Thursday Night Opera House

Thursdays at 7:00 pm Eastern

 

Thrill to the sounds of grand opera.

Every Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, let The Classical Station sweep you away to the enchanting world of opera.

Since 1980, the Thursday Night Opera House has brought the beauty of the stage to your living room, now guided by Dr. Jay Pierson’s expert hand.

Fall 2026

September

  • September 3 — Mozart: Die Entführung aus dem Serail
    Rundfunkchor Leipzig · Staatskapelle Dresden · Karl Böhm, conductor
    A comic rescue plot filled with virtuosic music, romantic devotion, and outrageous antics.
  • September 10 — Cimarosa: Il matrimonio segreto
    English Chamber Orchestra · Daniel Barenboim, conductor
    A sparkling Classical-era comedy about a secret marriage and the complications it creates.
  • September 17 — Mozart: Die Zauberflöte
    Vienna Philharmonic · Sir Georg Solti, conductor
    A noble prince, a comic birdcatcher, an angry Queen of the Night, and a quest for true love.
  • September 24 — Mozart: Don Giovanni
    Berlin Opera and Berlin Philharmonic · Herbert von Karajan, conductor
    Comedy and melodrama meet in Mozart’s celebrated dramma giocoso. An archival broadcast by the late Al Ruocchio.

October

  • October 1 — Weber: Der Freischütz
    German Symphony Orchestra of Berlin · Marek Janowski, conductor
    Romance and the supernatural converge in the famously eerie Wolf’s Glen scene.
  • October 8 — Dvořák: Rusalka
    Czech Philharmonic Orchestra · Sir Charles Mackerras, conductor
    A water nymph longs to become human after falling in love with a prince.
  • October 15 — Gounod: Faust
    Orchestre et Chœurs du Théâtre National de l’Opéra de Paris · Georges Prêtre, conductor
    Faust bargains away his soul for youth in a drama rich with memorable arias and duets.
  • October 22 — Wagner: Der fliegende Holländer
    BBC Chorus and New Philharmonia Orchestra · Otto Klemperer, conductor
    Condemned to sail forever, the Dutchman comes ashore once every seven years in search of a faithful woman. From the Al Ruocchio archives.
  • October 29 — Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier
    Fall Membership Drive

November

  • November 5 — Rossini: La Cenerentola
    Orchestra of the Royal Opera House · Carlo Rizzi, conductor
    Rossini’s joyful, lyrical retelling of Cinderella gives its mezzo-soprano heroine a radiant spotlight.
  • November 12 — Bellini: I puritani
    London Symphony Orchestra · Richard Bonynge, conductor
    Love between a Puritan woman and a Royalist is threatened by civil war and betrayal. An archival broadcast by the late Al Ruocchio.
  • November 19 — Rossini: Il barbiere di Siviglia
    Orchestra della Toscana · Gianluigi Gelmetti, conductor
    Figaro’s clever disguises and schemes help Count Almaviva win Rosina away from her jealous guardian.
  • November 26 — Thanksgiving Programming

Now Playing

Symphony in C minor

Composed by

Luigi Boccherini (1743-1805)

Performed by

Rossini Orchestra of Naples/Caracciolo

Label

London

Catalog Number

433

Today's Playlist

11:46am Musick in the Indian Queen

Composed by

Henry Purcell (1659-1695)

Performed by

Tafelmusik/Lamon

12:00pm Serenade in F, Op. 95

Composed by

Charles Villiers Stanford (1852–1924)

Performed by

Capricorn

12:30pm A Winter's Tale, Op. 18

Composed by

Lars-Erik Larsson (1908-1986)

Performed by

New York Scandia Symphony/Matson

12:43pm Overture to The Pole and His Child

Composed by

Albert Lortzing (1801-1851)

Performed by

Leipzig Radio Symphony/Guhl

12:50pm Music selected by the announcer

1:01pm Siegfried Idyll

Composed by

Richard Wagner (1813-1883)

Performed by

Chicago Symphony/Barenboim

1:20pm Duo No. 2 in B flat, K. 424

Composed by

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Performed by

Perlman/Zukerman

1:42pm Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp

Composed by

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

Performed by

O'Connor/Neubauer/Kibbey

2:00pm Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64

Composed by

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

Performed by

Hahn/Oslo Philharmonic/Wolff

2:28pm Twelve German Dances

Composed by

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Performed by

Capella Istropolitana/Dohnanyi

2:48pm Trio Sonata, Op. 1 No. 11

Composed by

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

Performed by

L'Arte dell'Arco/Hogwood

2:59pm Piano Concerto No. 08 in C, K. 246

Composed by

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Performed by

Serkin/London Symphony/Abbado

3:25pm Royal Concert No. 3

Composed by

Francois Couperin (1668-1733)

