January 29, 2026
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Pittsburgh Opera’s world premiere Time to Act shows how the arts can be cathartic, unifying
Pittsburgh Opera’s next production, Time to Act, February 28-March 8, shows how the performing arts can bring people together and help process grief and trauma.
Time to Act is set in present-day America. A group of high school students prepares for a production of Sophocles’ Antigone, joined by a new student, Alona, who comes with a formidable secret that is revealed after being triggered by a school safety drill.
Time to Act asks to what extent someone is responsible for another person’s actions, and explores themes of self-forgiveness and acceptance. The show demonstrates how the arts can uplift and unify victims of trauma, empowering them to act, while giving voice to the young citizens who have been most impacted by an ongoing cycle of devastating school violence.
Time to Act is composed by Laura Kaminsky, whose acclaimed opera As One has become the most-produced modern opera in America. Emmy Award nominee Crystal Manich, the librettist, is a Pittsburgh Opera mainstay whose works for stage, film, and circus have been seen across the United States, Europe, Argentina, and Australia.
Time to Act, the company’s fifth world premiere in the past decade, again demonstrates Pittsburgh Opera’s commitment to creating innovative new works that showcase opera’s continued vibrancy as an art form.
Content warning: this opera contains a simulated safety drill, and discussions related to the topics of school shootings, school violence, and PTSD.
Time to Act is a Co-Commission by Pittsburgh Opera, Opera Montana and Boston Conservatory at Berklee, with additional funding by Opera Santa Barbara.
By permission of the publisher: Bill Holab Music
The production of Time To Act received commissioning and production development support from New Music USA's Organization Fund, OPERA America’s Opera Grants for Women Composers program supported by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation, OPERA America’s Opera Fund, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Michael Sakir conducts; Crystal Manich directs.
Performance Schedule
- Saturday, February 28, 2026 * 7:00 PM
- Tuesday, March 3, 2026 * 7:00 PM (audio commentary available for patrons with visual impairments)
- Friday, March 6, 2026 * 7:00 PM
- Saturday, March 7, 2026 * 2:00 PM (newly added performance due to popular demand)
- Sunday, March 8, 2026 * 2:00 PM
Other Details
- Location: Bitz Opera Factory, Strip District
- Run Time: Approximately 90 minutes; one act, no intermission
- Language: Sung in English, with supertitles projected above the stage
- Cast and Artistic Team
Synopsis, Cast, and Artistic Team
View our Time to Act webpage for a synopsis of the plot, and complete cast and artistic team listings
RELATED EVENTS
- Meet the Artists (free) - After the Tuesday, March 3rd performance of Time to Act, patrons are invited to join General Director Christopher Hahn as he interviews the stars of the production.
- Time to Act Preview Show on WQED-FM 89.3 and wqed.org/fm. Saturday, February 21st at 12:30 PM & Friday, February 27th , at 7:00 PM. This half-hour preview is broadcast twice before Time to Act opens, giving listeners an in-depth introduction to the opera’s singers, story, and music. Host Anna Singer of WQED interviews members of the cast and artistic team for their insights into the production.
- Meet the Creators of ‘Time to Act’ (free), Saturday, February 21, 1:00 PM, at the Bitz Opera Factory. Meet the creators of Pittsburgh Opera's upcoming world premiere Time to Act in a fun, informal setting, hosted by the FRIENDS of Pittsburgh Opera. Learn how composer Laura Kaminsky, librettist Crystal Manich, and conductor Michael Sakir teamed up to create this gripping new opera.
TICKETS
Single Tickets
Most single tickets for Time to Act are $65-$70. Tickets for kids and teens ages 6–18 are half price. For tickets, call (412) 456-6666 or visit opera.culturaldistrict.org.
Group Tickets
Pittsburgh Opera makes opera accessible to all groups in the Pittsburgh area by providing great discounts and special services to group ticketholders. A group at Pittsburgh Opera can be as few as 6 people! In addition, college and university students, faculty, and staff are eligible for our Cheap Seats program – see pittsburghopera.org/CheapSeats for details.
For more information about group ticket services and discounts, contact Álvaro Muñoz at (412) 281-0912, ext. 213 or via email.
Opus Pass
Pittsburgh Opera’s Opus Pass lets patrons see as many live opera performances as they want all season. For one low monthly price, passholders get a year’s worth of unlimited admission to every performance of every opera, subject to availability.
Subscriptions
Subscription packages range from $35.50 - $581.
Subscribers enjoy the benefits of:
- The best seats at the best prices
- Easy, flexible, free ticket exchanges
- Discounted reserved parking at Theater Square Garage
- 15% discount on additional single tickets to all operas
- Money-Back Guarantee – if subscribers are not satisfied with their first opera, Pittsburgh Opera will refund the balance of the subscription
SPONSORSHIPS
Pittsburgh Opera’s season is made possible, onstage and off, by support from all corners of the community. Pittsburgh Opera offers a range of flexible gift options and potential tax benefits for individuals, local businesses, and corporations. Sponsorship opportunities include:
- Production Sponsorships – Help bring a production to life while pulling back the curtain and entertaining clients or friends. Gifts begin at $10,000.
- Resident Artist Sponsorships – Support future opera stars while building personal relationships with artists. Gifts begin at $10,000.
- Family Day & Community Programs – Underwrite free or low-cost concerts, because everyone deserves access to opera. Gifts begin at $5,000.
- Parties & Events – Sponsor Galas, networking events, parties, and happy hours. Gifts begin at $500.
To learn more about becoming a sponsor, contact Pittsburgh Opera at 412-281-0912 x226 or via email.
