Under the motto (Des)sacralize, the Gran Teatre del Liceu presents the 2026/2027 season with new productions, major repertoire titles, international voices such as Anna Netrebko and Asmik Grigorian, dance, concerts, and a strengthened commitment to contemporary creation.
The artistic programming of the 2026/27 season at the Gran Teatre del Liceu is structured around the concept (Des)sacralize, with a series of proposals that move between the solemnity of ritual and its contemporary re-examination. The Liceu becomes a meeting point where the stage experience is shared and the audience becomes part of this collective liturgy.
In the final year of the 2023–2026 Strategic Plan, the Theatre consolidates its commitment to creation and national production with a season marked by a strong presence of in-house productions promoted by the Liceu. These proposals balance repertoire works with classical pieces and contemporary perspectives, foster local talent, and present the Liceu as an active space for creation and operatic premieres. The Liceu continues to be the theatre of voices, faithful to its identity, and reinforces its commitment to artistic excellence with a strong focus on accessibility and equity, bringing opera closer to all audiences.
The repertoire, diverse and shaped from a contemporary perspective, includes three new productions —The Magic Flute by Mozart, Jenůfa by Janáček and La jove Aïda—, as well as the second community opera creation (La rosa dels set pètals) and two new micro-operas within the Òh!pera project. It also features a new version of The Exterminating Angel by Thomas Adès, inspired by the cinematic universe of Luis Buñuel and based on the Opéra national de Paris production. The programme is completed with two co-productions (Aida by Verdi and Das Rheingold by Wagner), a revival (La clemenza di Tito by Mozart), and three major titles from the operatic repertoire (I Capuleti e i Montecchi by Bellini, La bohème by Puccini and La fanciulla del West by Puccini, not seen at the Liceu for over 40 years).
The artistic programming of the 2026/27 season at the Gran Teatre del Liceu is structured around the concept (Des)sacralize, with a series of proposals that move between the solemnity of ritual and its contemporary re-examination. The Liceu becomes a meeting point where the stage experience is shared and the audience becomes part of this collective liturgy.
In the final year of the 2023–2026 Strategic Plan, the Theatre consolidates its commitment to creation and national production with a season marked by a strong presence of in-house productions promoted by the Liceu. These proposals balance repertoire works with classical pieces and contemporary perspectives, foster local talent, and present the Liceu as an active space for creation and operatic premieres. The Liceu continues to be the theatre of voices, faithful to its identity, and reinforces its commitment to artistic excellence with a strong focus on accessibility and equity, bringing opera closer to all audiences.
The repertoire, diverse and shaped from a contemporary perspective, includes three new productions —The Magic Flute by Mozart, Jenůfa by Janáček and La jove Aïda—, as well as the second community opera creation (La rosa dels set pètals) and two new micro-operas within the Òh!pera project. It also features a new version of The Exterminating Angel by Thomas Adès, inspired by the cinematic universe of Luis Buñuel and based on the Opéra national de Paris production. The programme is completed with two co-productions (Aida by Verdi and Das Rheingold by Wagner), a revival (La clemenza di Tito by Mozart), and three major titles from the operatic repertoire (I Capuleti e i Montecchi by Bellini, La bohème by Puccini and La fanciulla del West by Puccini, not seen at the Liceu for over 40 years).
In dance, the Liceu reaffirms its commitment by programming, for the second consecutive year, four performances —The Nutcracker, NumEros (Compañía Nacional de Danza), the Grand Dance Gala and Assembly Hall, in collaboration with Mercat de les Flors— thus consolidating the growing importance of this discipline within its artistic programme.
Once again, the Gran Teatre del Liceu reaffirms itself as the theatre of voices, with a programme that brings together the most relevant figures on the international opera scene. Voices such as Sondra Radvanovsky, Lisette Oropesa, Lise Davidsen, Nadine Sierra, Asmik Grigorian, Piotr Beczała, Anna Netrebko, Serena Sáenz, Sara Blanch or Carles Pachon define a season of vocal excellence.
