Photo: Sunny Martini.
Seattle Opera and Classical KING are hosting their annual Opera Center Open House on Saturday, September 26, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM, giving the public a rare look inside one of the Pacific Northwest’s largest arts organizations. The event is free, drop-in friendly, and designed for all ages, so it makes a perfect Saturday plan to do with the kids.
This year’s Open House ties into Seattle Opera’s upcoming January production of El último sueño de Frida y Diego, a new opera by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Gabriela Lena Frank and librettist Nilo Cruz, making Mexican and Chicano arts and culture a central theme of the day.
Mariachi musicians from the Highline School District will perform, Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery will lead a panel discussion on Chicana/o arts traditions and a community mural project, and a range of regional arts organizations will be present in the lobby.
What to expect throughout the afternoon
The day includes a free Season Preview Concert featuring highlights from the 2026/27 mainstage lineup, plus a conversation between General and Artistic Director James Robinson and Dramaturg Jonathan Dean about the season ahead. A live feed from a working rehearsal of Salome, which opens October 17, will also be broadcast at the venue.
Additional performances include a recital by winners of the Seattle Opera Guild’s Singer Development Award and a showcase by Youth Opera Project members. Visitors who want to get more involved can learn a dance inspired by Salome‘s Dance of the Seven Veils, led by Associate Director and Choreographer Carmine De Amicis, or join a singalong of operatic favorites with Chorus Master Michaella Calzaretta.
Guided tours of Seattle Opera’s Costume Shop and Props Department, home to decades of production history, will also run throughout the afternoon, alongside tours of the Classical KING broadcast studios, which will be live on air during the event.
Other classical music happening in Seattle
The open house is just one way to get closer to Seattle’s classical music scene this season. If you’re looking for other things to do, on October 3rd Seattle Bach Festival will host Day of Historical Keyboards, including recitals and Q&A sessions on a wide range of historical keyboards, offering a great chance to learn more about variations of the instrument including the lautenwerk, clavichord, harpsichord, fortepiano, and organ.
Around the city, Candlelight concerts continue to bring classical repertoire into the city’s most atmospheric venues, with string quartets performing everything from well-known composers to music inspired by popular films and contemporary artists.
Whether you’re curious about what happens behind the scenes at the opera, want to catch a glimpse of a working rehearsal, or simply fancy an afternoon of live music and art, the Seattle Opera Open House offers plenty of reasons to head to Mercer Street this Saturday. With free admission and activities happening throughout the afternoon, it is a great opportunity to take a closer look at the people, spaces, and productions that shape Seattle’s performing arts scene.
