Scott Bakula to Make LA Opera Debut in Bernstein's 'Candide'

Scott Bakula will make his LA Opera debut in Leonard Bernstein's "Candide," the company has announced. He takes the dual role of Voltaire and Dr. Pangloss.

The production runs for six performances at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion from Nov. 21 through Dec. 13, 2026. That is roughly one performance every three to four days across a three-week window.

Francesca Zambello's acclaimed production returns under the baton of LA Opera Resident Conductor Lina González-Granados.

Who joins Bakula on stage?

The cast pairs the screen veteran with established opera and theater names:

• Patti LuPone as the Old Lady
• Tenor Duke Kim in the title role
• Soprano Meghan Picerno as Cunegonde

For Bakula, the engagement marks a homecoming of sorts to musical theater. His television credits include "Quantum Leap," "NCIS: New Orleans," "Star Trek: Enterprise" and "Men of a Certain Age." His Broadway appearances span "Marilyn: An American Fable," "The Baker's Wife," "The Connector" and "Shenandoah."

What does the company say?

LA Opera President and CEO Christopher Koelsch set out the casting rationale in a statement: "Scott Bakula is a consummate performer whose extraordinary career has moved effortlessly between theater, television, film and music. His wit, warmth and musicality make him an ideal fit for Candide, and we're thrilled to welcome him to LA Opera."

The quote frames the debut as a bridge between Bakula's screen fame and the opera stage.

Zambello's staging, already seen as a critically recognized vehicle for the Bernstein score, gives Bakula a structure tested in prior runs rather than a new production built around him.

Why the casting matters

Casting a network television name in a dual speaking-singing role signals LA Opera's continued effort to draw audiences beyond its core opera public, using the Nov. 21 opening date as the anchor of its late-2026 programming at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

The engagement also confirms the company's reliance on resident conducting talent, with González-Granados leading all six performances.

In plain terms: a familiar television face, a Broadway legend and a Bernstein score, in one house, for three weeks in late 2026.

Whether the debut translates into further opera engagements for Bakula will become clear after the run closes on Dec. 13.