Maestro Jonathan Nott debuts as Music Director of the Theatre in one of the season’s major milestones, reinforcing the musical excellence of the Liceu and inaugurating a new era for the orchestra. Nott conducts five programmes: the concert Welcome Jonathan Nott, his first concert of the season; the second edition of the New Year’s Concert; the operas Das Rheingold by Richard Wagner and Jenůfa by Leoš Janáček; and the concert War Requiem by Benjamin Britten.
In his new role as honorary music director and after 14 years at the helm of the Orquestra del Liceu, Maestro Josep Pons returns home to conduct one of the season’s major titles, La flauta màgica by Mozart, in the new Liceu production directed by Marcos Morau. Pons will also conduct the concert Celebrar el Lliure, marking the 50th anniversary of the Teatre Lliure, an institution of which he was a founding member of its now-defunct orchestra.
The Liceu presents a season with a total income budget of €63.1 million. Public administrations continue to play a key role, contributing 48% of the budget, while self-generated income accounts for the remaining 52%. The artistic project is allocated €17 million, educational expenditure —LiceuAprèn— amounts to €1.2 million, and the social budget reaches €1 million, including the cost of the second community-based opera. The patronage commitment of €8.4 million highlights the growing importance of private support in sustaining and developing the Liceu project, consolidating itself as a fundamental pillar to ensure artistic quality and social impact. This season also continues the celebration of the 25th anniversary of Petit Liceu, further strengthening educational initiatives. In this context, recognition as Esdeveniment d’Excepcional Interès Públic (AEIP) helps boost these initiatives and expand their reach.
LiceuOPERA+ will continue to grow, marked by the turning point represented by the qualitative leap under the artistic direction of Igor Cortadellas. With a budget of €1.3 million, it will offer digital formats of various 2026/27 season titles such as Aida by Verdi, I Capuleti e i Montecchi by Bellini, La bohème by Puccini, La fanciulla del West by Puccini, Jenůfa by Janáček and Die Zauberflöte by Mozart, as well as productions from the 2025/26 season such as Akhnaten by Philip Glass, L’elisir d’amore by Donizetti, Tristan und Isolde by Wagner, La Gioconda by Ponchielli, Manon Lescaut by Puccini and Le nozze di Figaro by Mozart. The platform also includes exclusive content linked to the artistic programme, designed to enhance preparation and audience understanding, enriching the overall experience.
The Liceu continues celebrating the 25th anniversary of Petit Liceu, a project created to bring opera closer to young audiences and now consolidated as the foundation of the LiceuAprèn educational programme. Among the highlights is the premiere at the Main Stage of La jove Aïda, in collaboration with the Fundació Òpera a Catalunya, which will also tour afterwards, as well as the new production Trencanous-jazz (premiering this season). The programme Al cor del Liceu, created for the Petit Liceu anniversary, also remains in the repertoire.
The 2026/27 season marks a turning point in the artistic history of the Liceu with the launch of a new cycle of Wagner’s Ring productions. Das Rheingold will be the first opera conducted by Jonathan Nott at the Gran Teatre del Liceu. Stage director Tobias Kratzer brings the Tetralogy to life with a vision that combines power and religion, mortality and immortality, highlighting the struggle for power and its inevitable decline.
Barcelona-born productions reflecting the city’s creative and artistic essence become two major milestones of the Liceu’s operatic programme. On one hand, the world premiere of the new production of Die Zauberflöte by Mozart, staged by Marcos Morau. The choreographer and founder of La Veronal offers a new scenic interpretation of one of the great repertoire titles, featuring strong local talent and Josep Pons conducting in his new role as honorary music director.
On the other hand, the second new production of the Liceu bears the unmistakable signature of Àlex Ollé, who presents an exceptional version of Jenůfa by Janáček, exploring the invisible violence of communities when tradition becomes moral control. This title will feature musical direction by maestro Jonathan Nott and the voices of Asmik Grigorian as Jenůfa and Nina Stemme as Kostelnička.
