Spoleto Festival 2026 Program Talking Points

what season of the Festival is it?

50th (50th anniversary will be in 2027)

major national milestone and thematic focus

250th anniversary of the US

thematic focus on freedom of expression

CEO’s name? how many seasons?

General Director and CEO Mena Mark Hanna’s 5th Festival

how many performances? festival dates?

110; May 22-June 7

types of performances

• world premieres, US premieres, returning Festival favorites, major artistic collaborations

• opera, dance, theater, music, jazz, community programs

world premieres

• George + George (Theater) — New comedic work by Denis O’Hare & Lisa Peterson; set at Valley Forge

• The Duchy (Table Read; Free Program) — New political satire set in a dystopian future by Denis O’Hare, which will be fully staged in a future season

• New Work for Cello and Orchestra — written by Michael Abels and performed by Zuill Bailey

US premieres

Circa’s Dido and Aeneas — opera/physical theater hybrid piece by Circa

Scottish Ballet: Mary, Queen of the Scots — Longtime Spoleto favorite returns with a major new production

additional season highlights

• The Old Maid and the Thief — Gian Carlo Menotti opera never performed at the Festival

• Renee Fleming and Bela Fleck in The Fiddle and the Drum — homecoming by one of Spoleto’s most distinguished alumnae

• The Untold Story of Porgy and Bess — Free community programming that takes a deeper look at the history of Porgy and Bess in Charleston

• Festival Chorus — first season with Amanda Quist as music director

• Live at the Cistern returns with a new name — major headlines including Brandi Carlile, Emmylou Harris, Indigo Girls, Punch Brothers, Mountain Goats, and more

The Old Maid and the Thief

Opera

Spoleto Production

Dock Street Theatre

~60 minutes, no intermission

All ages; adult themes presented comedically

Gian Carlo Menotti

English with English supertitles

The Old Maid and the Thief - program overview

Gian Carlo Menotti’s 1939 radio opera reimagined as a live radio-drama

The Old Maid and the Thief - Key Selling Points

• First-ever Spoleto Festival USA production of this Menotti Classic

• hand-crafted sound effects, inventive object work, and real-time storytelling

• live foley sound-effect work on stage

• small Festival Orchestra ensemble on stage, portraying the in-studio band at the radio station

• ideal entry point for opera newcomers; short, funny, accessible, and in English

The Old Maid and the Thief - audience profile

• fans of chamber opera and comedy

• patrons who enjoy Menotti, Britten, and 20th-century repertoire

• theater audiences who appreciate physical storytelling

• festival donors (Menotti heritage works always perform strongly)

The Old Maid and the Thief - cross-sells

• Dido and Aeneas (opera)

• Festival Orchestra Concerts

• Chamber Music Programs feature early 20th-century composers

• Humans 2.0 (Circa) - for patrons who enjoy physical theater

• All the Devils Are Here - theatrical, narrative-driven work

Dido and Aeneas

Opera/Physical Theater

US Premiere (current hit in Australia)

Sottile Theater

~70 minutes, no intermission

children 12+

Henry Purcell

English with English supertitles

Dido and Aeneas - program overview

New production by Circa that reinterprets the tragic love story of Dido and Aeneas: fusion of opera and acrobatics

Dido and Aeneas - key selling points

• unlike traditional opera — fast-paced, physical, and intensely emotional

• full performance with modern orchestra and harpsichord

• Circa is a Spoleto audience favorite

Dido and Aeneas - audience profile

• opera fans seeking a fresh experience

• dance/physical theater audiences

• younger patrons

• donors interested in premieres and Spoleto’s stature in international arts

Dido and Aeneas - cross-sells

Humans 2.0 (Circa)

Scottish Ballet: Mary, Queen of the Scots

Festival Orchestra: Mahler + Wiancko Premiere

Chamber music programs featuring baroque repertoire

Renee Fleming & Bela Fleck: The Fiddle and the Drum

Music

American 250 Theme

Charleston Gaillard Center

1 hr, 20 mins

All-ages

Renee Fleming & Bela Fleck: The Fiddle and the Drum - program overview

international opera star Renee Fleming and banjo innovator Bela Fleck share the stage for a tribute to Appalachian Folk traditions

