New Orleans Cultural Season Guide
Another fall-and with it comes another cultural season.
Over the four centuries of New Orleans' existence, it has rightfully come to be known as "America's First City of Culture." When the earliest French settlers founded the city in the early 1700s, they brought with them from Europe the art forms of opera, dance, live stage productions, and classical music, beginning a tradition that prevails right up to the present day.
Following is a listing, by category, of New Orleans' premier presenting organizations that are staging events this season in all of the major live art forms. Read all about them here, plan your schedules accordingly, and enjoy.
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 complete information.
OPERA
New Orleans Opera Association
(504) 529-3000, neworleansopera.org
Distinguished Artist Concert
Kameron Lopreore & Sarah Jane McMahon: A Tribute to the Late David Morelock
October 8, 6 p.m.
October 10, 2 p.m.
Opera Guild Home, 2504 Prytania St.
Emerging Artist Concert
October 25, 4 p.m.
Opera Guild Home
Il Trovatore (semi-staged with narration)
November 20, 7:30 p.m.
Mahalia Jackson Theater, 1419 Basin St.
Emerging Artist Concert
November 29, 4 p.m.
Opera Guild Home
Christmas Concert
Knox Van Horn: A Classical Christmas
December 5 & 9
Opera Guild Home
Distinguished Artist Concert
Celebrating the Voices of Women Composers
January 14 & 16
Opera Guild Home
Emerging Artist Concert
February 28, 4 p.m.
Opera Guild Home
New Orleans Opera Festival
March 12-22
(various locations in New Orleans TBA)
Emerging Artist Concert
April 25, 4 p.m.
Opera Guild Home
Distinguished Artist Season End Concert
Blake Friedman (tenor) and Amir Farid (pianist): The Music of Famous & Forgotten Jewish Composers
May 13, 6 p.m. & May 15, 2 p.m.
Opera Guild Home
OperaCreolé
(504) 356-3078, operacreole.com
A nonprofit, award-winning company, founded in 2011 by mother and daughter Givonna Joseph and Aria Mason, OperaCreolé is dedicated to researching and performing lost or rarely performed works by composers of African descent, especially those from the 19th century.
Sankofa: 250 Years of Radical Roots in America
September 11, 7 p.m.
The Historic St. James A.M.E. Church, 222
N. Roman St.
La Féte Créole, 15th Anniversary Concert
October 8, 7 p.m.
Café Istanbul, 2372 St. Claude Ave.
Ignatian Volunteer Corps' Annual Concert
October 25
Jesuit High School, 4133 Banks St. at Carrollton Avenue
"The Ballad of the Brown King: A Christmas Cantata & Children's Tea"
December 5, 3 p.m.
Tremé Market Branch, 800 N. Claiborne Ave.
*Spring 2027 local performance schedule incomplete. Call the number or visit the website for details.
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
Orpheum Theater, 129 Roosevelt Way
New Marigny Opera Theatre, 2301 Marais St.
(504) 523-6350, lpomusic.com
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2
Brahms Symphony No. 4
September 17
Orpheum Theater
Mozart Symphony No. 31 Paris
September 23
New Marigny Theatre
LPO + Tank & The Bangas + Dawn Richard
October 2
Orpheum Theater
Shostakovich Symphony No. 5
Carlos Miguel Prieto conducting
October 22
Orpheum Theater
Mozart and Stravinsky
November 12
Orpheum Theater
Classical Christmas: Messiah
December 3
Orpheum Theater
Holiday Spectacular
December 17
Orpheum Theater
Dvorak: The Serenades for Strings and Winds
January 6
New Marigny Theatre
Grieg's Peer Gynt & Mahler Symphony No. 5
January 14
Orpheum Theater
Miracles with Haydn and Bach
February 24
New Marigny Theatre
Mendelssohn's "Ruy Blas Overture" Schubert's Symphony
No. 9 "The Great"
March 4
Orpheum Theater
LPO + Grammy Winner Samara Joy
March 11
Orpheum Theater
Mussorgsky/Ravel "Pictures at an Exhibition"
March 18
Orpheum Theater
Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherazade"
April 1
Orpheum Theater
"Appalachian Spring" & Piazzolla's "Four Seasons in Buenos Aires"
April 15
Orpheum Theater
Beethoven's "Missa Solemnis"
May 6
Orpheum Theater
Season Finale: Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4
May 15
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
Isidore String Quartet
October 19
Stefan Jackiw, Violin and Kevin Ahfat, Piano
November 18
Akropolis Reed Quintet
December 7
Goldmund String Quartet
February 24
Anderson & Roe Piano Duo
March 9
Oak Trio
April 20
NOLA Chamber Fest Guest Artist
(artist and venue TBA)
May 23
*All concerts are at 7:30 p.m.
