Founded by conductor Eve Queler in 1971—William Tell opened the first Carnegie season—OONY is beloved by aficionados for its performances of opera in concert. It puts a particular emphasis on operatic rarities, and has introduced a number of prominent singers, including soprano Harolyn Blackwell and mezzo-soprano Jennifer Larmore, to New York audiences.

The remainder of the 2005-06 season includes Delibes' Lakm_ and Italo Montemezzi's 1914 L'amore dei tre re.

On February 26, 2006, soprano Eglise Gutierrez sings the title role in Lakm_; tenor Yeghishe Manucharyan is her lover G_rard. James Morris, whose history with OONY dates to its first season, returns as Lakm_'s father, Nilakantha.

L'amore dei tre re closes the season on May 4. Samuel Ramey stars as the blind King Archibaldo; soprano Fabiana Bravo is his philandering daughter-in-law Fiora; baritone Pavel Baransky, in his American debut, is his son Manfredo; tenor Fernando de la Mora is Fiora's lover Avito.

OONY also presents a recital by mezzo-soprano Kate Aldrich at Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall on March 13.