Four new operas take shape before your eyes
The Bay Area’s weekly roundup of arts, culture, and community | January 16 to 22, 2026
When we head to the theatre, symphony, or opera house, we walk into a performance that has been rehearsed again and again. While live shows always hold the possibility of new interpretation or spontaneous alterations, we generally expect to see something that is polished and fully developed.
It is rare that we, as an audience, are able to see what goes on before performers take the stage and the lights dim. Months of rehearsals and immersive study give the artists a level of material and creative knowledge that we don’t experience. So, when we’re offered an opportunity to see a production in progress, we should take advantage. It can not only deepen our understanding of the art but can give us an appreciation of the dedication and effort that goes into the final product we enjoy.
Next month, join Earplay’s chamber orchestra and 10 opera singers as West Edge Opera showcases four new operatic works in development. — Ciara
On the Stage
Bay Area Youth Orchestra Festival
Classical | San Francisco Symphony
January 18 | Tickets
Hosted by the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra at Davies Symphony Hall, the Bay Area Youth Orchestra Festival (BAYOF) showcases some of the region’s most talented youth ensembles.
More Events
- The Book of Mormon | BroadwaySF | Now – February 1
- Hershey Felder: The Piano and Me | TheatreWorks | January 17 – February 8
- Samantha Hankey and Myra Huang | Cal Performances | January 18 | Program coming soon
- A Streetcar Named Desire | American Conservatory Theater | January 21 – February 1 | Program coming soon
Next Line
- Upsetting news came from San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and California College of the Arts this week: the last nonprofit art and design school in Northern California will be closing at the end of the 2026/27 school year.
- Don’t have the opportunity to travel to Stratford-Upon-Avon to see the Royal Shakespeare Company? No problem: RSC and Neal Street Productions are bringing Hamnet to A.C.T. this spring. The cast, including members from the original production, has been announced.
Subscribe to our Beyond the Stage newsletter for the best news and events from the Bay Area’s performing arts scene, every Friday.
