# Winnipeg’s guide to the performing arts \- Winnipeg **URL:** [View](https://winnipegdev.dci-test.com/winnipeg-s-guide-to-the-performing-arts/) **Last Updated:** 2026-11-05T18:49:46+00:00 The stage is always set in Winnipeg –– and these stages can be found everywhere from sonically sensational concert halls and churches, to intimate theatres and even underneath open prairie skies. Not to boast, but many of our acclaimed institutions are fit for a Queen –– she did give them their Royal charter, after all –– while our smaller companies are pretty princely too. Here’s what’s on offer from Winnipeg’s performing arts scene. ## Dance [**Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet** (opens in new window)](https://www.rwb.org) – As Canada’s oldest ballet company and the longest continually operating ballet company in North America, the company presents three marquee productions each year. Highlights include a free summer performance on the Lyric Stage in Assiniboine Park and the beloved annual Christmas production of *Nutcracker* (Dec. 18–27, 2026). For its 2026/27 season, the RWB will present *Swan Lake* (March 4-7, 2027) — a true classic, but presented with a contemporary feel. Season: October to June [**Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers** (opens in new window)](https://www.winnipegscontemporarydancers.ca) – Having just celebrated 60 years, WCD is Canada’s oldest, continuously operating modern dance troupe. It has fostered the growth and contributed to the evolution of modern dance in Canada. Each season it creates and presents new works from within the company, as well as some of the best choreography and dance from Canada. Season: October to May ## Theatre Theatre fans will find their pick of performances, no matter what season they visit the city. [**Rainbow Stage** (opens in new window)](https://www.rainbowstage.ca) – Canada’s largest open-air theatre company stages musicals and musical comedies in the enchanting setting of Kildonan Park. Stay tuned for their 2027 season announcement that’s coming soon! Season: June to September [**Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre** (opens in new window)](https://royalmtc.ca) – Each autumn through spring, our theatre district (located in the Exchange District) is a hotbed for performances courtesy of Canada’s oldest regional theatre. This celebrated institution uses both the Mainstage for headline grabbing productions and the Warehouse for more risqué fare. The 2026/27 season brings literary classic *Cyrano de Bergerac* (October 7-31) and beloved Canadian story, *Anne of Green Gables* (November 25 – December 19) to the main stage. Season: October to May [**Prairie Theatre Exchange** (opens in new window)](https://www.pte.mb.ca) – Located on the third floor of Portage Place, PTE showcases Canadian works ranging from laugh-out-loud comedies to powerful dramas. Audiences enjoy an intimate experience, seated just 10 rows deep on three sides of the theatre’s thrust stage. The 2026/27 season opens with *Glory*, the powerful true story of the most successful women’s hockey team in Canadian sports, the Preston Rivulettes, set in the 1930s. The season also includes not-to-be-missed, kid-friendly entertainment, *Munschbusters!*, which brings some of Robert Munsch’s classic stories to life, and a stage adaptation of Ojibwe story, *Nanabush and the Spirit of Thunder.* Season: September through May [**Théâtre Cercle Molière** (opens in new window)](https://www.cerclemoliere.com) – Founded in 1925, Théâtre Cercle Molière is Canada’s oldest active theatre company and a cornerstone of French-Canadian culture in Manitoba. Audiences can enjoy French-language productions with the help of an innovative digital tablet subtitling system. Season: September to June [**Theatre Projects Manitoba** (opens in new window)](https://theatreprojectsmanitoba.ca) – Known for its intimate, diverse plays of an often daring and original nature, Theatre Projects Manitoba usually stages three productions annually. They are dedicated to the production of new Manitoban and Canadian plays and promotion of Manitoba theatre professionals. Season: September to April [**Winnipeg Jewish Theatre** (opens in new window)](https://wjt.ca) – Established in 1987, Winnipeg Jewish Theatre is the only professional theatre in Canada dedicated to Jewish themes, stories and artists. Each season, WJT presents thought-provoking productions from leading Jewish playwrights, reflecting the Jewish experience of the past, present and future. Season: September through May [**Winnipeg Studio Theatre** (opens in new window)](https://winnipegstudiotheatre.com) – Since 2006, Winnipeg Studio Theatre has been staging contemporary plays, namely an annual co-production with