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

Selections from The Creatures Of Prometheus, Op. 43

Composed by

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Performed by

Rochester Philharmonic/Zinman

Label

MMG

Catalog Number

7112

Today's Playlist

5:46am Trio in G minor for Winds, RV 103

Composed by

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

Performed by

Camerata of Cologne

5:56am Music selected by the announcer

6:01am Recorder Sonata, BWV 1031

Composed by

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Performed by

Petri/Jarrett

6:11am Prelude to Act 1 from Parsifal

Composed by

Richard Wagner (1813-1883)

Performed by

Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra/Nelsons

6:25am The Gossip (A Polka)

Composed by

Josef Strauss (1827-1870)

Performed by

Vienna Philharmonic/Ozawa

6:30am Clarinet Concerto in B flat

Composed by

Johann Stamitz (1717-1757)

Performed by

Meyer/Academy SMF/Brown

6:47am Carmen Suite No. 1

Composed by

Georges Bizet (1838–1875)

Performed by

Mexico City Philharmonic/Batiz

7:01am Medley from Paganini

Composed by

Franz Lehar/arr. Luis Grinhauz

Performed by

Musica Camerata Montreal

7:14am Dance of the Knights from Romeo and Juliet: Suite No. 2, Op. 64b

Composed by

Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953)

Performed by

Boston Symphony Orchestra/Ozawa

7:21am 1812 Overture, Op. 49

Composed by

Peter I. Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

Performed by

Boston Pops/Lockhart

7:38am Symphony No. 002 in C

Composed by

Josef Haydn (1732-1809)

Performed by

Academy of Ancient Music/Hogwood

7:47am Flute Concerto in G

Composed by

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710-1736)

Performed by

Bennett/English Chamber Orchestra/Watson

8:00am Dances from Abdelazer

Composed by

Henry Purcell (1659-1695)

Performed by

Academy of Ancient Music/Hogwood

8:06am Beautiful Galatea: Overture

Composed by

Franz von Suppe (1819-1895)

Performed by

Vienna Philharmonic/Nezet-Seguin

8:15am Piano Quartet Movement in A minor

Composed by

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)

Performed by

Hope/Neubauer/Finckel/Han

8:29am Viennese Musical Clock from Hary Janos Suite

Composed by

Zoltan Kodaly

Performed by

Philadelphia Orchestra/Ormandy

8:33am Mandolin Concerto in C, RV 425

Composed by

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

Performed by

Saint Clivier/Chamber Orchestra of Toulouse/Auriacombe

8:41am Paris Quartet No. 2

Composed by

Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)

Performed by

Kuijken Bros/Leonhardt

8:53am Music selected by the announcer

9:01am Suite from Abdelazer

Composed by

Henry Purcell (1659-1695)

Performed by

Freiburg Baroque Orchestra/Hengelbrock

9:14am Divertimento in D, K. 334

Composed by

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Performed by

Philharmonia Quartet Berlin, augmented

10:02am Piano Sonata in A, Op. 1 No. 2

Composed by

John Field (1782–1837)

Performed by

John O’Conor

10:16am Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D, BWV 1068

Composed by

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Performed by

Stuttgart Chamber Orch/Munchinger

10:35am Guitar Concerto in E minor, Op. 56

Composed by

Francesco Molino (1768-1847)

Performed by

Romero/Academy SMF/Brown

11:01am Overture to Oberon

Composed by

Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826)

Performed by

Leningrad Philharmonic/Mravinsky

11:11am Concerto in C for Flute and Harp, K. 299

Composed by

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Performed by

Galway/Robles/London Symphony/Mata

11:40am Horn Concerto in D minor

Composed by

Francesco Antonio Rosetti (1750-1792)

Performed by

Baumann/Concerto Amsterdam/Schroder

12:01pm Symphony No. 10 in G minor

Composed by

Cipriani Potter (1792-1871)

Performed by

Milton Keynes Chamber Orch/Davan Wetton

12:30pm In the Country

Composed by

Eric Coates (1886-1957)

Performed by

Royal Philharmonic/Groves

12:35pm Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565

Composed by

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), orchestrated by Leopold Stokowski

Performed by

Boston Pops/Fiedler

12:46pm Music selected by the announcer

1:01pm King Arthur: Suite

Composed by

Henry Purcell (1659-1695)

Performed by

Freiburg Baroque Orchestra/Hengelbrock

1:24pm Nocturne in A for Flute and Guitar, Op. 190

Composed by

Ferdinando Carulli (1770-1841)

Performed by

Rampal/Lagoya

1:34pm Norwegian Dance, Op. 35 No. 1

Composed by

Edvard Grieg (1843–1907)

