This is my first opera since moving down here from NYC 11 years ago. In tonight's case, we have tickets for Il Trovatore (Giuseppe Verdi). Even though downtown Sarasota is a total conglomeration of small and poorly laid out streets, it was easy to get here. I lucked out and found a spot on Central Ave right around the corner. Just $2 to park until 8pm, after which it's "free parking," to borrow a phrase from Monopoly. They refurbished this place not so long ago so it's quite nice in the auditorium itself. It kinda has a Spanish colonial feel both inside and outside. When I hear "opera house," I think of the Metropolitan Opera House and Lincoln Center. This place is quite small and more closely resembles a theatre where one would expect to see "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" or "Hello Dolly." I purchased orchestra box seats, which come 4 to a box, two rows per box. No one right near us but two couples front of us in the next box forward. I'm tall enough to have seen over Madame Blue Hair, so I had to switch seats with my dear Queen Bee. Sight lines could be better, IMHO. Meantime, I even received a personalized thank you letter from the Opera House "Powers That Be" upon entering our "box." Two free drinks were ours for the taking..."does not include spirits." Still a nice touch though. Free Diet Pepsi/Coke awaits us in the future! Woo Hoo!! Acoustics seemed okay rather than too loud, too muffled or too tinny. As I said above, sight lines are rather mediocre but at least one isn't totally packed in like a tin of sardines. Both our seats (stand alone moveable chairs) and standard row seating seem comfortable enough. read more

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Stopped into this hundred year-old historic Opera House in the arts district of Sarasota. The Sarasota Opera House is a historic, beautifully renovated 1,119-seat theater in downtown Sarasota, known for hosting opera, ballet, concerts & film festivals. Originally opened in 1926 as the Edwards Theatre, it features a restored auditorium with excellent acoustics and is part of a larger complex that includes a pavilion for events. The venue is on the National Register of Historic Places and offers a variety of performance and event spaces. read more

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Beautiful venue great seating fantastic artists oh, and the pit Orchestra was fantastic as well

This was my first time here. We sat in the orchestra , great seats. Enjoyed the ballet production of Coppelia. **finally a venue that has a woman's bathroom with 10 + toilets. read more

Sarasota Opera Association - Opera & Ballet Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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I am from out of state and adore coming in to Sarasota to enjoy the opera at the Sarasota Opera House. The venue is absolutely stunning. Valet parking makes it easy to get in and out of the location. The performances are wonderful. The singers are top notch and I really enjoy the staging. I just saw the combination of Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci and both were superb. The temperature if anything has run a little chilly for me, so I am attentive to that and bring a wrap or shawl just in case. I saw another reviewer comment that they heard audience noise such as cell phones and whispered conversation. I'm surprised at that. I've never had that experience at all. Maybe they had the misfortune to be seated next to someone who hadn't been to an opera before. It happens. Highly recommended - a jewel in Sarasota which draws in happy visitors! read more

The opera house was opened in 1926. The city's population is 54,842 population (2020 census), which 77.7% are white, 2.1% Asian. The donors. Great Neck, with population of 40,000, its public high school puts out a full production of an opera every year. Comparing to GN, Sarasota's down town is decidedly livelier and busier. The production of this 1904 Puccini's Madams Butterfly is very decent. The set is bit busy. Not sure getting a little boy is a good idea. I don't see any up side of having him. The opera runs well into 10:30 and he's missing his bed time. The singers made curtain call after every act. Gosh, they sure do love to hear applauses. The singers. Soprano Raquel González from Kansas is pretty good, who has performed with the NYPhil in Beethoven's 9th symphony @ Avery Fisher Hall, which meant pre 2015 (now David Geffen Hall). The audience: omg, they're so noisy. Candy wrappers, dropped phones, whispering, ... like a circus or at baseball game. read more

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I entered a car raffle that's winner wasn't identified and they had no live drawing. The tickets were 100 each. Not very transparent and very shady. they wont be getting sny mire donations from me. this is not the way to do business. I emailed and questioned the raffle results on FaceBook but no winner name was given on there, instagram, or on their website. I have received no response to the email either. All legitimate raffles have a luve drawing and the person's name is given. read more

Ernani was a delightful experience!!! We cannot wait until the 2023-2024 season! We are going to look into season tickets!! read more

