By Kristen Nevarez Schweizer
January 14, 2026
For San Diego Opera, the final dress rehearsal isn’t just about practicing lighting cues and final changes. It’s also about a third grader staring up at the San Diego Civic Theatre ceiling and whispering, “Did you see the bathroom? The bathroom is so fancy!”
Awe, delight, and discovery are exactly what Bernardo Bermudez, Director of Learning and Engagement at San Diego Opera, hopes for when thousands of students flood dress rehearsals during Student Night at the Opera.
“This is about experience,” Bermudez says. “Yes, it introduces kids to the music and the art form—but what stays with them is the feeling. It’s often their first time in a space like this. They are invited to dress up. They gasp together. They realize this is special.”
Bermudez’s first introduction to opera came when he was a student. As a teenager, a family friend of Bermudez introduced him to Verdi’s Otello—a dense and dramatic story that is far from beginner-friendly. “Yet I loved the story,” he recalls, “but it was later, seeing Don Giovanni in college, when I really fell in love. What hooked me both times wasn’t just the music—it was the experience. The grand experience of opera.”
Those words come up again and again: grand experience.
Student Night invites students in grades 3–12 to attend final dress rehearsals of the opera’s major productions at no cost in order to experience a grand art form in one of San Diego’s largest performing arts venues. This season includes The Barber of Seville on February 11 and Carmen on March 25—both performed at the San Diego Civic Theatre, sung in their original languages with English and Spanish supertitles.
“People assume opera is inaccessible,” Bermudez says. “But when you actually look at it, a single ticket can cost about the same as an IMAX movie ticket with popcorn or a ball game without the hot dog. The real barrier isn’t price—it’s awareness. People don’t know how approachable it is, or how much support we provide.”
San Diego Opera’s support for students is extensive. The Student Night program provides teachers with study guides, lesson ideas, art projects, and even a live, digital orientation meeting that covers everything from parking to plot to pop-culture connections. “We want teachers to feel empowered,” Bermudez explains. “We give them these tools so opera doesn’t feel intimidating; it should feel empowering.”
For students at Title I schools, the program offers transportation reimbursement. “Access only matters if you can actually get people in the room,” says Bermudez.
This commitment to access exists alongside major investments in artistic excellence.
Earlier this month, San Diego Opera announced a landmark $4.5 million gift from Irwin Jacobs, establishing the Joan and Irwin Jacobs San Diego Symphony and San Diego Opera Collaboration Fund. The fund strengthens the long-standing partnership between the opera and the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, ensuring collaboration across productions.
For students attending Student Night, that means something powerful: their first opera experience is backed by world-class musicianship. “When kids come in, they’re not getting a scaled-down version of the art,” says Bermudez. “They’re seeing the whole thing—full orchestra, incredible singers, everything working together.”
Bermudez loves slipping into the lobby during intermission. “Some are talking about the singers, some about the costumes, and some are just amazed by the space itself. All of that matters in creating a truly memorable experience.”
From the stage, the impact runs both ways. “Performing for thousands of students before our official opening night changes the energy in the room,” Bermudez says. “Artists feel it. There’s an immediacy, a responsiveness. It reminds everyone backstage why live performance matters.”
Early exposure, he believes, shapes more than future ticket buyers. It builds culturally engaged adults—people more likely to visit museums, attend concerts, and support the arts. “Once art becomes part of your life, you start saying yes to things you wouldn’t have before.”
When students leave the grand experience at the end of the night, Bermudez’s hope is simple: “That they felt something. That their routine was broken open for a few hours. That they were part of something shared and alive. And that maybe they’ll want to come back.”
Student Night at the Opera is free, but requires registration. For more information, visit sdopera.org or contact educate@sdopera.org.
The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini
- Student performance: Wednesday, February 11, 2026, from 6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.
- For grades 3-12 and chaperones
- Sung in Italian with English and Spanish subtitles
Carmen by Georges Bizet
- Student performance: Wednesday, March 25, 2026, from 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
- For grades 4-12 and chaperones
- Sung in French with English and Spanish subtitles
Note: Student Night at the Opera is supported by the City of San Diego, the Prebys Foundation, the Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation, and individual donors. Carmen Student Night at the Opera is supported by the University of San Diego.
