[Courtesy of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra]
NOLA Culture Guide | Cultural Season Roundup 2025-2026
06:00 September 02, 2025
By: Dean Shapiro
NOLA Culture Guide
Another fall, another cultural season.
As New Orleans' homegrown superstar performer Becky Allen is fond of saying, "We had culture when the rest of the country only had agriculture."
With more than three centuries of culture under its belt, New Orleans can boast of first-rate opera and ballet companies and one of the nation's top philharmonic orchestras. The city also has a buzzing theatrical scene with stage productions ranging from Tony-winning Broadway extravaganzas in ornate entertainment palaces to edgy, experimental small-cast fare in tight-fitting black box theatres.
The following is a listing, by category, of some of New Orleans' premier presenting organizations offering events this season in "America's First City of Culture." Read on, plan your schedules accordingly, and enjoy.
Note: All venues listed are in New Orleans unless otherwise noted. Some events are free with suggested donations and others are ticketed events. Visit the organizations' websites for more information.
[Courtesy OperaCréole]
OPERA
New Orleans Opera Association
(504) 529-3000, neworleansopera.org
Messiah*
Orpheum Theater, 129 Roosevelt Way
Composer - George Frideric Handel
December 5, 7:30 p.m.
Fire Shut Up in My Bones (Chamber Suite)
Civic Theatre, 510 O'Keefe Ave.
Composer - Terence Blanchard
February 22, 2:30 p.m.
Dialogues of the Carmelites
Ursuline Convent, 1112 Chartres St.
Composer - Francis Poulenc
March 24, 7:30 p.m.
March 26, 7:30 p.m.
March 28, 2:30 p.m.
March 31, 7:30 p.m.
Der Rosenkavalier
Mahalia Jackson Theater, Louis Armstrong Park, 1419 Basin St.
Composer - Richard Strauss
March 27, 7:30 p.m.
March 29, 2:30 p.m.
Pilgrimage
New Marigny Theatre, 2301 Marais St.
Composer - Carlisle Floyd
April 2, 7:30 p.m.
OPERACRÉOLE
(504) 356-3078, operacreole.com
A nonprofit, award-winning company founded in 2011 by mother and daughter Givonna Joseph and Aria Mason, OperaCréole is dedicated to researching and performing lost or rarely performed works by composers of African descent, especially those from the 19th century.
OperaCréole's 2025-26 schedule was not fully confirmed by deadline. For more information, consult their phone number or website.
The Enigma Variations: Grieg's Piano Concerto in A Minor
Performed by Zhu Wang, Gold Medalist of the 2024 New Orleans International Piano Competition
February 26
Orpheum Theater
French Fables & Fantasies
March 6
New Marigny Theatre
Beethoven Symphony No. 9
March 12
Orpheum Theater
Pilgrimage: An Immersive Opera Experience
April 2
New Marigny Theatre
Dvorak Symphony No. 7
April 16
Orpheum Theater
The Firebird
May 7
Orpheum Theater
*All Orpheum concerts are at 7:30 p.m. All New Marigny Theatre concerts are at 6 p.m.
**Several "Family Concerts" are held at Loyola University's Roussel Hall and other LPO concerts are performed in St. Tammany Parish. For more information on the full slate of LPO offerings, visit their website.
NEW ORLEANS FRIENDS OF MUSIC
Dixon Hall, Tulane University
(504) 895-0690,friendsofmusic.org
Benjamin Beilman, Violin; David Finckel, Cello; Wu Han, Piano
The Complete Schubert Piano Trios
October 7
Jon Nakamatsu, Piano
Beethoven, Liszt, Chopin, and More
November 10
Balourdet Quartet
Sohn, Ravel, and Brahms String Quartet No. 3
December 2
Ji Weon Ryu, Flute and Sung Chang, Piano
Local Artist Showcase—Masterworks for Flute and Piano
St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church, 1545 State St.
