Partenope

Pittsburgh Opera brings Partenope to the Pittsburgh CAPA School Theater downtown this January, with performances on Saturday the 23rd, Tuesday the 26th, Friday the 29th, and Sunday the 31st. The evening shows all start at 7 PM, and there's a matinee on Sunday at 2 PM. It's part of their 2026-27 season.

Partenope is a Baroque comedy of errors by George Frideric Handel, with a libretto by Silvio Stampiglia. The story centers on Partenope, a social butterfly who finds herself the object of affection for three competing suitors: Arsace, Emilio, and Armindo. Things get complicated when Rosmira arrives disguised as a fourth suitor, 'Eurimene,' and the whole thing spirals into a fast-paced tangle of mistaken identities. It's sung in Italian and Neapolitan with supertitles, so you can follow along even if you don't speak either. The production runs about two and a half hours with one intermission, and it's recommended for audiences aged 6 and up.

Léa Nayak takes the title role of Partenope, with Maya Davis as Rosmira, Sam Higgins as Arsace, Ayanna Delk-Lewis as Armindo, Logan Wagner as Emilio, and Erik Nordstrom as Ormonte. Michael Beattie conducts and Haley Stamats stages the production.

If you're coming with kids, there's a 50% discount for ages 6 to 18. And if you want a little more context before the curtain goes up, ticketholders can attend a free Pre-Opera Talk an hour before the show to hear about the composer, the story, and some of the juicier details of the work.