Opera, perhaps the most disciplined and harrowing style of musical performance ever invented, has always had a hard time gripping American audiences for a pretty simple reason—most of them aren’t in English. Henry Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, however, has been representing the language in opera for centuries. The story of a queen’s love affair with a Trojan warrior—and an evil sorcerer’s attempts to sabotage it all—is the English classic in the operatic tradition. Personally, if there’s an evil sorcerer involved, I’m in. In their 38th season, Opera San Jose brings three weeks of performances to the California Theater starting this Saturday.

Dido & Aeneas
Opens Sat, 7:30pm, $55+
California Theatre, San Jose

Opera San Jose starts their 2021-22 season in dramatic fashion with Mozart & Salieri, the 1890s story by Rimsky-Korsakov of a brash young composer, Antonio Salieri, who is rumored to have poisoned rival composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart over musical fame. The legend depicts deadly jealousy, a poisoned chalice and a sitting room confrontation, and it all comes to life in cinematic fashion via Opera SJ’s streamable performance. The one-act play will becomes available Thursday, with each rental lasting 30 days. The $65 VIP pass includes an opening night online launch party featuring cast and crew of the show.

Mozart & Salieri
Thu, Various Times, $40+
Virtual Event

A staple of the operatic repertoire, Giuseppe Verdi’s turbulent tale of love, revenge and the power of music, Il Trovatore, comes to the California Theatre. The opera tells the tale of a woman following her own heart despite various and violent patriarchal obstacles and features an emotional, heart-stopping score conducted by Joseph Marcheso, Opera San José’s music director and principal conductor. The production is directed by Brad Dalton, whose résumé includes San Francisco Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, Washington National Opera and many other international companies. The production runs through March 1.

Il Trovatore
Sat, 8pm, $55+
California Theatre, San Jose

It’s not every day that such iconic characters as Carmen, Tosca or Figaro roam the food court. But this weekend, Opera San Jose—celebrating its 35th year—serenades SoFa Market. Resident artists from the local company show off their vocal chops and mingle with fans. Attendees may enjoy drinks from the Fountainhead Bar while nibbling on a variety of choice snacks from Hawaiian Poke Bowl, Habana Cuba, Pizzetta 408, Tacos Los 3 Hermanos, Umi Hand Roll, Vietnoms, Sticks N’ Greens and Vitamina. First time at the opera? No sweat. The event is free, and you can leave the tux at home.

Opera in the Market
Sat, 7pm, Free
SoFA Market, San Jose

Set in mid 19th-century Paris, Puccini’s La Rondine follows the life of Magda—a courtesan who finds herself torn between the lifestyle her current station affords her and the prospect of finding true love. Fans of Pretty Woman will find this plot familiar. However, in this version, while Magda does find true love, the weight of her past ultimately proves too heavy and the opera ends in heartbreak—as Magda leaves her naive and pure-hearted companion for the security of her nobleman protector. This is the second production of Opera San Jose’s 2017-18 season.

La Rondine
Sat, 8pm, $55+
California Theatre, San Jose

One can’t help but feel foolish in the face of heartbreak. After all, true love is only an illusion, a ticking time bomb that gradually meets its demise in infidelity, disagreement or just plain boredom. It sounds bleak, but that’s what Don Alfonso, the old cynic in Così fan tutte, is out to prove. Sung in Italian with English supertitles, Mozart’s classical opera begins with a destructive bet as two friends embark on a painful test of romance. Disguises, seduction and extreme situations unfold as each character discovers the truth about themselves and their lovers in this comical yet tragic story. Thru Sep 24.

Così Fan Tutte
Sat, 8pm, $95+
California Theatre, San Jose

Redwood City continues its Classical Music Series this year with the help of Opera San José, a regional opera company that showcases some of the finest young singers in the nation. These open-air concerts are loved by classical music aficionados looking to break out of their seats, dance and walk around as the sweet sounds of opera ring out through the warm summer air. Principal artists from the company will perform some of the greatest arias and ensembles in the opera repertoire—from Mozart to Puccini—as well as a preview of their 2017-18 season.

Opera on the Square
Sun, 6pm, Free
Courthouse Square, Redwood City

Opera San Jose’s 2016-17 season doesn’t start until September, but fans of big voices and archetypal stories can get a sneak-peak of just what the local opera company has in store this weekend at “Opera in Bramhall Park.”

The free, 90-minute concert features Opera San Jose residents and guest artists performing selections from the upcoming season, as well as excerpts from popular operas like “La Traviata,” “Don Giovanni,” and “The Pearl Fishers.”

If none of these ring a bell or are unfamiliar, head of music staff Veronika Agranov-Dafoe and general director Larry Hancock encourage everyone to attend, regardless of their music background.

“It’s very exciting and I think people need to check us out,” says Agranov-Dafoe.

The upcoming season is already freshening up its act with the addition of four new singers to the resident company. The new singers include sopranos Sylvia Lee and Ksenia Popova as well as baritone Brian James Myer and bass-baritone Colin Ramsey.

Lucia di Lammermoor opens the season and showcases each of the residents talents as singers and performers. The last time this dramma tragico was produced by Opera San Jose was in 2007. Hancock explained the titular character is very difficult to cast but they found their Lucia with the “stunning young singer” Sylvia Lee.

From tragedy, OSJ moves into comedy with The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini. Filled with Rossini’s popular crescendo compositions, it stands as the most important comic opera.        

After that, Pulitzer Prize winner Silent Night will make its West Coast debut—and its composer Kevin Put, along with the librettist Mark Campbell, will be present on the opening night for a special event. The opera depicts the widespread WWI ceasefires between enemies during the Christmas holiday. Silent Night was difficult to produce due to its huge size, but Hancock was not deterred from adding it to the repertoire.  

“We’re not taught this in our schools,” says Hancock. “It’s a dark part of our past but it’s terribly important.”

The season will close with the romantic La Bohéme, which both Agranov-Dafoe and Hancock agree is the perfect opera for first-timers.

Opera in the Park is free and will take place Sunday July 10 at Bramhall Park.