Performed by

Claire/See/Moroney/Linden

3:44pm Capriccio espagnol, Op. 34

Composed by

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908)

Performed by

Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra/Bakels

4:00pm 3rd mvt (Andante) from Symphony No. 3 in F minor, "Irish"

Composed by

Charles Villiers Stanford (1852–1924)

Performed by

Ulster Orchestra/Handley

4:13pm Overture to The Silken Ladder

Composed by

Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868)

Performed by

Philharmonia Orchestra/Muti

4:20pm Prelude from English Suite No. 6 in D minor, BWV 811

Composed by

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Performed by

Andras Schiff

4:29pm Danse Macabre, Op. 40

Composed by

Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921)

Performed by

Sax/National Philharmonic/Stokowski

4:38pm Harp Concerto in G

Composed by

Georg Christoph Wagenseil (1715-1777)

Performed by

Zabaleta/Paul Kuentz Chamber Orchestra

4:51pm Hungarian Rhapsody No. 3 in D

Composed by

Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

Performed by

Gewandhaus Orchestra/Masur

4:59pm Finale (Allegro molto vivace) from Serenade in A for 7 Wind Instruments, Op. 14

Composed by

Julius Rontgen (1855-1932)

Performed by

Viotta Ensemble/Liberman

5:06pm Canon & Gigue in D

Composed by

Johann Pachelbel (1653–1706)

Performed by

English Concert/Pinnock

5:13pm Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, Op. 28

Composed by

Richard Strauss (1864-1949)

Performed by

BBC Philharmonic/Tortelier

5:29pm Tales from the Vienna Woods

Composed by

Johann Strauss Jr. (1825-1899)

Performed by

Keyes/Cincinnati Pops/Kunzel

5:40pm Hungarian Wedding Dance

Composed by

Leo Weiner

Performed by

Starker/Sebok

5:45pm Dance Rhapsody No. 2

Composed by

Frederick Delius (1862-1934)

Performed by

Royal Philharmonic/Beecham

5:54pm Slavonic Dance in D flat, Op. 72 No. 4

Composed by

Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904)

Performed by

Budapest Festival Orchestra/Fischer

6:00pm Hungarian Dance No. 5 in G minor

Composed by

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Performed by

Hope/Zurich Chamber Orchestra

6:03pm Suite for Orchestra from La Boheme

Composed by

Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)

Performed by

Cincinnati Pops/Kunzel

6:22pm Mazurka apasionata

Composed by

Agustin Barrios (1885-1944)

Performed by

Raphael Feuillatre

6:30pm Paris Quartet in E minor, TWV 43:e1

Composed by

Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)

Performed by

Holloway/Brunmater/Duftschmid/Becker/Mortensen

6:48pm Music selected by the announcer

7:01pm Serenade in A for 7 Wind Instruments, Op. 14

Composed by

Julius Rontgen (1855-1932)

Performed by

Viotta Ensemble/Liberman

7:30pm Violin Concerto No. 5 in A, K. 219 "Turkish"

Composed by

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Performed by

Kremer/Vienna Philharmonic/Harnoncourt

8:00pm Symphony in D minor, FWV 48

Composed by

Cesar Franck (1822-1890)

Performed by

Royal Concertgebouw/Chailly

8:44pm The Banks of Green Willow (Idyll for Small Orchestra)

Composed by

George Butterworth (1885-1916)

Performed by

English String Orchestra/Boughton

8:52pm Two Arabesques, L. 66

Composed by

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

Performed by

Tiffany Poon

9:01pm Symphony No. 3 in F minor, "Irish"

Composed by

Charles Villiers Stanford (1852–1924)

Performed by

Ulster Orchestra/Handley

9:43pm Invocation

Composed by

Gustav Holst (1874-1934)

Performed by

Lloyd Webber/Philharmonia/Handley

9:55pm Minuet No. 2 in A

Composed by

Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)

Performed by

Orchestra of the Auvergne/Kantorow

10:00pm Vocalise

Composed by

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)

Performed by

Eroica Trio

10:08pm Una furtiva lagrima from L'elisir d'amore

Composed by

Gaetano Donizetti, arr. Philippe Quint

Performed by

Quint/Maisky

10:13pm Polonaise in F sharp minor, Op. 44

Composed by

Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

Performed by

Maurizio Pollini

10:25pm Octet in E flat, Op. 20

Composed by

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

Performed by

Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra/Zukerman

11:00pm Piano Sonata No. 8 in A minor, K. 310

Composed by

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Performed by

Murray Perahia

11:20pm Violin Concerto in A minor

Composed by

Giuseppe Tartini (1692–1770)

Performed by

Gatti/Ensemble 415/Banchini

11:38pm Poetic Waltzes

Composed by

Enrique Granados (1867-1916)

Performed by

Julian Bream

11:51pm Music selected by the announcer