Est. 1974 New York City
Home of the worlds longest continuously operated Black Opera Company
Raising the curtain on a New Era
Operatic Excellence
2 0 2 6 - 2 0 2 7 S E A S O N
New Ground, Familiar Purpose
Opera Ebony enters its 2026–2027 season with the confidence of an institution that has spent over five decades defining, not following, the American opera landscape. This season builds toward our Spring 2028 Re-Debut with milestone events that reconnect our audience, our artists, and our legacy.
We open September 20th with the Benjamin Matthews Vocal Competition Winners’ Concert at Jackie Robinson Park in Harlem, presented with Harlem Presents / The Harlem Opera Festival — a joyful celebration of the voices carrying this tradition forward. This fall, our Masterclass Series continues with acclaimed artist Brian Stokes Mitchell, reflecting our enduring commitment to artist development at the highest level.
After the new year, our American Spirituals Concert honors the musical heritage at the heart of our identity as the oldest continuously operating Black opera company in the world. And in Fall 2027, all roads lead to the Benjamin Matthews Vocal Competition itself — awarding over $20,000 across our Young Artist and Emerging Artist Divisions.
New ground. Familiar purpose. This is Opera Ebony’s season.
BMVC WINNER’S CONCERT
Join our 2025 BMVC Winner’s in concert
Sunday, September 20, 2026
Flagship
2027 Benjamin Matthews Vocal Competition
Opera Ebony proudly presents the **8th Biennial Benjamin Matthews Vocal Competition**, our flagship national competition awarding over **$20,000 in total prizes** across our Young Artist and Emerging Artist Divisions. For over five decades, Opera Ebony has provided a platform for under-represented singers to gain national and international exposure — a launching pad for extraordinary talent, with many past winners going on to grace the world's most celebrated opera stages.
More than a competition, BMVC is an investment in the future of opera itself — identifying and championing the next generation of world-class voices.
Click the BMVC tab above a full list of past winners.
Details on dates, venue, and applications coming soon.
Coming Soon
Opera Ebony proudly announces our Fall 2026 Masterclass Series, led by the incomparable Brian Stokes Mitchell — celebrated actor, singer, and one of the most distinguished voices of his generation. This intimate, high-level series offers emerging artists a rare opportunity to study with a true master of stage and song, continuing Opera Ebony’s decades-long tradition of nurturing the next generation of operatic talent.
Details on dates and registration coming soon.
MasterClass Series - Fall 2026
Opera Ebony proudly presents our American Spirituals Concert, featuring rising artists in the cornerstone repertoire that has always defined our identity: the American Spiritual. The program pairs beloved traditional works with fresh arrangements from some of our nation's most gifted composers, honoring a uniquely American art form while carrying it boldly into its next chapter.
Details on programming and tickets coming soon.
American Spirituals Concert — February 2027
Opera Ebony returns to the stage with the New York premiere of OSHUN / Two Corners, two powerful one-act works from the celebrated collaborative team of Jarrod Lee (libretto) and B.E. Boykin (composer).
OSHUN draws on Yoruba mythology, following the Orisha of love and fertility as she alone rises to answer a drought threatening her people — a journey of sacrifice, self-love, and redemption in the face of those who would deny it, reminding us that with the help of those who love us well, we can find our inner strength even in our darkest hour Kennedy Center.
Two Corners tells a deeply personal, true-to-life story: the decades-long friendship between two childhood friends, Florine and Sarah, revisited through the nostalgic power of a radio as they examine their bond against the backdrop of racial tension in segregated, rural Wedowee, Alabama Jarrod Lee. As they revisit shared memories from different perspectives, their friendship is tested — leaving audiences to wonder whether it could survive the era’s divisions, or was only ever part of their imagination. Jarrod Lee
Together, these two works — one mythic, one intimate — mark a bold and moving return for Opera Ebony: new works, new voices, and the same enduring purpose that has defined us since 1973.
Details are being finalized. Stay tuned.
2028 Spring | Re-Debut
Artistry Rooted in Tradition and Innovation
Since 1974, Opera Ebony has championed under-represented artists in opera, concert, and the classical tradition—nurturing careers, honoring legacy, and shaping the future of American opera.
Photo provided by the archives of Finish Baritone, Jorma Hynnenin
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