Show Boat

Opera Orlando closes its season with Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II’s groundbreaking American musical Show Boat in a semi-staged concert production at Steinmetz Hall. Nearly a century after its Broadway premiere, the musical remains celebrated for its sweeping score, emotional storytelling, and lasting influence on American musical theater.

Performed with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra and a combined chorus featuring Opera Orlando and Bethune-Cookman University, this special event explores love, ambition, resilience, and the passage of time across generations. The production is directed by Roberta Emerson and conducted by Dr. Everett McCorvey.