It’s traditional to mark tenth anniversaries with diamonds. For a 25th, the answer is silver. This fall, it’s time to break out the gold for the Virginia Opera as it celebrates its 50th year in operation.

 This season, the company will stage operatic warhorses “Don Giovanni,” Carmen” and “Così fan tutte” before mounting the world premiere of “Loving v. Virginia.”

“With our 50th anniversary season, we’re giving audiences operas they haven’t seen in a long time,” explains Adam Turner, now in his sixth year as artistic director of Virginia Opera. “We’re celebrating the fact that we’re still here and we’re still vibrant and the artistic quality is the highest it’s been in years.”

Organized in 1974, Virginia Opera got a considerable boost when its second show, 1975’s “La Traviata,” received a favorable review in The New Yorker, with music critic Andrew Porter writing that it was “a lively, arresting, considered performance … Virginia Opera has started well.” The review helped the fledgling company fundraise and convince skeptics that opera was viable in Norfolk.

After expanding to Richmond in 1977 and Fairfax in 1992, Virginia Opera now performs its shows in all three cities and boasts a $5.8 million budget. And next spring will see the debut of “Loving v. Virginia,” an original opera co-commissioned by Virginia Opera and the Richmond Symphony about a landmark civil rights case.

“I’m really excited to see the 50th anniversary, this major capstone year for us, end with a major world premiere that’s going to be grabbing international press,” Turner says. “A lot of eyes will be on Virginia Opera.”

“Don Giovanni” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Directed by Kyle Lang

Oct. 12 and 13

The tale of a rake whose licentious deeds eventually catch up with him, “Don Giovanni” is a staple of the operatic repertoire. Turner says Virginia Opera’s staging will be “almost like a rock concert.” Instead of playing from the orchestra pit, the Virginia Symphony Orchestra will perform onstage with the singers.

“The entire experience will thrust the performers even closer to the audience, so they’ll be confronted with these high-stakes emotions and rollercoaster drama,” Turner says. “I’m really excited about the potential of this style of presentation to capture the sexiness and bad boy appeal of Don Giovanni in a fresh, exciting new way.”

Baritone Ethan Vincent will star in the title role, marking his debut with Virginia Opera and his first time playing the doomed nobleman.

 “He’s really an up-and-coming talent,” Turner says. “He’s had a lot of national attention recently, and I’m excited to capture him before he goes off to the Metropolitan Opera and all these other places, which I know he’s destined to do.”

“Carmen” by Georges Bizet

Directed by Kyle Lang

Nov. 22 and 24

One of the most beloved operas in the canon, “Carmen” tells the story of a rebellious young woman who works in a cigarette factory. With multiple suitors vying for her love, Carmen woos and guilts men into getting what she desires. Featuring well-known songs like “Habanera” and “Toreador Song,” passionate characters and high drama, “Carmen” is often recommended to first-time opera-goers.

“‘Carmen’ is definitely the gateway opera,” Turner says. “[And] 150 years later, it’s still popular and brings in audiences.”

Turner adds that “Carmen” has become something of “a calling card” for director Kyle Lang.

“It requires so much choreography and has a large chorus, so there’s just a lot of activity onstage to manage and create a beautiful stage picture at all times,” he says. 

All three of the show’s leads are making their “Carmen” debuts, including Richmond’s own Alicia Russell Tagert in the role of Micaëla.

“Così fan tutte” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Directed by Mo Zhou

Feb. 28 and March 2

A comedy in two acts by Mozart, “Così fan tutte” tells the story of two Italian military officers who accept a bet to test their fiancées faithfulness. As part of the wager, the officers pretend to be sent away to battle, then reappear in disguise and attempt to woo the women.

“‘Così’ is a wonderful piece we haven’t done in 15 years, and it’s a wonderful opera,” Turner says. “People always talk about ‘Così’ as having fabulous music, but the story is somewhat tricky to work around because there’s a lot of misogyny.”

To help counteract the piece’s problematic nature, Turner has enlisted the services of director Mo Zhou, who also helmed last season’s “Madama Butterfly.”

“I really wanted a female director’s vision to guide this process and bring some integrity to it,” Turner says. 

“Loving v. Virginia” by Damien Geter

Directed by Denyce Graves

May 9-11

Virginia Opera will close out its 50th anniversary season with “Loving v. Virginia,” the world premiere of a new opera about the landmark civil rights case that legalized interracial marriage.

In 1958, Caroline County residents Mildred and Richard Loving traveled to Washington, D.C., to get married. At the time, Virginia’s Racial Integrity Act of 1924 banned interracial marriage and the Lovings were subsequently arrested. In 1967, the Supreme Court ruled that laws banning interracial marriage violated the 14th Amendment.

Commissioned by Virginia Opera and the Richmond Symphony, this new opera will tell the Lovings’ story with music by Damien Geter and a libretto by Jessica Murphy Moo.

“It’s such a beautiful story, romantic and truly touching,” Turner says. “This has it all. It has romance, it has intrigue, and there’s a groundbreaking moment for civil rights in our nation’s history.”

Turner says those who are wary of atonal, post-modern opera need not worry.

“Every other day I find a new ear worm, a new melody, that’s stuck in my head from Damien Geter,” he says. “He has such an emotional musical language, but also these melodies that will be stuck in your head for days on end.”

All Richmond performances will take place at Dominion Energy Center, 600 E. Grace St. For information, visit vaopera.org or call 866-673-7282.