Facilities and Directions
Commonwealth Opera of Western Massachusetts performs primarily in Northampton, Massachusetts, 20 miles north of Springfield and seven miles from Amherst, within a 2-mile radius of Smith College.
Our three main performance venues are two historic and beautifully renovated theaters— Academy of Music and the Calvin Theater, both in downtown Northampton—and the newly renovated Congdon Auditorium at the Northampton High School. All our performance spaces have the capacity for full stage sets and professional stage lighting.
Commonwealth Opera’s annual gala Guild concerts and other special events take place in a number of inviting locations including Sweeney Concert Hall at Smith College and the Garden House at Look Park in neighboring Florence.
All theaters offer comfortable seating, excellent acoustics, and wheelchair-accessibility. Please see Tickets for the seating chart for the current production.
Directions to Northampton, Massachusetts:
Take Interstate-91 either North or South to Exit 18 (Northampton).
Take left off exit ramp onto Route 5 North, following signs to Northampton
center. Follow Route 5 to the first traffic light in the center
of town at Main Street.
Commonwealth Opera venues in Northampton, Mass.:
Academy of Music
274 Main St.
At the Main Street intersection, turn left onto Main Street, follow
West to the next traffic light. The Academy is on your left, on
the corner of Main Street and South Street with the Smith College
ahead past the intersection. At the light take left onto South Street
and park on the street, or take a right and park along State Street.
There is also a metered parking lot behind the Academy.
Also visit their site for directions.
Congdon Auditorium at the Northampton High School
Continue past the traffic light at the Academy of Music (above),
bearing straight slightly to the right at the fork at the beginning
of the Smith College campus. You are now on Route 9, or Elm Street,
with the Smith College campus at your left. Continue several miles
to the Northampton High School, on your left opposite Woodlawn Avenue
(on your right). Turn left just after Woodlawn Street, to the High
School parking lot.
Sweeney Concert Hall in Sage Hall at Smith College
At the traffic light at the Academy of Music, continue just slightly
past the intersection bearing immediately left onto Route 66 (West
Street). The city library (Forbes) will be on your left. Take the
first right onto Green Street and park along the street. Sage Hall
is at the end of Green Street.
Commonwealth Opera venue in Amherst, Mass.:
Fine Arts Center, University of Massachusetts
From I-91 South, take Exit 19 (Northampton) and exit right from
the ramp, proceeding onto the Coolidge Bridge over the Connecticut
River (Route 9). Continue on Route 9 past shopping malls to University
Drive on left just before the hill leading up to the town of Amherst.
Turn left onto University Drive and proceed North toward campus.
At the end of University Drive, bear right onto the UMass campus
and follow the campus road straight to the Fine Arts Center on your
left (horseshoe drive in front). Take a right into the parking lot
opposite the Center.
From I-91 North, take Exit 20 (Northampton) and merge off the ramp onto Route 5 South. Move into the lefthand lane and at the first set of lights, turn left onto Damon Road. Stay on Damon Road until it intersects with Route 9 (about 1/4 mile). Take a left, proceeding onto the Coolidge Bridge over the Connecticut River (Route 9). Continue on Route 9 past shopping malls to University Drive on left just before the hill leading up to the town of Amherst. Turn left onto University Drive and proceed North toward campus. At the end of University Drive, bear right onto the UMass campus and follow the campus road straight to the Fine Arts Center on your left (horseshoe drive in front). To the right opposite the Fine Arts Center, turn into the parking lot behind the Robsham Visitor’s Center (free parking after 5:00 p.m.).