The narrative of in-house productions is enriched with the sixth edition of Òh!pera, with director Àlex Ollé leading the project. This season, Òh!pera will feature composers Carme Rodríguez and Silvia Lanao; librettists Aina Tur and María Velasco; and directors Lorena Nogal (choreographer) and Iván Morales.
As part of its commitment to new creation, the Liceu presents one of the most significant milestones of recent years: the premiere of La rosa dels set pètals, the second community opera of the Theatre. Following La gata perduda (22/23), the Liceu promotes a new collective creation project with the Sant Andreu district. The work, with libretto by Blanca Bardagil, music by Tomàs Peire and Lucas Peire, stage direction by Israel Solà and musical direction by Manel Valdivieso, involves active participation from local residents and organisations, with the support of Barcelona City Council, highlighting the historical memory and associative and cultural tradition of Sant Andreu.
Another major highlight of the season is the arrival at the Gran Teatre del Liceu of the new LiceuAprèn production, La jove Aïda, a reinterpretation of Verdi’s iconic Aida, created by Jordi Casanovas, Marian Márquez and Onionlab. With a technologically driven and audiovisual staging, the production —in collaboration with the Fundació Òpera a Catalunya— premieres at the Liceu after touring various theatres across the country and will continue its tour in Catalonia.
Shirin Neshat is the visual artist of the artistic programme and has collaborated on the season book, which gathers part of her visual imagination, personal symbolism and Persian calligraphy. In addition, her moving production of Verdi’s Aida opens the 2026/27 season. Neshat also creates the visual universe of the concert Dudamel conducts Scheherazade, a work specially created by the visual artist in co-production with the New York Philharmonic, with Gustavo Dudamel leading the Liceu Orchestra.
Neshat and seven other voices consolidate the sixth edition of Liceu de les Arts. Set designer and visual artist Frederic Amat will merge his work with the performance Ryoan-ji, based on a work by John Cage inspired by the Kyoto rock garden. Catalan poet and painter Narcís Comadira has selected his poems and verses for all 2026/27 season materials. Exhibitions and installations in the Saló dels Miralls by multidisciplinary artist Javier Mariscal, visual artist Dominic Kiessling, painter Fabienne Verdier, visual artist Fito Conesa and photographer Alberto García-Alix complete this interdisciplinary programme.
Each title becomes a space for reflection on the power of art, and Aida by Verdi will open the 2026/27 season on 25 September. The stage production by Shirin Neshat, co-produced with the Opéra national de Paris and based on the Salzburg Festival production, arrives at the Liceu with the voices of Anna Netrebko / Anna Pirozzi and Yusif Eyvazov / Piotr Beczała, becoming a mirror of contemporary conflicts such as power, war and human dignity. Two days earlier, on 23 September, the title premieres with an exclusive Under35 performance.
One of the most significant premieres at national level in recent decades is The Exterminating Angel, the most recent opera by British composer Thomas Adès, with a libretto by Tom Cairns and conducted by Thomas Adès himself at the helm of the Liceu Orchestra. Premiered in 2016 at the Salzburg Festival and based on Luis Buñuel’s homonymous film (1962), this opera portrays a society trapped within its own conventions, unable to imagine any escape. Calixto Bieito signs this production of the Gran Teatre del Liceu based on the Opéra national de Paris production (2024).
La bohème by Puccini arrives at the Liceu with the intensity of a story that continues to move audiences, with an extraordinary cast: Pretty Yende, Ermonela Jaho, Freddie De Tommaso, Pene Pati, Roberto Alagna, Serena Sáenz, Sara Blanch, Artur Ruciński and Carles Pachón, among others. Conducted by Giacomo Sagripanti, the classic production by Paolo Gavazzeni and Piero Maranghi for the Teatro Regio di Torino offers a faithful approach to one of the great titles of the operatic repertoire and invites audiences to discover an intimate and vibrant Paris.