Performed by

Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Engeset

1:41pm Selections from The Cross on the Baltic Sea

Composed by

E.T.A. Hoffmann (1776-1822)

Performed by

German Chamber Academy of Neuss/Goritzki

2:01pm Baryton Trio in G, Hob.XI:67

Composed by

Josef Haydn (1732-1809)

Performed by

Haydn Baryton Trio

2:10pm Emperor Waltz

Composed by

Johann Strauss Jr. (1825-1899)

Performed by

Strauss Festival Orchestra/Lenard

2:23pm Sextet No. 2 in G, Op. 36

Composed by

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Performed by

L'Archibudelli

3:01pm String Quartet No. 4 in C, D. 46

Composed by

Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

Performed by

Tokyo String Quartet

3:24pm Flute Duet No. 4 in F

Composed by

Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (1710–1784)

Performed by

Aurèle & Christiane Nicolet

3:37pm Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43

Composed by

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)

Performed by

Katchen/London Philharmonic/Boult

4:00pm Fantasy upon one note

Composed by

Henry Purcell (1659-1695)

Performed by

Holloway/Baer/Steinmann/Hefti/Zeller

4:04pm Symphonic Variations, FWV 46

Composed by

Cesar Franck (1822-1890)

Performed by

Rubinstein/Symphony of the Air/Wallenstein

4:18pm Waltz-Caprice No. 7 from Vienna Evenings

Composed by

Franz Schubert, transcribed by Franz Liszt

Performed by

Vladimir Horowitz

4:26pm Ceremonial Procession, Op. 91

Composed by

Alexander Glazunov (1865–1936)

Performed by

Moscow Symphony/Golovschin

4:31pm Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah

Composed by

Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921)

Performed by

Cincinnati Pops/Kunzel

4:40pm Concerto in E minor for flute and recorder

Composed by

Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)

Performed by

Stewart/Lynn/Apollo's Fire/Sorrell

4:54pm March from The Wand of Youth, Suite No. 2

Composed by

Edward Elgar (1857-1934)

Performed by

Hallé Orchestra/Elder

5:00pm Prelude to Act 1 from Tristan und Isolde

Composed by

Richard Wagner (1813-1883)

Performed by

Philadelphia Orchestra/Thielemann

5:13pm The Cuckoo from The Birds

Composed by

Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936)

Performed by

Atlanta Symphony/Lane

5:18pm Hungarian Dance No. 3 in F

Composed by

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Performed by

Budapest Symphony/Bogar

5:22pm Suite in B flat for piano

Composed by

George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)

Performed by

Keith Jarrett

5:31pm Waltz from Masquerade

Composed by

Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978)

Performed by

St. Petersburg State Symphony/Lenard

5:36pm Overture to The Sicilian Vespers

Composed by

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)

Performed by

La Scala Philharmonic/Muti

5:46pm Suite from Masques et Bergamasques, Op. 112

Composed by

Gabriel Faure (1845-1924)

Performed by

Suisse Romande Orchestra/Ansermet

6:01pm Passacaglia

Composed by

Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583–1643)

Performed by

Andres Segovia

6:06pm Symphony in D, K. 73m

Composed by

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Performed by

Academy of Ancient Music/Hogwood

6:17pm Concerto in D minor for Violin and Organ, RV 541

Composed by

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

Performed by

Garcia/Watson/English Chamber Orchestra

6:27pm 5 Dances

Composed by

Cornelis Schuyt (1557-1616)

Performed by

Weser-Renaissance Ensemble Bremen/Cordes

6:49pm Music selected by the announcer

6:59pm Il Matrimonio Segreto Part 1

Composed by

Domenico Cimarosa

8:37pm Il Matrimonio Segreto Part 2

Composed by

Domenico Cimarosa

10:02pm Meditation from Thais

Composed by

Jules Massenet (1842-1912)

Performed by

Vengerov/Golan

10:08pm Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21

Composed by

Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

Performed by

Ax/Orch Age Enlightenment/Mackerras

10:42pm Selections from Suites espanola

Composed by

Isaac Albeniz (1860-1909)

Performed by

Nicanor Zabaleta

10:58pm Divertimento No. 11 in D, K. 251 "Nannerl Septet"

Composed by

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Performed by

National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada/Mata

11:26pm Fairy Tales, Op. 122

Composed by

Cecile Chaminade (1857-1944)

Performed by

Enid Katahn

11:36pm Cello Concerto in F, RV 412

Composed by

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

Performed by

H. Schiff/Academy SMF/Brown

11:45pm Music selected by the announcer