Symphony Chorus of New Orleans
symphonychorus.org
Carl Orff's Carmina Burana with two pianos & percussion
Late October, date/venue TBA
G.F. Handel's Messiah
Mid-December, date/venue TBA
Felix Mendelssohn's Elijah
Mid-May, date/venue TBA
Crescent City Chamber Music Festival
(646) 241-0303, crescentcitychambermusicfestival.com
11th Anniversary Season, October 15-25, 2026
Free Public Concert No. 1
October 15, 7 p.m.
Trinity Episcopal Church, 1329 Jackson Ave.
Manhattan Chamber Players and members of the Louisiana Philharmonic
Benjamin Britten's Simple Symphony and Lachrymae and Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings
Free Public Concert No. 2
October 16, 7 p.m.
Recital Hall, UNO Performing Arts Center
Manhattan Chamber Players and bandoneonist and composer J.P. Jofre
Free Public Concert No. 3
October 18, 4 p.m.
St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church,
1545 State St.
Manhattan Chamber Players perform Dvořák's String Quintet in E Flat Major and Tchaikovsky's Souvenir de Florence for string sextet
Free Public Concert No. 4
October 20, 7 p.m.
Urban South Brewery, 1645 Tchoupitoulas St.
Special beer flights with classical music pairings
Free Public Concert No. 5
October 21, 7 p.m.
Recital Hall, UNO Performing Arts Center
Clarinetist Mark Dover with the Manhattan Chamber Players
Free Public Concert No. 6
October 23, 7 p.m.
Dixon Concert Hall, Tulane University
Manhattan Chamber Players perform Shostakovich's Octet, Joaquín Turina's Scéne Andalouse,
and Brahms' Piano Quintet
Free Public Concert No. 7
October 25, 4 p.m.
Rayne Memorial United Methodist Church
CCCMF Season Finale Concert Manhattan Chamber Players perform Maurice Ravel's Tzigane and Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring, followed by a "meet the artists" reception
*Most of the concerts are preceded by a 30-minute talk and Q&A session.
Musical Arts Society of New Orleans
(504) 715-0818, masno.org
7th Annual Bachtoberfest Featuring the Electric Yat Quartet, Pianist André Bohren, and Trumpeter Vance Woolf
October 7, 6 p.m.
Margaret Place Hotel, 1133 Margaret Pl.
Nocturne XXIII Gala Featuring Pianist
Emanuel Ax
October 25, 5 p.m.
Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 921 Canal St.
Le Petit Salon Concert Series Featuring Guitarist David Sigler
December 3, 6 p.m.
Pitot House, 1440 Moss St.
Concert Featuring Violinist Sara Dragan and Pianist Kenny Broberg
February 19, 6 p.m.
(Location TBA)
Victor Atkins Trio
April 7, 6 p.m.
Margaret Place Hotel, 1133 Margaret Pl.
Sullivan Fortner, Pianist
May 20, 6 p.m.
New Orleans Jazz Museum, 400 Esplanade Ave.
New Orleans Piano Institute & Keyboard Festival
July 24-31
Loyola University, 6301 St. Charles Ave.
LYRICA BAROQUE
(504) 220-4605, lyricabaroque.com
Festival de las Américas Fundraiser Concert
September 6, 3 p.m.
Kenner
Winter Concert
December 23, 5:30 p.m.
Old Metairie
Spring Fling Fundraiser
March 14, 3 p.m.