Renee Fleming & Bela Fleck: The Fiddle and the Drum - key selling points

• Renee Fleming, one of the most celebrated sopranos alive, got her start at Spoleto in 1987

• Bela Fleck is a world-renowned, multi-Grammy award winner

• the duo is creating a new album together and a few weeks after they release it at the Grand Ole Opry, they will bring their live album show to Spoleto

Renee Fleming & Bela Fleck: The Fiddle and the Drum — audience profile

• fan of Americana, folk, bluegrass, and crossover programs

• patrons seeking marquee, large-venue events

• donors and sponsors

Renee Fleming & Bela Fleck: The Fiddle and the Drum — cross-sells

• Ken Burns: The American Revolution (also America 250 theme)

• Festival orchestra concerts

• Chamber music (particularly American-themed programs)

• Ayodele Casel: The Remix (American tap and music fusion)

• Punch Brothers

• Mali Obomsawin

An Evening with Ken Burns

Film, Music, Discussion

American 250 Theme

College of Charleston Sottile Theatre

~90 minutes

Family-Friendly

An Evening with Ken Burns — program overview

America’s foremost documentary filmmaker, Ken Burns, presents and evening weaving live music with compelling discussions and clips from his latest documentry, The American Revolution.

includes musical selections from the documentary’s soundtrack, drawn from early American repertoire

An Evening with Ken Burns — key selling points

• high-profile event for the America 250 anniversary

• broad audience appeal

An Evening with Ken Burns — audience profile

• general public

• older audiences and lifelong learners

• donors

• schools/educational communities

An Evening with Ken Burns — cross-sells

• Festival Orchestra: Appalachian Spring

• Jason Moran: Ellington in Focus

• Terence Blanchard: Miles and Coltrane at 100

The Untold Story Behind Porgy & Bess

Film, Music, Discussion

FREE Community Program

Charleston Gaillard Center

~90 minutes

All-ages

The Untold Story Behind Porgy & Bess - program notes

An exploration of the history of Porgy and Bess, a story rooted in Charleston and shaped by the racism of the Jim Crow era. The evening traces how the Gullah Geechee people inspired the world’s most popular opera, featuring excerpts from Lauren Warren Douglas’ forthcoming documentary When Porgy Came Home, live musical performances, and a panel discussion.

The Untold Story of Porgy & Bess - Key selling Points

• Charleston-centered event that gives essential cultural context to a globally famous American work

• deeper understanding of Charleston’s Black history, Gullah-Geechee heritage, and the real people and places behind the opera

The Untold Story of Porgy & Bess - audience profile

• visitors interested in Charleston history

• Charleston residents

• patrons who’ve previously seen Porgy & Bess

The Untold Story of Porgy & Bess — cross-sells

• Ken Burns: The American Revolution (historical framing)

• Quentin E. Baxter (Gullah-rooted musical tradition meets Brazilian music)

• George + George (American origins stories)

• Scottish Ballet: Mary, Queen of the Scots (history + narrative)

• The Old Maid and The Thief (opera)

Ayodele Casel: The Remix

Dance (Tap)

Ayodele Casel and Ensemble

College of Charleston Sottile Theatre

~90 minutes

All-ages

Ayodele Casel: The Remix - program overview

• Ayodele Casel = one of the world’s leading tap artists

• blends live music, song, storytelling, and virtuostic choreography

• celebrates the history of tap as an American art form

Ayodele Casel: The Remix - key selling points

• high energy, uplifting, accessible to all ages

• deeply tied to Black American musical traditions

• ideal “entry point” performance for families and new Festival attendees

Ayodele Casel: the Remix - audience profile

• dance, jazz, tap, and musical theater fans

• families

Ayodele Casel: The Remix - cross-sells

• Martha Graham Dance Company: Graham 100

• Scottish Ballet: Mary, Queen of the Scots

• Jason Moran: Ellington in Focus

• Terence Blanchard + E-Collective: Miles and Coltrane at 100

• Live at the Cistern Shows (Indigo Girls, Punch Brothers)

Scottish Ballet — Mary, Queen of the Scots

Dance (modern ballet)

