Costa Rica Stages Carmina Burana as Ballet With Two University Choirs

COSTA RICA · DANCE

Carmina Burana Costa Rica turns Carl Orff’s choral work into contemporary ballet, with two university choirs and a live orchestra.

Cicció Studio stages Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana as contemporary ballet at the Teatro Popular Melico Salazar in San José, Costa Rica. The shows are on Saturday 17 October 2026 at 7 p.m. and Sunday 18 October at 5 p.m. Tickets on eTicket cost ₡12,000 to ₡25,900 (about US$27 to US$58).

What Carmina Burana is

Carmina Burana is a cantata, a large work for choir, soloists and orchestra. The German composer Carl Orff wrote it, and it premiered in 1937.

Orff based it on a collection of medieval poems in Latin and old German. The poems deal with fortune, time, love, drink and fate.

Its opening chorus, “O Fortuna”, returns at the end of the work. Many people know it from films, sport and advertising without knowing its name.

The work was written for the concert hall, but Orff imagined it with dance and staging. Ballet companies around the world have used it for that reason.

This production

The production comes from Cicció Studio, a Costa Rican dance school and company. Vanesa Cicció is the general director.

The guest choreographer is Francisco Centeno. The cast mixes company dancers, guest dancers and students chosen by audition.

Delfino.cr, a Costa Rican news site, reported that the show marks a new stage for the studio. It forms part of a training path for young dancers.

The story on stage explores destiny, fortune, desire, love and the fragility of human life, according to the producers.

Contemporary ballet uses classical technique but allows freer movement and modern staging. It does not follow a fixed fairy-tale plot like Swan Lake.

Choirs and orchestra

Two choirs from the University of Costa Rica (UCR) sing: UCR Coral and the university’s Chamber Choir.

Their choral directors are Didier Mora and Ricardo Quirós. The singers share the stage with the dancers.

A live orchestra plays under conductor Alejandro Acuña. Dance, voice and orchestra all perform together in the room.

The producers have not published the names of the vocal soloists or the size of the orchestra.

Dates and ticket prices

The first show is on Saturday 17 October at 7 p.m. The second is on Sunday 18 October at 5 p.m., Costa Rica time.

eTicket, a Costa Rican ticket platform, sells both dates at the same prices. The service charge is included in the listed price.

Central and side stalls, called luneta, cost ₡25,900 (about US$58). First-floor boxes cost ₡21,000 (about US$47).

Second-floor balcony and boxes cost ₡17,600 (about US$39). Third-floor seats cost ₡15,400 (about US$35).

The fourth-floor gallery costs ₡12,000 (about US$27). Conversions use about ₡446 to the US dollar, the Central Bank reference rate on 21 September.

The Teatro Popular Melico Salazar

The theatre opened on 7 October 1928. It seats about 1,180 people across the stalls and four upper levels.

It is named after Manuel “Melico” Salazar, a Costa Rican tenor who sang at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

Costa Rica’s Ministry of Culture and Youth has owned the building since 1980. Its legal mission is to bring culture to a wide public.

The theatre stands on Avenida 2 at Calle Central, facing the Central Park in the heart of San José. The Metropolitan Cathedral is one block away.

Getting there and getting home

Downtown San José is busy by day and quieter after dark. Most theatre-goers arrive and leave by taxi or ride-hailing app.

Official taxis in Costa Rica are red with a yellow triangle on the door. Ask the driver to use the meter, called la maría.

October is usually the wettest month in the Central Valley. Afternoon rain often causes traffic, so leave extra time, especially on Saturday.

The Sunday show at 5 p.m. ends early in the evening. It suits families and visitors staying outside the city.

Several paid car parks operate near the Central Park. Keep valuables out of sight in the car, as in any city centre.

Why it matters for the local scene

Costa Rica has a small but steady classical music and dance scene. Universities and state institutions carry much of it.

A production that joins a private dance studio, a public university and a state theatre shows how that system works together.

For newcomers, the evening is also a way to see one of San José’s historic theatres from inside.

The dancers include students who won their places by audition. For many of them, this is a first appearance on a major national stage.

Both performances are sold at the same prices. The choice of date comes down to whether an evening or late afternoon suits you better.

Two dates give Costa Rica’s dance and choral scene a large stage this October.

More: Expats & Nomads guides, every day from The Rio Times.

FAQ

When is Carmina Burana at the Melico Salazar?

It plays on Saturday 17 October 2026 at 7 p.m. and Sunday 18 October at 5 p.m. Both performances are at the Teatro Popular Melico Salazar in San José.

How much are tickets?

Prices on eTicket run from ₡12,000 (about US$27) in the gallery to ₡25,900 (about US$58) in the stalls. The service charge is included.

Is the music live?

Yes. A live orchestra conducted by Alejandro Acuña plays, and two University of Costa Rica choirs sing on stage.

Who created this version?

Cicció Studio produces it, with general direction by Vanesa Cicció and choreography by guest Francisco Centeno.

Sources: eTicket: Carmina Burana, 17 October 2026 · eTicket: Carmina Burana, 18 October 2026 · Delfino.cr: Carmina Burana at the Teatro Popular Melico Salazar · Wikipedia (Spanish): Teatro Popular Melico Salazar · Acontecer: BCCR exchange rate