January 19
Lucas Meachem, Baritone and Irina Meachem, Piano
American Art Songs - Celebrating Resilience and Togetherness
February 3
Decoda: NOLA Chamber Fest Educational Residency
Mozart Wind Quintet and the Contemporary Canon
March 16
Tommy Mesa, Cello and Michelle Cann, Piano
Masterpieces by Debussy, Boulanger, Shostakovich, and More
April 14
*Concerts are at 7:30 p.m.
SYMPHONY CHORUS OF NEW ORLEANS
symphonychorus.org
Donald McCoulough's Holocaust Cantata
October 2025 (date and venue TBA)
Handel's Messiah
December 2025 (two performances, dates and venues TBA)
*Show times vary. Call or check the website for information.
LE PETIT THEATRE
616 St. Peter St., (504) 522-2081, lepetittheatre.com
The Lehman Trilogy
October 2-19
Blithe Spirit
January 8-25
Guys and Dolls: A Musical Fable of Broadway
March 5-29
God of Carnage
April 30-May 17
Once
June 4-21
*Show times vary. Call or check the website for information.
JEFFERSON PERFORMING ARTS
(504) 885-2000, jpas.org
Jefferson Performing Arts Center (JPAC)
6600 Airline Dr., Metairie
Waitress
September 12-21
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
December 5-14
The Nutcracker
December 19-21
Frozen: The Broadway Musical
March 6-15
Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill
April 17-26
*Show times vary. Call or visit the website for details.
RIVERTOWN THEATRES FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
325 Minor St., Kenner
(504) 461-9475, rivertowntheaters.com
Dear Evan Hansen
September 12-28
Gypsy
October 24 to November 9
It's a Wonderful Life, Y'all
December 5-21
Christmastime in New Orleans with the Big Easy Boys
December 11-14
Disaster!
January 9-25
All Shook Up
March 6-22
Cinderella
May 15-31
Legally Blonde: The Musical
July 9-19
TENNESSEE WILLIAMS THEATRE COMPANY
(504) 264-2580, twtheatrenola.com
Out Cry
(a two-character play)
Fall 2025 (date and venue TBA)
*For more complete season information, go to the listed website.
THE NOLA PROJECT
(504) 302-9117,nolaproject.com
Frankenstein
Lafitte Greenway
October 2025
Fat Ham
Dillard University
January 2026
A Lesson Before Dying
Touring production
March 2026
Medea
Lafitte Greenway
May 2026
30 BY NINETY THEATRE
880 Lafayette St., Mandeville
(844) 843-3090,30byninety.com
Tuesdays with Morrie
September 12-21
The Miss Firecracker Contest
October 11-26
A Very Merry Christmas Spectacular
December 5-14
Cabaret
January 17 to February 1
The Nerd
March 14-29
The Laramie Project
April 18 to May 3
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
June 13-28
*Show times vary. Call or check the website for information.
CUTTING EDGE THEATER
757 Robert Blvd., Slidell
(985) 649-3727, cuttingedgetheater.com
Forever Plaid
October 17-26
OTHER PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATIONS
There are other performing arts organizations and venues in New Orleans (including those from the universities) whose full schedules were not finalized in time to be included in this listing. Here, listed alphabetically, is a handy list of some of those organizations with their websites, on which their schedules might now be posted.
Artivism Dance Theatre:artivismdancetheatre.com
Ashe Cultural Arts Center:ashecac.org
Contemporary Arts Center:cacno.org
Louis Moreau Institute:louismoreauinstitute.org
Loyola University Arts Series: cmm.loyno.edu or loyola-presents/all-list
Musaica (chamber ensemble):musaica.org
New Orleans Chamber Orchestra:nolachamberorchestra.org
New Orleans Civic Symphony:neworleanscivicsymphony.org
Symphony of New Orleans:symphonyofneworleans.com
Tulane University Summer Lyric Theatre: liberalarts.tulane.edu/summer-lyric-theatre
University of New Orleans Musical Excursions:new.uno.edu/sota-performances/music
University of New Orleans Theatre:new.uno.edu/sota-performances/theater
Versipel New Music:versipel.org
Most of these arts organizations also have a presence on Facebook and/or other social media, and information can be obtained from these sites, as well.
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