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The Bee Gees Tribute Band was fantastic! they are were so amazing. Barry was hitting those high just like the superstar he was! He left the stage and ended up seranading our Mom who just so happens to be his favorite, number one fan! she actually me the Barry Gibb once upon a time in Bradentom at Demetrios while dining with Nick Bolleterri. she got her picture taken with him, he put his arm around her and kissed her on the cheek. This serenade was the next best thing ! He did not disappoint! We had a great time and smiled laughed and cried tears of joy. We grew up on The Bee Gees in elementary school and have loved them our whole lives! Thanks for a very entertaining performance. You guys were great and made a nearly 77 year old woman's year! Thank you for a spectacular evening gentlemen! read more

Seriously try attending at least one Opera at this charming Opera House located in downtown Sarasota. If you don't think you are an Opera kinda person think again. If you love live music, singing, dancing, drama and an opportunity to do something different this company will thrill you! If you're new to Opera try one of the classics...Aida, Butterfly or Carman. Refreshments during intermission and why not dine before or after downtown...the Selva Grill is right around the corner and serves a late night menu!!! read more

Sarasota Opera Association - Opera House and Melinda Foster - Opera & Ballet Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

What a wonderful spot, comfortable and welcoming, acoustical was very nice, enjoyed ourselves.

It was not clear to us that vaccine papers were required and we were sensitive to that- it is not clear on the website when purchasing. In retrospect we realized it was outlined in a link in a confirmation email... Myself, wife and 5yo son were refused entry at the door for not carrying papers. Hopefully the refund doesn't take too much effort. I feel bad for all of the people left outside in a situation similar to ourselves. We are disappointed and won't include this on our holiday traditions... read more

This theater is located near the downtown area of Sarasota, walking distance from the marina. It's an old theater before ADA requirements were allowed, it's a beautiful historic theater with the steep steps and narrow seats, but wherever you sit in the theater you have an excellent view of the stage. It was like going back in time and going to an opera . The ushers and greeters were very friendly and escorted you to your seats, and made sure knew where all the restrooms and exits were. Whatever is playing or show in town it's well worth going to and enjoying the evening out in town. There's a few restaurants in the area and shops to enjoy. I suggest using the parking deck and walk a few blocks to the theater and have your dinner and get your shopping in first. The theater still has the ole fashion decorations and they're decor is from back in the 20's or 30's. It's like stepping back in time, you will enjoy the vIew and the shows. read more

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Got a last minute ticket for Puccini and his third opera Manon Lescaut (1893). The staff at the ticket office was very helpful and saved me 30 USD by informing me that the seat just two rows behind was much cheaper. I actually sat at the very back, but still had a nice view. The opera is not as big as some others, like the Met. It's not small either, but you will have a good view also from the cheaper seats. You can have a glass of wine in the intervals. But even without, the Manon Lescaut performance was amazing. read more

Sarasota Opera Association - Opera & Ballet Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

I went to see the Nutcracker today at this opera house. It was fantastic. When they say all the seats are good on their website, they are absolutely correct. This a refined, intimate building that is fairly easy to get to. The Nutcracker performance was excellent and truly enjoyable to share with family or friends. The stage set was very well done and the dancers were amazing The one thing that I wasn't super pleased about is that the performance went from 4-6:20 and the intermission was so short there wasn't enough time to eat. If the show had been before or after dinner time it wouldn't have been an issue. I did call before hand to try to find out what the food situation was there but the box office wasn't open even an hour before the show started. However - over all my experience there was memorable and I may become a member. On the future I will be prepared if we go to a show during dinner time. read more

After two years of Covid pandemic shut downs I was really excited about taking my children to see the Nutcracker ballet at the Sarasota Opera House, so I went online and purchased the nonrefundable tickets. In the purchasing process it asked us to agree to abide by the Covid guidelines which were embedded in a link. Knowing that in Florida Covid vaccinations cannot be required, and never guessing that there would be excessive and uncommon rules, I assumed that it said a mask would be required, and didn't open the link. Imagine my surprise when I received a phone call on the morning of the matinee performance stating that we needed to be sure to bring our negative Covid test results at the time of check-in. I immediately went online and began trying to search for a location in my area that could do a rapid Covid test because, once I opened the link and saw the Covid rules, I realized that it also stated that home tests were not allowed. Had I received this phone call or the last minute email two days earlier, I would have completed the tests in time. We called a friend who had gone to the previous evening's performance, and they stated that people were being turned away at the door over this, so we did not attend the performance. My children were upset and crying. I am extremely disappointed in the Sarasota Opera House over this. If they were going to give notice and make reminders it would have been more professional to do so two or three days in advance rather than four hours in advance. Additionally, it would have been wise for them to post the covid rules in bold print right on the purchasing website rather than embedding them in a small link , considering that covid tests are not required in every day life except for international travel and surgical procedures. (I see that since then they have tried to improve this.) I clearly am not the only one who made this mistake. read more