Scottish Ballet

US Premiere

Charleston Gaillard Center

~2 hrs, 10 mins

reccommended 12+

content advisory: depictions of murder and execution, domestic violence, and sexual themes

Scottish Ballet — Mary, Queen of the Scots - program overview

dance-drama exploring the turbulent lives of two of history’s most enigmatic monarchs: Mary, Queen of the Scots and Queen Elizabeth I of Britain

Scottish Ballet — Mary, Queen of the Scots - key selling points

• US premiere

• live music from the Festival Orchestra

• Scottish Ballet consistently sells strongly at Spoleto

• narrative ballet with broad appeal for classical and contemporary dance audiences

Scottish Ballet — Mary, Queen of the Scots - audience profile

• ballet lovers

• tourists and gala audiences

Scottish Ballet — Mary, Queen of the Scots - cross-sells

• Dido and Aeneas (mythic tragedy and large-scale storytelling)

• Festival Orchestra concerts

• Chamber music: romantic programs

• Ken Burns: The American Revolution (historic interest)

• George + George

Graham 100: A Centennial Celebration

Dance (Contemporary and Classic Repertoire)

America 250 Themed

Martha Graham Dance Company

Festival Hall

1 hour, 45 minutes (including intermission)

All Ages

Content advisory: Haze

Graham 100: A Centennial Celebration - program overview

• 100th anniversary of the Martha Graham Dance Company

• curated program of Graham masterpieces and contemporary works

Graham 100: A Centennial Celebration - key selling points

• centennial year for the company - historic moment in American dance

• strong American identity themes align with the 250th anniversary

• featuring music by two Spoleto-connected artists - Gian Carlo Menotti and Rhiannon Giddens

Graham 100: A Centennial Celebration - audience profile

• dance enthusiasts

• patrons with an interest in American cultural history

Graham 100: A Centennial Celebration - cross-sells

Ayodele Casel (American dance lineage)

Scottish Ballet: Mary, Queen of the Scots

Festival Orchestra: Appalachian Spring (Copeland and American dance tradition)

Bank of America Chamber Music

Music

Dock Street Theatre

1 hr, 15 mins

Daily at 11am and 1pm

Family friendly: all ages

Bank of America Chamber Music - program overview

11 unique chamber programs, each performed 3 times

artist interviews, audience interaction, and performances by the country’s best musicians

variety, accessibility, warmth - musicians speak from the stage

Bank of America Chamber Music - audience overview

• longtime Festival patrons

• classical music enthusiasts

• donors

• multi-show buyers

• culturally engaged tourists

Bank of America Chamber Music - cross-sells

• Festival Orchestra Concerts

• Dido and Aeneas

• Scottish Ballet

• Ken Burns

Festival Orchestra: Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5

World Premiere by Micheal Abels

Zuill Bailey, cello

All-Ages

Festival Orchestra: Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 - program overview

• Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5

• bold new cello concerto by Micheal Abels (co-composer of the Pulitzer prize winning opera Omar that premiered at Spoleto in 2022)

Festival Orchestra: Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 - key selling points

• Tchaik 5 = one of the most popular + emotionally gripping symphonies

• New work for cello and orchestra = World Premiere

• cellist Zuill Bailey = Grammy award winner and major audience draw

Festival Orchestra: Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 - audience profile

• fans of large-scale live performances

• first time symphony-goers

• film music and Omar fans (Abels)

Festival Orchestra: Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 - cross-sells

• Mahler Symphony No. 1

• Appalachian Springs and American Classics

• Terence Blanchard + E Collective: Miles & Coltrane at 100

• Jason Moran: Ellington in Focus

• Chamber music

Mahler Symphony No. 1 - program overview

• one of the most epic symphonies ever written, called Titan

• Paul Wiancko’s new violin concerto, co-commissioned by Spoleto Festival USA, written for and performed by renowned violinist Livia Sohn

Mahler Symphony No. 1 - key selling points

• iconic symphony and major new commission

• new concerto by Spoleto’s Chamber Music Director, Paul Wiancko

Appalachian Spring and American Classics - program overview

• moving portrait of America’s musical voice, past and present

  • Jessie Montgomery’s Banner

  • Samuel Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915

  • Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring

Appalachian Spring and American Classics - key selling points

• American masterworks program

  • Copland & Barber = classics, Montgomery = contemporary

• Historic setting: performed in the luminous acoustics of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church

