First Coast Opera—Something's Brewing

First Coast Opera's 2026/27 season begins with two short and witty operas, Bach's Coffee Cantata and Donizetti's Rita, on Thursday, September 10, at 6:00 p.m., and Saturday, September 12, at 2:00 p.m. Both events are performed at Celebration Hall on Anastasia Island, under the direction of Curtis Tucker, Conductor and Director for First Coast Opera.

The Thursday event includes a dinner performance of both operas and a VIP reception. The Saturday event includes a matinee performance.

The Operas

Coffee Cantata

Bach wrote his Coffee Cantata when young women were discouraged from drinking coffee because it was considered scandalous. Lisa delights in her daily coffee, while her father, Schlendrian, despairs. He plans to break her of her addiction. She resists, and a battle of wills ensues. This mini-opera offers an ode to coffee and a spirited, humorous battle between father and daughter. 

Cristina Bakhoum Sanchez takes on the role of Lisa; Sean Stork plays Schlendrian, and Juan Carlos Tello is the Narrator.

Rita

Rita, by Donizetti, is a quick, sharp farce. Rita's long-lost husband is stunned to find that she has not died. In fact, she is married to another man. Her two husbands each want to leave the strong-willed Rita. The musical fireworks and comical timing as Rita seeks to decide her own fate define this one-act opera. 

Cristina Bakhoum Sanchez performs as the titular character, Sean Stork as Gasparo, and Juan Carlos Tello as Beppe. Rita is sung in French with English dialogue and subtitles.

Thursday Dinner Performance

The opera's General and Artistic Director, Curtis Tucker, hosts the evening, which includes a dinner prepared by Design Catering and Marshall and Tasha Peters. Dinner VIP tickets include a special reception before the event.

• 5:30 p.m.—VIP Reception
• 6:00 p.m.—Drinks and charcuterie
• 6:30 p.m.—Coffee Cantata
• 7:00 p.m.—Dinner Served
• 8:00 p.m.—Rita and dessert

Event Details

Learn more and purchase tickets on First Coast Opera's website.

Admission for the Thursday Dinner Performance: 

• VIP Tickets, $150.00 per person
• Standard Admission adults, $120.00
• Standard Admission students, $80.00 with ID
• Standard Admission for youth younger than 18, $60.00

When: Thursday, September 10, 2026—doors open at 5:30 p.m. for VIPs only. Doors open at 6:00 for all other patrons. The event ends at 9:00 p.m.

Admission for the Saturday Performance of Both Operas:

• Adults, $50.00
• Young Patrons (under 30 with ID), $30.00
• Youth under 18, two free tickets with a paid adult ticket.

When: Saturday, September 12, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.

Where: Celebration Hall, Anastasia Catholic Church, 5205 A1A S, St. Augustine, Florida 32080

About First Coast Opera

In 2000, Barbara Norris and her husband, Anthony Fast, produced a concert called "An Evening of Opera." The well-received event led to the formation of First Coast Opera, which produced a series of concerts, operettas, and staged opera productions through May of 2008. When Barbara, a soprano, and her husband moved to Georgia, First Coast Opera continued with cabarets and staged productions. In 2014, the board named Curtis Tucker as the Artistic Director of First Coast Opera, and the organization has since expanded programming to include tribute concerts, more staged productions, and outreach to area schools. 

First Coast Opera collaborates with several arts organizations, including Flagler College, Stetson University Opera, the St. Augustine Community Chorus, Lightner Museum, and Romanza Festival of the Arts. Maestro Tucker has produced 16 staged productions with First Coast Opera since 2014. The opera has consistently highlighted musicians from Northeast Florida and has included many local singers in several opera choruses.