This is a very nice theater.. kept up well very clean staff is really nice and Its central located around other theaters and some good food. Across from the library.. prices seem pretty fair for this place only thing truly is locating parking.. they always have good shows and talent stop on by if u like theater and shows and such take a gander and stop in see what is coming read more

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Today my friend Lori and I attended a piano concert here. It was titled: PIANO GRAND IV - HOLIDAY EDITION. There were 5 amazing pianists on stage at the same time, all playing STEINWAY pianos and creating this fantastic music....everyone was mesmerized. It was outstanding and we can only applaud what we witnessed here today. Too bad the balcony seats seem to be getting tighter, there was absolutely no room to stretch your legs even in front of you. Not comfortable at all, but the music was worth the bad seating. read more

Beautiful opera house. Great acoustics. I was there with my memory impaired disabled mother and they did a great job accommodating us and her needs. The opera itself was excellent! read more

If your an Opera lover like me, you will appreciate that while your in Sarasota you can have your cake and eat it to! Warm weather, sunny skies, water and beaches...and yes.. you can even catch an opera! (during opera season).. I love that during my stays here in the fall / winter, I can attend an opera just a short distance away, right in downtown Sarasota. Restaurants and parking nearby....a fantastic way to spend an evening... Growing up, my father was an avid listener & opera goer...and so my love for the opera grew as well, having been exposed at an early age. Puccini & Verdi are two of my favorite composers and the stories expressed through music, are much like reading an exceptional book....its a powerful force that takes you on an emotional journey...through the eyes of its composers...truly captivating...if you have an interest, but have never been, I recommend a visit...the experience always leaves me satiated. I have been to SO many times and always enjoy the productions. A historic building that not only showcases some great composers, such as Verdi & Puccini...but HD shows during the summer, tours, concerts featuring Artists and new talents performing various opera songs and Broadway classics....musically, they have something for everyone year round... Was recently here to see La Boheme for opening season. I have seen this opera many times at Lyric Opera, but this was my first production at SO. I have to say the cast, production, set, costume design...maestro...all fabulous...Mimi was played by Jessica Rose Cambio; Italian Soprano. Beautiful voice. Not quite the Anna Netrebko (Russian Soprano), but nonetheless, she did a wonderful performance. Tenor Martin Nusspaumer played Rodolfo...again, outstanding. The fact that he was handsome too, made him even more enjoyable to watch.. The opera house itself is much smaller in scale compared to Lyric in Chicago. SO seats roughly 1,200 vs. Lyric which holds ALMOST 4x's that many... It is not as 'grandious' but neither are ticket prices. We sat in Box for $60/tix. (range is $60-$140). Mezzanine level starts at $30...huge difference in price here, yet we didn't compromise on the performance. A fantastic deal for an opera in an intimate setting.. The interior is simple but elegant... Great acoustics & quality. Comfort of seats are 'ok', not a whole lot of leg room on ground level, yet I've always felt the seating at Lyric was rather 'tight' and 'cramped'. English subtitles are displayed above the theatre. Parking is a breeze here. There is a garage directly behind the opera house on Palm Ave. and its FREE. They offer Valet parking as well. Many nice restaurants in the area to grab a drink or light dinner before the show. We stopped at Café Epicure, less than a mile away for a quick bite.....then returned after show for a delicious cappuccino.. While this may not have been the best production of La Boheme I have seen, the performance was very, very good - - the music, touching. There is something to be said about experiencing an opera in a more intimate setting like Sarasota Opera...I love the comfortable and personal feel...however, in terms of production, I prefer the Lyric... read more

There was nothing "holiday" about "hidden holiday treasures." The orchestra was great as usual but the music selections were depressing given the holiday. We couldn't see the dance number from the balcony so I think we paid for a performance we couldn't see and that should be prohibited. The dance performance was also depressing and almost demonic given the ugly masks and weird somber blue balloons and negative theme. Someone hates Christmas in this association to market this show as "holiday" anything. The "holiday" was definitely "hidden." I regret getting tickets for my friend as a Christmas gift. read more