Garden District, Uptown New Orleans
NOLA Chamber Fest
May 20-23
Hotel Peter & Paul, 2317 Burgundy St., Faubourg Marigny
Sunset Porch Concert
May 26, 6 p.m.
Lake Vista Subdivision
*For specific locations, visit Lyrica Baroque's website.
Musaica Chamber Ensemble
(504) 669-1423, musaica.org
Fall Concerts
September 14
Metairie Ridge Presbyterian Church, 215 Phosphor Ave., Metairie
Works by Bernhard Mueller, Franz Doppler, J.C. Bach, and Richard Stöhr
September 15
St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church,
1545 State St.
Works by Bernhard Mueller, Franz Doppler, J.C. Bach, and Richard Stöhr
Winter Concerts
January 25
St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church
Works by Caroline Shaw, Francis Poulenc, and Ludwig van Beethoven
January 26
Metairie Ridge Presbyterian Church
Works by Caroline Shaw, Francis Poulenc, and Ludwig van Beethoven
Spring Concerts
April 26
St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church
Works by Mieczysław Weinberg, Valerie Coleman, Lalo Schifrin, Nadia Boulanger, and
Louise Farrenc
April 28
Metairie Ridge Presbyterian Church
Works by Mieczysław Weinberg, Valerie Coleman, Lalo Schifrin, Nadia Boulanger, and
Louise Farrenc
*All concerts at 7:30 p.m.
DANCE
New Orleans Ballet Association
935 Gravier St., (504) 522-0996, nobadance.com
Pilobolus
October 17, 7:30 p.m.
Alonzo King LINES Ballet
November 14, 7:30 p.m.
Argentina's Tango After Dark
February 20, 7:30 p.m.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
March 13, 7:30 p.m.
March 14, 3 p.m.
Houston Ballet's Madame Butterfly
April 17, 7:30 p.m.
*All performances at the Mahalia Jackson Theater
Marigny Opera Ballet
Marigny Opera House, 725 St. Ferdinand St.
(504) 948-9998, marignyoperahouse.org
Program 1: Cain, overo il Primo Omicidio (Cain, or the First Homicide)
September 10-18
Composer: Alessandro Scarlatti
Program 2: Die Sieben Todsünden (The Seven Deadly Sins)
December 10-20
Composer: Kurt Weill
Program 3: La Damnation de Faust (The Damnation of Faust)
March 4-14
Composer: Hector Berlioz
Program 4: Dido and Aeneas
May 13-23
Composer: Henry Purcell
New Orleans Ballet Theatre
920 Terpsichore St.
(504) 826-0646, neworleansballettheatre.com
Dracula
Orpheum Theater, 129 Roosevelt Way
October 29, 8 p.m.
October 30, 8 p.m.
October 31, 2 p.m.
The Nutcracker
Orpheum Theater
December 12, 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.
December 13, 2 p.m.
December 19, 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.
December 20-23,
2 p.m.
New Works
Spring 2027
(performance dates TBA)
Swan Lake
Orpheum Theater
May 8, 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.
LIVE THEATRE
Saenger Theatre
Broadway in New Orleans
1111 Canal St., 1-800-218-7469, saengernola.com/shows
Jersey Boys
September 22-27
Parcels - Loved Tour 2026
October 10
Disney's The Lion King
October 21 to November 8
Rocky in Concert
November 17
Ali Siddiq: The Custom Fit Tour
November 28
Billy Strings Concert
December 4
Buena Vista Social Club
December 8-13
Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical
December 15-20
Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet
December 30
The Notebook The Musical
January 26-31
Clue
February 19-21
The Sound of Music
March 2-7
The Outsiders
March 30 to April 4
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
May 11-16
Just in Time
June 22-27
*Show times vary. Call or check the website for information.
Le Petit Theatre
616 St. Peter St., (504) 522-2081, lepetittheatre.com
Laughter on the 23rd Floor
October 1-18
The Secret Garden
December 3-27
The Glass Menagerie
February 25 to March 21
August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
April 29 to May 16
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
June 3-20
*Show times vary. Call or check the website for information.
