Boston theater, concerts and arts 2026-27: the big shows and venues

Boston's 2026-27 arts season has several headline events. It is Andris Nelsons' 13th and final season as music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Wicked is at the Citizens Opera House through Nov. 15. Boston Ballet's The Nutcracker opens Nov. 27, and the Huntington's lineup runs from To Kill a Mockingbird this fall to a new musical, Unorthodox, in the spring. On the museum side, the MFA opens a Renoir show in February, and the ICA has a 90 YEARS anniversary exhibition up through March 7.

This guide lists the season's biggest shows, exhibitions and venues. Dates come from each organization's official website or press release unless otherwise noted. They can change, so confirm with the venue before buying tickets. Prices are left out because most organizations set them per performance.

What are the biggest Boston arts events in 2026-27?

The table below lists major dates confirmed on official pages.

What is the Boston Symphony Orchestra playing this season?

The BSO's 146th season runs from Sept. 18, 2026, to May 9, 2027, at Symphony Hall. The orchestra says Nelsons is leading 15 of the 25 subscription programs in his last season as music director. His final Symphony Hall concert, in April, is a non-subscription performance of Mahler's Third Symphony.

Highlights from the BSO's season announcement:

• New music: a U.S. premiere of Francisco Coll's Piano Concerto with Kirill Gerstein (Oct. 8–10), a world premiere by Tod Machover conducted by Kent Nagano (Oct. 22–24), and Osvaldo Golijov's Creation, with a libretto by David Henry Hwang (Nov. 12–14).
• Big cycles: Nelsons conducts all six numbered Tchaikovsky symphonies across four programs in January. In late February come Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, The Firebird and Petrushka.
• Opera in concert: Tchaikovsky's The Queen of Spades with Boston Lyric Opera and soprano Kristine Opolais, Jan. 29 and 31.
• Star soloists: Lang Lang plays all-Beethoven programs March 2–6, and Joshua Bell plays the season finale, May 6–9.

The Boston Pops also have fall concerts. Day of the Dead with Enjambre is Oct. 26, and Coco in Concert is Oct. 30–31. Holiday Pops runs Dec. 3 to 24, with 32 performances at 3 or 7:30 p.m. The BSO lists Keith Lockhart, Jacomo Bairos and Jason Seber as conductors.

What Broadway shows are coming to Boston?

Wicked is playing the Citizens Opera House at 539 Washington St. through Nov. 15, 2026, according to Broadway In Boston. The show runs 2 hours and 45 minutes with one intermission and is recommended for ages 8 and up.

Broadway In Boston's season pages hadn't posted the rest of the 2026-27 lineup when this guide was published. The Boston Globe and Encore magazine reported the season in January, and both noted that dates are subject to change:

• Operation Mincemeat, Oct. 13–25, 2026, at the Emerson Colonial Theatre
• The Notebook, Dec. 8–20, 2026, at the Emerson Colonial Theatre
• Death Becomes Her, Jan. 12–24, 2027
• Maybe Happy Ending, Feb. 2–14, 2027
• A Beautiful Noise, March 23–April 4, 2027
• Mamma Mia!, April 13–25, 2027
• The Who's Tommy, May 4–16, 2027, at the Emerson Colonial Theatre
• Hell's Kitchen, June 1–13, 2027
• The Book of Mormon, June 22–27, 2027
• The Phantom of the Opera, July 21–Aug. 8, 2027

According to Encore, all of the shows not marked for the Colonial play the Citizens Opera House. Check Broadway In Boston for confirmed dates before you buy.

What is Boston Ballet performing in 2026-27?

Boston Ballet's season, under artistic director Mikko Nissinen, centers on three full-length productions. The company's site lists the Citizens Opera House as its venue.

• The Nutcracker (Nov. 27–Dec. 31, 2026): Nissinen's production, about two hours with one intermission. The company also offers a sensory-friendly performance.
• Coppélia (March 11–21, 2027): George Balanchine and Alexandra Danilova's staging, after Marius Petipa.
• Cinderella (April 29–May 9, 2027): Frederick Ashton's choreography.

The season also includes Winter Experience 2027 and Spring Experience 2027. Their dates weren't posted on the company's site at publication.

What is playing at the Huntington Theatre this season?

The Huntington announced its 2026/27 season in April. It splits productions between the Huntington Theatre and the Wimberly Theatre at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA.

Adia & Clora Snatch Joy is the final installment of Udofia's Ufot Family Cycle. Unorthodox is a new musical based on Deborah Feldman's memoir, with a book by Joshua Harmon and songs by Benj Pasek and Shaina Taub.

What exhibitions are at the MFA and ICA right now?

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The MFA's advance exhibition schedule lists:

• Maverick Kings: Three Visionary Pharaohs of Egypt's Golden Age, through Dec. 6, 2026
• Reality and Imagination: Rembrandt and the Jews in the Dutch Republic, through Dec. 1, 2026
• Picasso, Miró, Dali: Unbound, through Jan. 24, 2027
• Kawada Kikuji: Chizu (The Map), Oct. 24, 2026–July 18, 2027
• Renoir and Love, Feb. 28–June 13, 2027
• New galleries for 18th-century art of the Americas, which opened in June 2026

Institute of Contemporary Art. The ICA's exhibitions page lists:

• 90 YEARS, an anniversary exhibition, Oct. 15, 2026–March 7, 2027, with related programs outside the galleries starting Oct. 1
• Cynthia Daignault: Valley and Leilah Babirye, both through Jan. 18, 2027
• Barbara Kruger: No Comment, April 15–Sept. 6, 2027
• An exhibition on Betty, George and Francesca Woodman, April 15–Sept. 6, 2027

How do I get to Boston's arts venues on the T?

The MBTA's visitor guide lists a $2.40 subway fare and an $11 one-day pass. You can tap a contactless card, phone or watch to pay on subways and buses, and children 11 and under ride free. For routes to a specific venue, use the MBTA's online trip planner.

Frequently asked questions

When is Boston Ballet's Nutcracker in 2026?

Boston Ballet performs Mikko Nissinen's The Nutcracker from Nov. 27 through Dec. 31, 2026. The show runs about two hours with one intermission.

When is Holiday Pops 2026?

The Boston Pops' Holiday Pops runs Dec. 3–24, 2026, at Symphony Hall, with 32 performances at 3 or 7:30 p.m. Keith Lockhart, Jacomo Bairos and Jason Seber conduct.

Is this Andris Nelsons' last season with the BSO?

Yes. The BSO says 2026-27 is Nelsons' 13th and final season as music director. His last Symphony Hall concert is a Mahler Third Symphony performance in April 2027.

How long is Wicked playing in Boston?

Broadway In Boston lists Wicked at the Citizens Opera House through Nov. 15, 2026. The run began Sept. 23.

What new musical is the Huntington premiering?

The Huntington stages Unorthodox, based on Deborah Feldman's memoir, from April 29 to May 30, 2027. It has a book by Joshua Harmon and music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Shaina Taub.

When does the MFA's Renoir exhibition open?

Renoir and Love runs Feb. 28 through June 13, 2027, in the MFA's Ann and Graham Gund Gallery, according to the museum's exhibition schedule.