5 Ballet and Opera Performances in Vancouver to Wow You This Spring

Classic performing arts such as ballet and opera can bring a sense of awe to their audiences, especially around the holiday season. So, despite Timothée Chalamet’s comments during a Variety interview in late February, this doesn’t mean they’re dying art forms that nobody cares about. The ballet and opera communities, and much of the public, rallied to show their continuous support for these two art forms following the viral statement. We’ve rounded up a few shows in Vancouver to enjoy with your loved ones, where you’ll be blown away by the talent and craft behind these two moving art forms.

1. The Fox – Opera Unbound

Emerging Vancouver composer Roan Shankaruk presents the world premiere of Opera Unbound’s chamber opera, The Fox. Based on the 1922 novella of the same name by D.H. Lawrence, the opera follows two women running an isolated poultry farm, and a charming young soldier who comes to stay with them. At ANNEX from April 17 to 19, immerse yourself in this intense, genre-defying performance that explores intimacy and power. The Fox has been adapted into an award-winning 1967 film, as well as theatrical plays, but Shankaruk’s interpretation marks its first adaptation as a contemporary opera.

Friday, April 17 to Sunday, April 19
Tickets starting at $40 
Tickets and showtimes online

2. After the Rain & Other Works – Ballet Vancouver

Ballet Vancouver is Vancouver’s newest professional ballet company. From April 23 to 25, the company is presenting its debut performance, After the Rain & Other Works, at the Vancouver Playhouse. The inaugural performance features talent from the American Ballet Theatre, alongside some of Canada’s finest artists, in a performance that is both a love letter to Vancouver and an avant-garde artistic statement. Highlights include the Vancouver premiere of Christopher Wheeldon’s After the Rain, a work commissioned by New York City Ballet, alongside two locally premiered works and a new piece co-created by artistic director Joshua Beamish and Gitxsan designer Yolonda Skelton, with a score by Cree composer Cris Derksen.

Thursday, April 23 to Saturday, April 25
Tickets starting at $25 
Tickets and showtimes online

Read More: What to See This Spring: 8 Arts & Culture Events in Metro Vancouver

3. Memento Mori – Arts Umbrella Dance Company

For a fun, family-friendly feature of various dance forms, including ballet, Arts Umbrella Dance returns for its annual season finale, Memento Mori, at the Vancouver Playhouse, starting May 21 until May 23. Featuring dances from over 15 choreographers, including Marcos Morau, Sharon Eyal, Crystal Pite, James Kudelka and Medhi Walerski, the performance explores the intimate experience that marks the shift from cycle to cycle. 

Thursday, May 21 to Saturday, May 23
Tickets starting at $50 for adults 
Tickets and showtimes online

4. Unity – Ballet BC

 

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Ballet BC’s newest production, Unity, features a full-company cast alongside a live string quartet performing a Philip Glass score. Choreographic duo Bobbi Jene Smith, a Batsheva Dance Company alum and Or Schraiber showcase a stunning follow-up to their 2025 debut with Ballet BC. 

Thursday, May 7 to Saturday, May 9
Tickets starting at $19
Tickets and showtimes online

5. La Bohème – Vancouver Opera

 

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From April 25 to May 3, experience one of opera’s most enchanting, classic love stories. Set in Paris, Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème comes to Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Sung in Italian with English subtitles, Vancouver Orchestra music director emeritus Jonathan Darlington conducts the orchestra, while Pacific Opera Victoria artistic director Brenna Corner directs the international cast. 

Saturday, April 25 to Sunday, May 3
Tickets starting at $50
Tickets and showtimes online