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Quick answer: Austin Opera's Thaïs plays the Long Center in Austin, Texas tonight (Friday, Nov. 13, 7:30 PM) and again Sunday, Nov. 15, at 2 PM. It's sung in French with projected English titles, runs 2 hours and 45 minutes with one 20-minute intermission, and uses strobe lighting near the end. Those details come from Austin Opera's own show page, read today by ATX Things. Ticket prices were not listed on any page we could read.
Two performances is the whole run. If you're deciding between tonight and Sunday, the weather is most of the answer, and parking is most of the rest.
What is Thaïs, and who is in it?
Jules Massenet's opera is about a courtesan in ancient Alexandria and a monk who decides she needs saving. Austin Opera's description calls it "faith or desire," and says the production uses visual projections and lighting effects throughout. Thaïs is sung by Nicole Heaston and the monk, Athanaël, by Troy Cook. Timothy Myers, the company's music director, conducts the Austin Opera Orchestra and Chorus, and Crystal Manich directs the staging.
The production is a co-production with Spoleto Festival USA, according to the company. Austin Opera describes the opera as having "a lush, sweeping score," including its famous "Méditation," a piece you may know even if you have never seen the opera.
You don't need to know the plot going in. The projected titles carry the French. The company also publishes a full act-by-act synopsis on its show page if you want to read ahead, and it does give away the ending.
The Long Center for the Performing Arts
How long is it, and when will I get out?
The company lists a run time of 2 hours and 45 minutes with one 20-minute intermission. If tonight starts on time at 7:30, that puts the final bows around 10:15 PM. Sunday's 2 PM matinee should let out around 4:45 PM. Those end times are our arithmetic from the published run time, not a number the opera gave us.
Austin Opera says the production uses strobe lights toward the end and that the effects "may affect individuals with photosensitivity or epilepsy." Children under 8 are not admitted to Austin Opera performances, with no exceptions, per its ticket policy.
What are tickets going to cost?
We don't know, and we'd rather say so. The Austin Opera show page links to its ticket calendar but prints no prices, and the Long Center's listing doesn't either. Check the calendar at austinopera.org before you drive down. We also could not see how many seats are left for either date.
What the company does publish is the policy: tickets are sold only through austinopera.org or the Austin Opera box office, and anything bought from another vendor is invalid. There are no refunds. You can exchange to the other performance of the same production, or move seats at the same performance, for a $10 per-order fee plus any difference in price. Mobile tickets show up in your account 48 hours before the performance, and they are not emailed for printing.
The box office phone is 512-472-5992 and it answers Monday through Friday, 10 AM to 6 PM. That window closes at 6 tonight.
Where do you park for the Long Center?
This is the part worth reading twice. The Long Center's own directions page says Riverside Drive is currently fully closed for construction. It describes the Palmer Events Center garage as the main option and recommends its Barton Springs Road entrance during construction. That route can mean a longer walk, but it keeps you out of the Riverside queue. We could not confirm how long the closure lasts.
| Option | Price listed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Palmer Events Center garage, 900 Barton Springs Rd | $12, cashless | Long Center says it fills and is shared with Palmer Events Center events |
| One Texas Center garage, 505 Barton Springs Rd | $10–$20 | The Long Center and Austin Opera pages give different figures, so expect special-event pricing |
| RiverSouth garage, across Riverside | $25 | Covered; entrance on W. Riverside between Barton Springs Rd and S. 1st St |
| Valet | Varies | The two pages quote different prices; the Long Center says the booth takes cash |
Sources: thelongcenter.org/directions-parking and austinopera.org Long Center venue page, read Nov. 13, 2026.
Rideshare: the Long Center asks drivers to use the valet lane and pull past the valet stand to the second half of the drive. They should not unload on Riverside. Austin Opera suggests arriving early, since downtown garages fill when other events are on.
You can skip the car. The opera lists CapMetro routes 1, 3, 7, 10, 20, 30, 801 and 803 serving nearby stops, including Auditorium Shores Station and South 1st at Riverside or Barton Springs. From downtown, the pedestrian bridge at South First Street leads to the Long Center's front lawn.
Should I go tonight or Sunday?
Our Nov. 12 forecast pull (Open-Meteo) had Friday dry with a low near 50, and Sunday at about 61° with a 61% chance of rain. Open-Meteo would not return a fresh forecast when we tried today, so check one before you decide. A wet Sunday matters less for an indoor matinee than for the Texas Book Festival, but it does make a downtown garage walk longer.
The case for Friday: a dry walk from the garage, and dinner before. The case for Sunday: out by about 4:45, easier to get home early, and the exchange policy lets you swap into it if you already hold a Friday ticket and the plan falls through (for a $10 fee).
What we could not confirm
- Ticket prices and how many seats remain for each performance.
- How long the Riverside Drive closure lasts. The Long Center's page does not date it.
- Valet and One Texas garage prices, which differ between the Long Center and Austin Opera pages.
- We have not seen the production. Everything above is from the company's published descriptions, ticket policy and venue pages.
Frequently asked questions
Is Thaïs in English? No. It is sung in French with projected English titles, per Austin Opera.
How long is Thaïs at the Long Center? 2 hours and 45 minutes with one 20-minute intermission.
Can kids go? Austin Opera admits patrons age 8 and older. Children under 8 are not admitted, and the production carries a strobe-light advisory.
How much is parking at the Long Center? The Palmer Events Center garage lists $12, cashless, unless special rates are posted. Other garages and valet cost more.
Can I get a refund if I can't make it? Not from Austin Opera. It exchanges tickets for a $10 per-order fee, or you can give them to someone else or donate them back.
For the week's other plans, see our look at An Evening of Alton Brown at ACL Live, and our Texas Book Festival guide if your Sunday is already half spoken for. Official details: Austin Opera's Thaïs page and the Long Center's directions and parking page.
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