Opera has often been seen as something reserved for a niche audience, but that’s clearly changing in Tenerife.
The Auditorio de Tenerife has announced the most successful opera season in its 23-year history, with more than 28,000 people attending performances, talks and related events during the 2025-2026 programme.
The figures mark a record year for Ópera de Tenerife, with growing audiences, increasing subscription numbers and more younger people discovering opera for the first time.
Record Numbers Across the Season
According to the Cabildo de Tenerife’s Councillor for Culture, José Carlos Acha, the results show that the venue is heading in the right direction.
For the first time ever, Ópera de Tenerife has attracted more than 1,300 season ticket holders, while over 6,000 tickets have already been sold for the upcoming season. Around 10% of those bookings are from people under the age of 30, highlighting the growing appeal of opera among younger audiences.
Acha believes affordable ticket prices have played an important role in making opera more accessible and helping to shake off its reputation as an elitist art form.
A Season Packed with Acclaimed Productions
The season opened with another edition of Ópera en Minúscula, a series of smaller-scale productions staged at the Auditorio de Tenerife, Teatro Leal and Espacio La Granja, attracting more than 800 spectators.
The main programme then featured a number of major productions throughout the year.
Yerma, by Heitor Villa-Lobos, drew more than 3,800 people across four performances and later received two prestigious Talía Awards for Best Lyric Production and Best Costume Design.
Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman followed in November, attracting more than 4,000 spectators despite logistical challenges after the original production failed to arrive from Chile on schedule.
The year concluded with Adiós a la Bohemia, which welcomed over 2,000 audience members.
A Strong Start to 2026
The new year continued with Orfeo ed Euridice by Christoph Gluck, which attracted more than 2,700 people.
That was followed by three performances of Roméo et Juliette by Charles Gounod, drawing audiences of over 3,900, while Bluebeard’s Castle by Béla Bartók welcomed around 1,000 people, including a special educational performance.
The season concluded with Los celos han estrellas y el amor hace prodigios at Teatro Leal, followed by three performances of the popular zarzuela La Verbena de la Paloma, which attracted more than 4,200 spectators.
More Than Opera Performances
The programme extended well beyond the main productions.
A series of educational talks presented by Ramón Gener, alongside a lecture by Javi Alonso, several recitals by tenor José Bros in Los Realejos, Adeje and the Auditorio de Tenerife, plus a dedicated Lied recital, attracted a combined audience of more than 3,000 people.
Opera Continues to Grow in Tenerife
The record-breaking season reflects a growing interest in opera across the island, helped by accessible pricing, ambitious productions and a programme that appeals to both experienced opera lovers and newcomers alike.
With subscriptions and advance ticket sales already at record levels, the outlook for the next season is looking just as promising.