IOC 14th season announcement

We are thrilled to introduce IOC’s 2025-2026 season of Comedy and Laughter!

In November 2025 we will present Fair at the Sorotichintsy, a comic opera by the 19th century Russian composer M. Mussorgsky. Mussorgsky was part of the Russian "mighty five" and many consider him the most talented and innovative composer of this group. The plot is based on a story by N. Gogol. Both story and opera serve as a kind of bridge between Ukrainian and Russian background. It appears that Fair at the Sorotchinsky will be another West Coast premiere by IOC! The opera will be performed concert-style with piano accompaniment. Save the dates: November 14th and 15th.

March 2026 will bring Die Kluge (The Wise Woman) by C Orff. This is a fun and accessible work by the beloved creator of Carmina Burana. Based on a Brothers Grimm fairy tale, the opera tells the story of a young woman who is so clever and wise that she can solve any riddle, which convinces the King to marry her. And at the end, she outsmarts him too!

Finally, the Summer of 2026 will bring L'elisir D'Amore by G. Donizetti, one of the acclaimed masterpieces of Bel canto. We are thrilled to present a third opera by Donizetti, this time a lighthearted comedy. After all the heavy drama of Lucia di Lammermoor and Anna Bolena, we felt that we needed something humorous and light. Here is the plot in one sentence: Nemorino, a naive peasant, wins the heart of the wealthy Adina after believing in a fake love potion sold by the quack doctor Dulcamara, proving that true love—not magic—is the real elixir. With iconic operatic tunes such as Una Furtiva Lagrima, this is definitely going to be an event not to be missed!