We have heard from an elderly friend that the Sarasota Opera is not offering refunds for cancelled events due to COVID- 19. Instead they want you to donate your money. This is awful and unethical. This review has nothing to do with performances or seating. This is all about business practices. This is terrible and they should be ashamed. read more

OK, this is third string orchestra and vocalists, regardless, it was an entertaining performance. We saw La Traviata by Joe Green, or as he is referred to professionally: Giuseppe Verdi. La Traviata is the same story (essentially) as La Bohème; a woman of questionable morals barfing her lungs out from tuberculosis and having a fine and dramatic death. Verdi has composed some very beautiful arias, especially in the first act. The soprano as Violetta, was very good, although she had some problems controlling the notes in the lower register. The tenor as Alfredo, struggled at times but was able to deliver at crucial moments. The true star of the evening was the gentleman who performed the rôle of Giorgio Germont. He is definitely worthy of promotion to second string and possibly first. The costumes and scenery were superb. Whoever is handling that part of the gig is doing a fantastic job. The orchestra is serviceable but does not compare to the musicians in the Naples Philharmonic. I longed for Glenn Bashom's capable leadership. The Sarasota Opera is, until Naples delivers, the best live opera available in SW Florida. The venue is intimate and the acoustics are nearly perfect. Well worth the price of admission, even though I've been harsh with my critique of the performance aspect. read more

Sarasota Opera Association - Main stage - Opera & Ballet Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

First visit to this absolutely gorgeous establishment and can't wait to go back! The sound quality was absolutely incredible, you can literally feel the vocalists' voices reverberating throughout your chest. The talent was top-notch and the staff was incredibly welcoming and gracious. We saw Carmen and the overhead translations obviously helped out quite a bit. The presence of the display above the stage wasn't distracting at all. It took about 2 seconds to read the translation which took about 30 seconds to perform on stage, so, you didn't miss a thing. Convenient location with a large parking garage nearby. Fantastic experience! read more

Someone told a friend that the Sarasota opera was world class. Nope. It is fine for a small city opera and can adequately handle scores for operas like The Italian Girl, but when trying to do Madame Butterfly, the singers and staging falls short. I love that Sarasota has an opera, but I find myself attending less and less. I recently sat in box seats, which were so uncomfortable that I moved to the rear orchestra. The seats in general are small and scrunched together. A short person's view is often blocked by someone taller if you are not sitting on a side aisle. If you love opera, it's still probably worth going at a discounted rate, but it's not worth the cost of a full price orchestra ticket. read more

Love the new summer opera, theater and ballet offerings in HD. Amazing to see top quality operas, Shakespeare, and Bolshoi and Royal ballets, all from around the globe. The movie screen and sound system is fabulous. Love the live introduction to the opera by SOH staff. The presentation is always perfect. The seats are comfortable and the temperature has been cool. The program presentation at SOH is far superior to that offered at movie theaters. I have compared them and where there is a choice in venue, the SOH can be counted on. read more

Frequent opera goer outside of Sarasota. Saw Turandot this year and was really blown away. The Maestro here seemed very passionate and the orchestra was great. Singers had huge voices and there really isn't a bad seat in the opera house. Beautiful courtyard outside for drinks as well. read more

While I haven't visited this place in person, I did TRY to purchase a gift certificate as a present for someone over a period of 4 days. How hard is it to purchase a gift certificate, you ask? Apparently extremely, or maybe even impossible if my experience is the norm. You can't just purchase a gift certificate on their website, which instructs you to call the box office. When you call the box office you reach an answering machine and are told to leave your contact information so they can call you back. Which they don't. Even if you leave repeated messages. And then when you call and speak to an actual person who takes down your contact information so they can give it to the person who is supposed to be calling you back you STILL don't get a call back. As a last ditch effort I called one more time and was basically told that they are sooo busy selling these mythical tickets they can't ever get back to you. And also, they are a non-profit and don't have the funds to hire someone to get back to you. Even if that someone is a person trying to give you money. Good luck, Sarasota Opera House. I'm sure you will continue to provide wonderful performances to people who somehow manage to buy tickets to them. I guess my intended gift recip just won't be one of them. read more