Festival Chorus: Storytelling Through American Composers - program overview

works by American composers - honors the past while looking toward the future

Festival Chorus: Storytelling Through American Composers - key selling points

• Dr. Amanda Quist’s inaugural season as director of the Festival Chorus

• thoughtfully curated program centered on who we are and why we’re here

• performed in the soaring Gothic interior and luminous acoustics of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church

Mozart’s Mass in C Minor - program overview

• Amanda Quist’s first performance as Music Director of the Festival Chorus

• Festival Orchestra + Festival Chorus

• unfinished masterpiece, premiered in 1783, the year America’s independence was formally recognized

George + George

Theater (Comedy/Historical Satire)

World Premiere, America 250 Themed

Creators: Denis O’Hare and Lisa Peterson

George + George - program overview

during the bitter winter at Valley Forge, General George Washington attempts to raise morale by mounting a small-scale theater production of a then-banned English play about liberty, while a secret visitor is within their midst (King George I).

George + George - key selling points

• World Premiere by acclaimed Spoleto favorites

• theatrical staged reading with sketch-comedy vibe

• one of the Festival’s “flagship” plays

• fast-paced, contemporary writing set against American history

George + George - cross-sells

• The Duchy (table read; same creative team)

• All the Devils Are Here

• Ken Burns: The American Revolution

• Humans 2.0 (theatrical innovation)

All The Devils Are Here - How Shakespeare Invented The Villain

Theater (Solo Performance)

Patrick Page

Content Advisory: depictions and discussions of adult themes. haze and fog effects, bright lights, strobe lighting, and loud noises

All The Devils Are Here - program overview

• deep dive into the evolution of the villain using Shakespearean characters

• Patrick Page blends performance, analysis, and theatrical storytelling to explain why audience remain fascinated by characters who embrace the darker side of humanity

All The Devils Are Here - key selling points

• Patrick Page is an audience magnet; previous runs sold extremely well

• Shakespeare attracts a wide demographic

• Rich, intellectual, engaging material delivered with humor

• performance was planned for 2025 festival but Page was injured

All The Devils Are Here - audience profile

• broadway fans

• Shakespeare readers, those with literary interests

• patrons seeking a polished, intellectual, one-man show

All The Devils Are Here - cross-sells

• George + George

• Dido and Aeneas

• Chamber Music (Baroque and early music programs)

• Ken Burns

Table Read: The Duchy

Theater (Table reading)

FREE Community program - must register

Creator: Denis O’Hare

World Premiere Table Read - before this is fully staged at a future Spoleto Festival USA

Table Read: The Duchy - program overview

sneak peak at O’Hare’s next major play - sharp, funny, politically charged satire set in a divided near-future America

Table Read: The Duchy - STAFF NOTES

• full production coming at a future Spoleto Festival USA (do not say 2027)

• unique opportunity to see creative process at work

• creative team: Denis O’Hare and Lisa Peterson

• free tickets - must register to attend

• talk back for feedback

Table Read: The Duchy - cross-sells

George + George

All The Devils Are Here

Chamber music (American-themed programs)

Dead As A Dodo

Theater

Creator: Wakka Wakka

Family-Friendly, suggested 7+

Content Warnings: depictions of death, skeleton characters, staged violence, and some intense imagery, haze, loud noises, darkness

Dead As A Dodo - program overview

• dazzling puppetry, original music, and jaw-dropping visuals

• uses the extinct dodo bird as a jumping-off point for a story of friendship, transformation, and survival

Dead As A Dodo - key selling points

• great for families and schools

• humor, gentle science themes, and inventive staging

• short, accessible, visually engaging

Dead As A Dodo - STAFF NOTES

• “funny but smart”

• good afternoon filler or between larger shows

• think “Nightmare Before Christmas” - some spooky bits, some good versus evil

Dead As A Dodo - cross-sells

• Alvin Sputnik - Deep Sea Explorer

• Humans 2.0

• Family-Friendly concerts