For its 20th anniversary season, St. Pete Opera is circling back to the blockbuster that started it all: Puccini’s La Bohème. The downtown company will bring the opera to the Palladium in St. Petersburg in early June, in a staging that tips its hat to the troupe’s original 2007 production. The run also doubles as a goodbye of sorts, serving as the company’s final mainstage engagement at the Palladium before the theater temporarily shuts down for major renovations.
Season Finale And Performance Dates
The season finale opens Friday, June 5, with additional performances on June 5, June 7 (matinee), June 9, June 12 and a June 14 final matinee. The date lineup and season billing are listed on St. Pete Opera. The company first performed La Bohème in June 2007, a historical note recorded by St. Pete Catalyst. This new outing is directed by Matt Haney, with Maestro Mark Sforzini on the podium.
Tickets And The Palladium's Last Bow
Reserved tickets for the Palladium run are listed on the venue’s event page, with prices shown at roughly $20 to $130 and advance sales handled through both the theater and the company. The seating chart and ticketing details appear on the Palladium site. According to Creative Loafing Tampa, this will be St. Pete Opera’s last mainstage presentation at the Palladium before the venue closes for about a year for extensive upgrades.
A Smaller, More Intimate Next Season
While the Palladium undergoes its renovation, St. Pete Opera plans to shift its 2027 mainstage season into Opera Central at 2145 1st Ave. S., the company’s rehearsal and education headquarters. “It will be a much more immersive experience,” Maestro Mark Sforzini told Creative Loafing Tampa, which notes that Opera Central seats roughly 150 people. Organizers say the smaller hall will mean changes in programming and staging, but also the potential for closer musical contact between singers and audiences.
Cast, Staging And What To Expect
The principal cast features Elizabeth Novella as Mimì, Jonny Kaufman as Rodolfo, Leah Podzimek as Musetta and Hunter Enoch as Marcello, with scenic design by Frank Chavez and lighting design by Keith Arsenault, according to St. Pete Opera. The company lists the running time at about 2 hours and 50 minutes with two intermissions and bills the show as a full mainstage production. For local audiences, the run brings back Puccini’s familiar arias, sung by a mix of regional and national artists in what is set up as both a homecoming and a farewell.