other companies like Rainbow Stage (for its autumn production that takes place in a more intimate theatre) and Prairie Theatre Exchange, along with Winnipeg Fringe Festival productions. Season: October through April [**Manitoba Theatre for Young People** (opens in new window)](https://mtyp.ca) – Don’t forget about the kids and teens! Located at The Forks, Manitoba Theatre for Young People is one of Canada’s leading theatres dedicated to young audiences. Each season, MTYP presents imaginative productions that inspire, educate and entertain, from family-friendly classics to innovative new works. The theatre also offers year-round drama classes and workshops, nurturing the next generation of performers. Season: October to May [**Shakespeare in the Ruins (SIR)** (opens in new window)](https://www.shakespeareintheruins.com) – What could be better than watching the Bard being performed underneath open prairie skies? How about setting the stage within the ruins of an old monastery and stacking the cast with some of the best performers this city has on offer? Since 1994, SIR has been doing just that approximately twice a summer “around the crumbling walls of the Trappist Monastery Ruins in St. Norbert, Manitoba” that inspired the company’s name. [**Winnipeg Fringe Festival** (opens in new window)](https://www.winnipegfringe.com) (July 14 to 25, 2027) is North America’s second-largest fringe festival, taking over the Exchange District each July with more than 140 performances taking place at many of our theatres. During the 12-day festival, you can also catch free performances on the Cube Stage in Old Market Square. The first Winnipeg Fringe Festival was held in 1988. ## Get lost in the melodies This capital of Canadian culture also flaunts its culture capital with an incredible array of professional performance groups. **[Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (opens in new window)](https://wso.ca)** – Our largest performance group, whose members also frequently accompany the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Rainbow Stage and more, the WSO performs more than 80 concerts each year. The 2026/27 WSO season is sure to hit all the right notes with every kind of music lover. For the fan of the masters, tributes to Beethoven, Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Brahms are sure to be a hit. For the movie and stage lover, make sure to experience movies like *Skyfall* and *The Wizard of Oz*, backed by the live score performed by the WSO, or join the orchestra for a symphony of classic Broadway hits at *Broadway Sings with Rainbow Stage*. Finally, for those who like to enjoy a musical story, concertos from Liszt, Mendelssohn and Schubert will leave the audience entranced. Season: September through May [**Manitoba Opera** (opens in new window)](https://mbopera.ca) – The province’s only professional, full-time opera company, Manitoba Opera stages two productions each year at the Centennial Concert Hall. The 2026/27 season will feature Scott Joplin’s *Treemonisha: A Musical Reimagining* in November, and Puccini’s classic, *Madama Butterfly,* will close the season in April. Season: November through April [**Manitoba Chamber Orchestra** (opens in new window)](https://themco.ca) – Catch spellbinding performances, primarily at the Crescent Arts Centre and in churches with heavenly acoustics, from the MCO, who formed in 1972. The award-winning group, known for its collaborations, stages eight concerts per season. Season: September to June [**Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra** (opens in new window)](https://www.winnipegjazzorchestra.com) – Canada’s first community-based professional jazz orchestra showcases the city’s vibrant jazz scene with dynamic performances throughout the year. From big band classics to bold new compositions, the WJO brings world-class talent to the stage while celebrating the creativity of local and Canadian jazz artists. Season: October to May [**Little Opera Company** (opens in new window)](https://www.littleopera.ca) – Having just celebrated 30 years of performances, the Little Opera Company has been putting local opera singers and musicians in the spotlight with one main-stage production per year, along with workshops and smaller performances. [**Flipside Opera & Art Song Collective** (opens in new window)](https://www.flipsideopera.com) – With a mandate that states “we believe that opera is about shared experience” and a track record of putting on wildly entertaining “vocal theatre” in spaces like Little Brown Jug (LBJ) Brewing Company, Flipside Opera & Art Song Collective continues to freshen the medium. The company has been operating since 2011 and produces a handful of shows each season. Season: September to June