Austin Opera
Austin Opera’s education programs present a variety of performances, activities and resources to support cross-curricular arts education for students in grades K-12.
For grades K-5: in-school Opera Treasure Chest experience!
Our elementary education offering is our Opera Treasure Chest program. Participants receive one of our Opera Treasure Chests for 3 weeks, complete with 15+ cross-curricular, TEKS-aligned lesson plans and activities. These activities are centered on Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Rossini’s Cinderella, and the basics of opera. The chests are also filled with books, puppets, and digital resources including videos and opera albums.
Teachers can close out the residency with OTC Live!, a 45-minute performance from one of our Austin Opera Teaching Artists, which rounds out the learning. Teachers and students often remark that this performance brings the magic of opera to life; one Round Rock ISD teacher said, “this engagement with the arts in the community is an unforgettable experience for the kids.” These performances can take place in your classroom, or in a school-wide assembly.
Registration opens in August, 2026. You can register here.
For grades 6-12: join us at the Long Center for Access Opera!
Participation in the Access Opera program is $5 per dress rehearsal ticket (for students and chaperones), and is always free for Title I schools. Participation includes dress rehearsal tickets, an accompanying Interactive Resource Guide, and access to a free in-school docent presentation.
This year’s productions all take place at the Long Center for the Performing Arts, and begin at 7:00 p.m.
Massenet's Thaïs (recommended for ages 13+): Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
Famed enchantress Thaïs is the most admired woman in Alexandria, whose beauty and charisma have captivated the city. Entertaining the city’s elite with wit, artistry, and charm, she commands devotion wherever she appears.
Devoted to the goddess Venus, her life is one of excess, until a profound encounter alters her destiny. Athanaël, a monk devoted to God, cannot ignore the spell Thaïs casts over Alexandria, nor the worldly pleasures that define her life. Driven to save her from spiritual ruin, he pursues her relentlessly, and what begins as a mission of faith becomes a consuming obsession—one where the choices they make will decide who will triumph: faith or desire.
Sarah and Ernest Butler Music Director Timothy Myers conducts the Austin Opera Orchestra & Chorus in a profound new production and immersive opera experience!
Register here.
• Verdi's La traviata (recommended for ages 11+): Friday, April 16, 2027.
Violetta is the life of the party! As the most sought-after courtesan in Paris, she has it all: fame, fortune, and influence—but love will cost her everything. While entertaining Parisian socialites at one of her fashionable salons, she meets the young Alfredo, a man of good family and rigid social expectations.
Alfredo’s sincere devotion offers her a glimpse of a new life, and their love blossoms, shadowed by her health and society’s unforgiving gaze. When Alfredo’s father, Giorgio Germont, confronts Violetta and demands she abandon his son to preserve family honor, their happiness is torn apart, and fate begins its cruel work.
From its aching, foreshadowing prelude to its popular, raucous choruses, Verdi’s La traviata features some of opera’s most recognizable ensembles and one of its ultimate soprano roles—showcasing why it remains one of the most famous and frequently performed operas in the world.
Featuring the Austin Opera Orchestra & Chorus conducted by Timothy Myers.
For more details visit: https://austinopera.org/education/
Contact:
Janine Llewellyn, Education Manager
Email: jllewellyn@austinopera.org