Give your students the chance to step inside the Kauffman Center and experience the thrill of a full opera production during an exclusive final dress rehearsal. They’ll see the spectacle, hear the music, and feel the raw emotion before the show opens to the public.
All shows are recommended for grades 5 and above. For more information regarding content, please reach out to ebridges@kcopera.org.
Registration for the 2026-2027 season will be available July 1, 2026.
2026-2027 Student Dress Rehearsals
Thursday, September 17, 2026 at 6:00 pm
A portrait of friendship, romance, and grief in nineteenth-century France among a charming group of impoverished bohemians who face life’s challenges with humor, resilience, and poetry.
Performed in Italian with English captions
Thursday, November 5, 2026 at 6:00 pm
Preparing for their wedding, Susanna and Figaro must contend with a colorful cast of characters who place hilarious obstacles in their path to the altar.
Performed in Italian with English captions
Thursday, February 18, 2027 at 2:30 pm
Gilbert and Sullivan’s witty wordplay, swashbuckling satire, and captivating cadences make this lighthearted operetta a much-loved classic that never fails to entertain.
Performed in English with English captions
Thursday, April 22, 2027, at 6:00 pm
Destinies are shaped and loyalties are tested as the Egyptian general Radamès and Ethiopian princess Aida embark on a forbidden romance.
Performed in Italian with English captions
Plan Your Experience
A pre-teaching session brings Lyric Opera education staff and artists to your school to deliver an interactive lesson designed specifically for your students.
Student groups who participate in a pre-teaching session arrive at the opera more engaged, better prepared, and more connected to the performance. These sessions make a noticeable difference in how students experience the dress rehearsal.
To book a pre-teaching session, please indicate your interest on the registration form. Manager of School Programs Emily Bridges will reach out to schedule a time.
Cost: $225
Cost includes dress rehearsal seating and access to curricular resources.
- Student attendees: $7 per individual
- Adult chaperones (maximum 1 chaperone for every 5 students): $7 per individual
- Additional adult chaperones (homeschool only): $28 per individual
- Pre-teaching session: $225
- Applicants must be pre-defined student groups (i.e. choir, ELA class, Thespian troupe, collegiate opera workshop, etc.).
- All non-chaperones must be between 5th grade and college, or ages 10 and 18 for homeschool students.
- All non-chaperones must be members of the student group; siblings and others will not be admitted.
- Applicants will submit a short statement detailing how the experience will be implemented in the classroom and coursework.
- All groups must meet the minimum size of ten (10) students and two (2) chaperones.
- All groups must have no more than one (1) chaperone per five (5) students.
- Homeschool groups may include additional adult chaperones for an increased cost.
- If your group requires additional chaperones, please email Manager of Learning Emily Bridges at ebridges@kcopera.org.
If you or your group cannot meet these criteria, we encourage you to take advantage of the student and educator rush tickets at selected public performances.
We encourage early registration. Payment is due at the time of registration. Registration closes 7 days prior to the dress rehearsal date. No refunds will be issued.
Payment can be made by card.
Registration for the 2026–2027 season will open on July 1, 2026.
All dress rehearsals will be the held at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in the Muriel Kauffman Theatre. Groups should arrive 30 minutes early to ensure adequate time for seating.
Transportation to and from the Kauffman Center is the responsibility of the visiting group. Funding to help schools defray the cost of transportation may be available through the Kauffman Center’s Open Doors Transportation Fund or Missouri Arts Council’s Big Yellow School Bus Grant. Buses may be accommodated at the Kauffman Center.
Parking is available in the Arts District Garage or on nearby streets. Garage costs may be found on the Kauffman Center's website here.
Groups with individuals requiring accommodations are encouraged to reach out to ebridges@kcopera.org.
Emily Bridges, Manager of School Programs
(816) 802-6053
ebridges@kcopera.org
Gallery
Additional Student Ticket Options
Can’t make it to the dress rehearsal? There are still great ways for students and educators to experience opera at Lyric Opera of Kansas City!
Discounted student and educator rush tickets are available. More information here.
Teens and their guests can also take advantage of $5 day-of tickets through TeenTix KC. More information here.
