singers with fully orchestrated accompaniment, The Pirates of Penzance boasts such gloriously memorable songs as ?To be a Pirate King!?; ?Modern Major General? and ?A Policeman's Lot is Not a Happy One?.
Website
The Pirates of Penzance
Chiddingstone CastleHill Hoath Road, Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 7AD
2nd Aug 2026
Performed by a six-strong cast of actor/singers with fully orchestrated accompaniment, The Pirates of Penzance boasts such gloriously memorable songs as ?To be a Pirate King!?; ?Modern Major General? and ?A Policeman's Lot is Not a Happy One?.
Website
The Marriage of Figaro
Yvonne Arnaud TheatreMillbrook, Guildford GU1 3UX
7th Aug 2026
Bursting with glorious melodies - from the fizzing overture to the heart-stopping beauty of 'Dove sono' and the jubilant finale - The Marriage of Figaro is Mozart at his most brilliant. Presented by Wild Arts.
Website
The Pirates of Penzance
Brighton Open Air TheatreDyke Rd, Brighton and Hove, Hove BN3 6EH
14th Aug 2026
Performed by a six-strong cast of actor/singers with fully orchestrated accompaniment, The Pirates of Penzance boasts such gloriously memorable songs as ?To be a Pirate King!?; ?Modern Major General? and ?A Policeman's Lot is Not a Happy One?.
Website
Iolanthe
Two Sisters TheatreHever Castle & Gardens, Hever, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 7NG
23rd Aug 2026
We're delighted Charles Court Opera are returning with their enchanting production of Gilbert & Sullivan?s sharp satire of power, privilege and parliamentary democracy.
Website
HMS Pinafore
Bembridge Village HallHigh Street Bembridge Isle of Wight PO35 5SW
24th Sep 2026 to 27th Sep 2026
Another great mix of humour and fantastic musical entertainment, delivered to you by the group who won the IW Theatre's 'Best Music and Singing' Award 2025 for The Mikado
Website
Tosca
New Theatre Oxford24-26 George St, Oxford OX1 2AG
24th Sep 2026
Join Oxford International Opera and celebrated opera stars for a new, fully-staged production of Puccini?s Tosca brought to the New Theatre in Oxford for two nights.
Website Book Tickets Now
Trial By Jury
Adastra Hall31 Keymer Road, Hassocks BN6 8QH
4th Oct 2026
An afternoon of Gilbert and Sullivan favourites including a complete performance of Trial By Jury.
Website
David & Jonathan
Windmill TheatreBlatchington Mill School, BN3 7BW
11th Oct 2026
Opera by Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704) in a new English translation by Christopher Cowell .
Website
David & Jonathan
Holy Trinity ChurchChurch St, Cuckfield, Haywards Heath RH17 5JZ
17th Oct 2026
Opera by Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704) in a new English translation by Christopher Cowell .
Website
David & Jonathan
Devonshire Park TheatreCompton Street, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 4BW
23rd Oct 2026
Opera by Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704) in a new English translation by Christopher Cowell .
Website
David & Jonathan
Theatre Royal Winchester21-23 Jewry Street, Winchester, SO23 8SB
25th Oct 2026
Opera by Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704) in a new English translation by Christopher Cowell .
Website
The Merry Widow
The Whitty TheatreLuckley House School, Wokingham RG40 3EU
27th Oct 2026 to 31st Oct 2026
Particular highlights include Anna's beautiful Vilia, with its folk inspired melody, the hero?s catchy You?ll find me at Maxim?s and the sweeping Merry Widow waltz, both tender and joyous, which brings the story to its climax.
Website
HMS Pinafore
The Players TheatreNelson Street, Thame, OX9 2DP
31st Oct 2026
The Players Theatre welcomes the return of Opera Anywhere with two performances of Gilbert and Sullivan's HMS Pinafore.
Website
Ruddigore
Bourne End Community CentreWakeman Road, Bourne End SL8 5SX
12th Nov 2026 to 14th Nov 2026
Maidenhead Operatic Society present Gilbert & Sullivan's comic gothic opera.
Website