With great anticipation, Adrian Noble’s production of I Capuleti e i Montecchi by Bellini will be seen for the first time at the Liceu, coming from La Scala in Milan. Conducted by Riccardo Frizza, the production features Lisette Oropesa and Raffaella Lupinacci, two references of today’s bel canto.
La clemenza di Tito by Mozart returns to the Liceu conducted by Jordi Savall at the head of Le Concert des Nations and staged by acclaimed David McVicar. With a top-level cast: Jack Swanson (Tito), Marianne Crebassa (Sesto) and Karine Deshayes (Vitellia), this Gran Teatre del Liceu production, created for the Aix-en-Provence Festival in 2011, emerges with a contemporary intensity that enhances its message.
After 43 years since its last performance at the Liceu (1983–84 season), La fanciulla del West by Puccini returns to the Liceu stage in a highly emotional production. The brilliant Sondra Radvanovsky will perform Minnie alongside Angelo Villari as Dick Johnson and Roman Burdenko as Jack Rance, with Nicola Luisotti conducting and the powerful staging by Valentina Carrasco.
In the concert opera section, highlights include Cançó d’amor i de guerra by Martínez Valls on its centenary (with Serena Sáenz, Josep Bros, Carles Pachón, among others), as well as the world premiere of Schiava e Regina by Lluïsa Casagemas. This section also includes Les pêcheurs de perles by Bizet with Marc Minkowski, and Il trionfo del tempo e del disinganno by Händel with Giovanni Antonini.
Among the most anticipated moments is Verdi’s Requiem with soprano Lise Davidsen, tenor Freddie De Tommaso, mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina and bass Christian Van Horn, conducted by Nicola Luisotti.
The season will also include recitals by Sondra Radvanovsky, as well as a concert with Anna Netrebko, Brian Jagde and George Petean. This section is completed by two great divas of the theatre: the recitals of Nadine Sierra and Asmik Grigorian.
In dance, the Liceu will offer four contrasting proposals: The Nutcracker, presented by the Karlsruhe Ballet with choreography by Bridget Breiner; Assembly Hall by Crystal Pite with her company (Kid Pivot); the Compañía Nacional de Danza with a triple bill of Balanchine, Godani and Forsythe titled NumEros; and a magnificent Grand Dance Gala featuring stars from the world’s leading companies. La nit de Sant Joan with music by Robert Gerhard and direction by Antonio Ruz is another dance production included in LiceuAprèn.
The Constel·lacions Cycle continues with 3 chamber-format concerts focusing on musicians of the Orquestra Simfònica in their role as soloists.
The 2026/27 season presents a total of 194 performances, including 9 staged opera titles and 4 concert versions, as well as a new community-created opera and two new micro-operas (Òh!pera). In addition, there are 17 dance performances across 4 productions, 12 concerts or recitals in the Sala Gran, and 5 activities in the Foyer. The Liceu’s goal is to reach 300,000 spectators for the 2026/27 season.
A notable new feature of the season is that new subscriptions will be available from the very moment the season is presented, bringing forward the sales launch compared to previous years.
With a community of more than 45,000 under-35 members, the Liceu offers 5 LiceUnder35 experiences: Aida (23/09); La bohème (03/01), with Gala Night; Assembly Hall (12/05); NumEros (11/06) and La flauta màgica (28/07).
One of the major new features of the season is the new Liceu symphonic subscription, a proposal that highlights the identity and artistic quality of its Orquestra Simfònica. Designed as a three-concert journey, it brings together major conductors (Jonathan Nott, Nicola Luisotti and Gustavo Dudamel) and exceptional voices.
In a season that reaffirms the transformative power and social responsibility of culture, the season trailer takes as its starting point the classic slogan La fuerza del Liceu. The campaign was created by the agency Soon in Tokyo and produced by Contrario, directed by Nono Ayuso and starring actress Mireia Oriol.