Buxton International Festival Announces 2026 Operas

• Six operas (including four new productions, a revival and a concert performance)
• New festival collaborations
• Verdi cycle completed
• Lesser-known operas performed

Buxton International Festival (9-26 July 2026) proudly unveils its 2026 operas, including four brand new productions, a revival and a concert performance.

Commenting, artistic director Adrian Kelly said: “In true Buxton style, we present an ambitious line-up of six productions for 2026. Across 17 days, our operas encompass a range of centuries, styles, and stories.

“We complete our Verdi cycle with La traviata in Buxton Opera House and we perform lesser-known gems including Viardot’s Le dernier sorcier and Caccini’s La liberazione di Ruggiero in the Pavilion Arts Centre. Collaborations include Opera Holland Park, D’Oyly Carte Opera, Vache Baroque, Scottish Opera, Norwich Theatre and The English Concert Orchestra.”

La traviata – Giuseppe Verdi

A Buxton International Festival and Norwich Theatre production in Buxton Opera House

Director: James Hurley

Conductor: Adrian Kelly

Buxton International Festival Orchestra

Verdi’s La traviata remains one of opera’s most luminous and heartbreaking love stories. Violetta, the glittering star of Parisian society, dares to love — but at a devastating cost. From the joyous Brindisi to the poignant finale, Verdi’s masterpiece continues to move audiences worldwide.

Sung in Italian, with English surtitles.
Performance Dates: 11, 15, 18, 22 & 25 July

The Merry Widow – Franz Lehár

A Scottish Opera production in collaboration with Opera Holland Park and D’Oyly Carte Opera in Buxton Opera House

Director: John Savournin

Revival Director: Bence Kalo

Conductor: Iwan Davies

Buxton International Festival Orchestra

A glittering operetta of romance, wit, and intrigue, The Merry Widow follows Hanna Glawari, a wealthy widow whose charm and fortune set off a flurry of romantic schemes. With Lehár’s waltzing score and sparkling humour, this classic brims with elegance and delight.

Sung in English, with English surtitles.
Performance Dates: 10, 14, 17, 21 & 24 July

La clemenza di Tito – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

A Buxton International Festival concert performance in Buxton Opera House
Conductor: Adrian Kelly

Buxton International Festival Orchestra

Mozart’s final opera seria, La clemenza di Tito, tells a story of betrayal, mercy, and the strength of leadership. Emperor Tito’s forgiveness in the face of treachery reveals the noblest side of humanity in one of Mozart’s most moving and majestic works.

Sung in Italian, with English surtitles.
Performance Dates: 19 & 23 July

Amadigi di Gaula – George Frideric Handel

A Buxton International Festival production in Buxton Opera House

Director: Olivia Fuchs

Conductor: Erin Helyard

The English Concert Orchestra

A dazzling tale of enchantment, love, and jealousy, Amadigi di Gaula showcases Handel’s youthful brilliance in music of fire and fantasy. With radiant arias and a score alive with colour, this rarely staged gem promises Baroque opera at its most vivid.

Sung in Italian, with English surtitles.
Performance Dates: 12, 16 & 20 July

La liberazione di Ruggiero – Francesca Caccini

A Vache Baroque production in association with Buxton International Festival in Pavilion Arts Centre

Conductor: Jonathan Darbourne

The first known opera by a female composer, La liberazione di Ruggiero (1625) bursts with wit, magic, and early Baroque invention. A tale of sorcery, love, and liberation, it celebrates the imagination and trailblazing genius of Francesca Caccini.

Sung in Italian, with English surtitles.
Performance Dates: 15, 17, 19 & 21 July

Le dernier sorcier – Pauline Viardot

A Buxton International Festival production featuring musicians from the Buxton International Festival Orchestra in Pavilion Arts Centre. Rediscovered after more than a century, Viardot’s Le dernier sorcier is a chamber opera brimming with humour, humanity, and heart. As a fallen sorcerer faces the power of love and humility, this enchanting work reminds us of opera’s enduring magic.

Sung in French, with English surtitles.
Performance Dates: 13, 16, 20 & 26 July

Box Office
Public Booking for La traviata and The Merry Widow opens on Monday 15 December at 10am. Tel: 01298 72190

buxtonfestival.co.uk

Festival Assets

Video – the 2025 Highlights Video: View here.

Full Opera Programme: View here

Festival Website: View here.