Opera for All Ages: Arizona Opera launches season with statewide premiere of ‘Zorro’

With their productions, Arizona Opera seeks to present classic and modern operatic works. During the 2025-2026 season, they will be giving audiences a taste of different styles of opera. 

The company will present three operas in Phoenix and Tucson during the 2025-2026 season. 

They will open with the state-wide premiere of Héctor Armienta’s “Zorro.” It will run Saturday Sept. 27, to Sunday, Sept. 28, at Phoenix’s Symphony Hall and Saturday, Oct. 4, at Linda Ronstadt Music Hall in Tucson. 

“Zorro” is part of the McDougall Arizona Opera RED Series. 

Arizona Opera will also present Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” Saturday, Jan. 31, to Sunday, Feb. 1, at Symphony Hall and Saturday, Feb. 7, at Linda Ronstadt Music Hall. 

The company will conclude the season with Rossini’s “Cinderella (La Cenerentola)” Saturday, April 18, to Sunday, April 19, at Symphony Hall and on Saturday, April 25, at Linda Ronstadt Music Hall. 

Arizona Opera will also have a special recital featuring mezzosoprano Jamie Barton, which is presented in partnership with the Tucson Desert Song Festival. She will perform Tuesday, March 3, at Katzin Concert Hall at Arizona State University and on Thursday, March 5, at Holsclaw Hall at the University of Arizona. 

“Zorro” will be the first production with Arizona Opera under the helm of President and          General Director Brian DeMaris, who started in his position this summer. He previously worked at ASU as the artistic director of Music Theatre and Opera. 

Former president and general director Joseph Specter and senior staff members chose this season. 

“I’m here executing it and starting to plan next season,” DeMaris said. 

DeMaris said a piece like “Zorro” is in line with the work Arizona Opera has been doing the last few years. 

“The company has a history of doing new work and premiering new work. This is still a young piece. We’re among the first companies doing it… It’s in English and Spanish. It’s fun, heartwarming, melodic and poignant, and it has a good message, too,” DeMaris said. 

“Zorro” tells the story of Diego de la Vega, a main who trains in sword fighting in secret and becomes the masked alter-ego “Zorro” in an effort to help his people, who are oppressed by those in power. 

He forms close ties with two women, Ana María Soza and Carlota de Obragón. 

The production stars Xavier Prado as Diego de la Vega, María Brea as Ana María Soza and Stephanie Sánchez as Carlota de Obragón. 

For this opera, Armienta, a Mexican American composer and librettist, combines Puccini-style melodies with Latin and Hispanic musical traditions, such as mariachi, corridos and musica Azteca. 

DeMaris said Arizona Opera is continually trying to reach new audiences, including those who have never attended opera in the past. DeMaris believes this season’s shows will open their minds to the possibilities of what opera can be. 

“I hope that everything we do will change someone’s mind or expand it if we do our job correctly,” DeMaris said. 

He said “Zorro” has something for different generations. 

“It’s definitely something I think the whole family would really enjoy. It’s got romance, sword fights and just great adventure. I think if your kids and family are comfortable watching old shows and old westerns, you’re going to be just fine with ‘Zorro,’” DeMaris said. 

The costumes, scenery and props for the show were developed as part of a co-production between Opera San Jose, Kentucky Opera and Arizona Opera. 

DeMaris said that companies often share resources when presenting the same shows. 

“This production is coming to us from Opera San Jose. For ‘Madama Butterfly,’ in the spring, we are building that one here and sending it to Calgary. It’ll premiere there this fall, and it’s also in Cedar Rapids,” DeMaris said. 

DeMaris said that each of the operas they are doing will present their own unique challenges for the creative teams. 

“I think the challenge of ‘Madama Butterfly’ is always how to retell the story in each era because audiences just love that piece. The music is so incredible, and the story is so timeless and universal in its own ways. Even though it’s very culturally specific, opera companies continue to do it and continue to bring relevance and freshness to it. For ‘Cinderella,’ the challenge is the music. It’s so virtuosic and fast for the singers… It really showcases the vocal pyrotechnics and the virtuosity of our orchestra and the chorus,” DeMaris said. 

Arizona Opera has its own chorus and orchestra, which are made up or singers and musicians from throughout Arizona. 

Many of the chorus members went to Arizona universities. 

“I would say the schools play a really important role in bringing talent to the state, and that talent will end up staying here and being part of the fabric of our arts organization,” DeMaris said. 

Arizona Opera also offers a Studio Artists program for developing opera singers who have just finished school and are just starting out in their careers. 

As president and general director, DeMaris hopes to build on what Arizona Opera has already been doing. 

For him, developing and creating new partnerships is important, especially with educational institutions and other arts organizations. 

“I’m hoping to expand some of Arizona opera company’s partnerships with the universities, ASU and UofA,” DeMaris said. “In particular with new work development, I think that’s something we can be doing more of through collaboration.” 

Last year, Arizona Opera held a New Works Festival. This is something DeMaris would like to bring back. 

DeMaris also hopes to build on how Arizona Opera and partnering organizations use the Arizona Opera building on Central Avenue, which is where the company rehearses. 

“The opera center has a black box theater here. We rent out the space, the atrium, the black box, the boardroom to other organizations….I think it has a lot to offer as a performance venue, as a community gathering place for a lot of different things, not just opera,” DeMaris said. “We use this space for a lot of lectures and performances. We’re looking to expand how we use the space in general, including producing operas here and the new works festival… The black box seats 100 to 200 people. You could do small operas in there… It can be used for cabarets. We do hold our gala in there and Studio Artists cabarets… We’re looking at expanding summer educational and community programming in the space as well, starting this coming summer.” 

When deciding on programming for the next season, DeMaris said they look at their audience, the community and their budget. Their plans include fully-staged operas as well as community performances. 

“We’re in one of the most labor-intensive art forms…The audience loves fully-staged productions with costumes, lights and scenery. Seeing that craftsmanship and the artistry on stage is very important to our folks when they’re coming to Linda Ronstadt Music Hall in Tucson or Phoenix Symphony Hall here,” DeMaris said. 

“We’re also aware that people are craving those intimate experiences, where they’re more up-close with the singers. People love how the company has been getting out and performing at the airport, at the Musical Instrument Museum, at the zoo. So, we’re expanding in that direction as well…We have some performances planned this year, returning to the airport, to the zoo, to the Mesa Arts Center, so opera is up-close and personal in the places that people gather.” 

Arizona Opera’s Production of “Zorro”
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27. 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept.28
WHERE: Symphony Hall, 75 N. 2nd Street, Phoenix
COST: Tickets start at $30 for general admission, $27 for students and military/veterans
INFO: azopera.org 

Arizona Opera’s      Production of “Zorro”
WHEN: 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4
WHERE: Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, 260 S. Church Avenue, Tucson
COST: Tickets start at $30 for general admission, $27 for students and military/veterans
INFO: azopera.org