Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera opens its opera season on November 21 with a full concert performance of Verdi’s Il Trovatore—one of the most performed operas in the repertoire, and one that earns its place there. The production brings in an international cast, conducted by Ari Pelto at the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center. Tickets are on sale now through sacphilopera.org.
What Is Il Trovatore
Verdi wrote Il Trovatore in 1853. The plot is tangled—a troubadour, a count, a gypsy woman, a noblewoman, and a very old crime that connects all of them—but the music cuts through any confusion. It contains some of Verdi’s most direct and powerful writing, including the “Anvil Chorus,” which has become one of the most recognized passages in all of opera, and the tenor aria “Di quella pira,” which audiences expect to end in a high C. In concert form, there is no staging: singers perform in front of the orchestra and chorus, with a full cast in place. The focus is entirely on the music and the voices.
For anyone who has been curious about opera but unsure whether a full production is the right place to start, a concert performance is a reasonable entry point. The SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center is a proper venue for it—spacious, with clear acoustics, and close to parking and transit downtown.
The Cast
The full cast is drawn from working professionals in the field, and the principal roles include:
- Leonora — Aviva Fortunata (soprano)
- Manrico — Diego Torre (tenor)
- Azucena — Deborah Nansteel (mezzo-soprano)
- Count di Luna — Stephen Powell (baritone)
- Ferrando — Young Bok Kim (bass-baritone)
- Ines — Courtney Miller
- Ruiz — Aaron Gallington
Azucena is the hinge of the opera—the gypsy woman whose obsession drives the entire plot. The role sits in the dramatic mezzo range and tends to be the performance most people remember. The Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera Chorus will perform alongside the orchestra under Maestro Pelto, who is in his second season as the company’s Music Director.
Tickets and Box Office
Tickets are sold through the Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera at sacphilopera.org. The box office takes calls at (916) 476-5975, Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm—no in-person walk-in. Ticket prices were not listed on the performance page; check the website or call for current pricing. The company also offers subscription packages for multiple concerts throughout the season.
Parking and Getting There
The SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center is at 1301 L Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. There is no dedicated venue parking. Metered street parking is available on L Street and neighboring blocks; check posted signs for enforcement hours. For pre-purchased garage parking downtown, use sacpark.org. Booking a garage spot before an evening show saves time, especially on a Saturday.
SacRT light rail reaches the St. Rose of Lima Park station at 7th and K Streets, about three blocks from the venue. For a step-by-step guide to getting to downtown Sacramento events by transit, see: How to Ride Sacramento Light Rail to Golden 1 Center, Old Sacramento & Downtown Events.
The Details
- Performance: Verdi’s Il Trovatore, in concert
- Date: Saturday, November 21, 2026
- Time: 7:30 pm
- Venue: SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center, 1301 L Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
- Conductor: Ari Pelto
- Tickets: sacphilopera.org
- Box office: (916) 476-5975, Tue–Fri 10 am–1 pm and 2–3 pm
- Parking: No venue lot; metered street parking or pre-purchased garages at sacpark.org
- Transit: SacRT light rail to St. Rose of Lima Park (7th & K), three blocks away
If You’re Planning the Evening
The November 21 date puts this on the same weekend as downtown Sacramento’s early holiday activity. The downtown ice rink at Plaza de César Chávez opens around mid-November; if you’re making an evening of it, dinner before the show and a walk through the area afterward is a workable plan. For the Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera’s full 2026–27 season, including other upcoming concerts, see the Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera 2026-27 Season overview.
Bottom Line
Il Trovatore is the kind of opera that earns its reputation. Verdi packed it with memorable music, the cast Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera has assembled for this performance is strong, and the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center is the right room for it. If you’ve been looking for a reason to try live opera in Sacramento, November 21 is the date. Get tickets at sacphilopera.org or call (916) 476-5975.