Jefferson Performing Arts
(504) 885-2000, jpas.org
Jefferson Performing Arts Center (JPAC)
6400 Airline Dr., Metairie
Westwego Performing Arts Theatre (WPAT)
177 Sala Ave., Westwego
Westwego Performing Arts Theatre (WPAT)
177 Sala Ave., Westwego
Come from Away
September 11-20 (JPAC)
My Fair Lady
September 25 to
October 11 (WPAT)
Sweeney Todd
November 6-22 (WPAT)
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
December 4-13 (JPAC)
The Nutcracker
December 19 & 20 (JPAC)
A Mardi Gras Christmas Carol
December 4-13 (WPAT)
The Marvelous Wonderettes
January 8-24
Our City of Saints
January 15-17 (JPAC)
Les Misérables
February 26 to March 7 (JPAC)
Alfred Hitchcock's the 39 Steps
March 5-21 (WPAT)
Anastasia: The Musical
April 9-18 (JPAC)
Tootsie
May 7-23 (WPAT)
Monty Python's Spamalot
July 9-18 (WPAT)
*Show times vary. Call or visit the website for details.
Rivertown Theaters For The Performing Arts
325 Minor St., Kenner
(504) 383-0123, boxoffice@rivertowntheaters.com
Finding Neverland
September 11-27
The Rocky Horror Show
October 23-31
Steel Magnolias
November 6-22
Million Dollar Quartet Christmas
December 10-20
Disney & Pixar's Finding Nemo
January 8-24
POTUS
February 19-28
42nd Street
March 5-21
Grease
May 7-23
Disney's The Little Mermaid
July 15-25
BB's Stage Door Canteen
National World War II Museum, 945 Magazine St.
(504) 528-1943, nationalww2museum.org
Ken Ludwig's Dear Jack, Dear Louise
October 2-4 & 9-11
The Voice of France: A Tribute to Edith Piaf
May 7-9 & 14-16
Swing That Music: A Tribute to Louis Armstrong
June 11-13 & 18-20
Holiday Specials
Teddy Bear Tea
Saturdays and Sundays, December 5-20
It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play
December 17 & 18
Wartime Piano New Year's Eve Happy Hour
December 31
Dine & Dance with the Victory Swing Orchestra
Multiple dates, August through May
The Victory Belles Salute to Hope
Multiple dates, August through June
11:45 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. showtimes available
Wartime Piano Happy Hour
Multiple dates, August through June
Tennessee Williams Theatre Company
(504) 264-2580, info@twtheatrenola.com
Something Cloudy, Something Clear
September 10-27
7:30 p.m., Sunday matinees at 3 p.m.
*For more complete season information, go to the website.
The NOLA Project
(504) 302-9117, boxoffice@nolaproject.com
The Curse of the Mummy
October 2026
Flying Dreams: The Ambitious Descent of Icarus & Daedalus
November 2026
Pipeline
March 2027
Titus Andronicus
March 2027
Tambo & Bones
May 2027
*For more specific dates, venues, and other detailed information, go to the website.
30 by Ninety Theatre
880 Lafayette St., Mandeville
(844) 843-3090, info@30byninety.com
Late Shift
September 4-6
Zombie Prom
October 10-25
A Very Merry Grinchmas Spectacular
December 4-13
Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None
January 9-24
The Addams Family Musical
March 6-21
Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit
April 10-25
Ride the Cyclone
June 12-27
*Show times vary. Call or check the website for information.
OTHER PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATIONS
There are other performing arts organizations and venues in and around 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, along with their websites, on which their schedules might now be posted.
Artivism Dance Theatre:
artivismdance.com
Ashe Cultural Arts Center:
ashenola.org
Contemporary Arts Center:
cacno.org
Cutting Edge Theater:
cuttingedgetheater.com
Louis Moreau Institute:
louismoreauinstitute.org
Loyola University Arts Series:
cmm.loyno.edu/loyola-presents
New Orleans Chamber Orchestra:
nolachamberorch.com
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:
lsuneworleans.edu/sota-performances/music
University of New Orleans Theatre:
lsuneworleans.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.
