There has been a tradition of light opera and operetta performance in Rostov-on-Don since the 19th century, and the Rostov State Opera and Ballet, originally founded in 1931, carries this on into the 21st century.

The repertoire now features major works by Mozart, Rossini, Verdi and Puccini which form roughly two-thirds of the productions, whilst the other third is made up of operas by Russian composers such as Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Rimsky-Korsakov and Borodin.  Rostov State Opera also performs new work and has commissioned The Gypsy by Leonid Klinichev and Poprygunya by Konopel'ko.

In addition to Rostov State Opera's Principal Guest Conductor Mauruzio Dones (Italy), Principal Conductor Andrey Anikhanov and house conductors, Alexander Goncharov, and Alexei Shakuro, the company welcomes a number of distinguished guest conductors from both Russia and elsewhere, such as Robert Lyall (New Orleans), Marcello Mottadelli (Italy), Giovanni Froio (Italy), Andrey Galanov (Belarus), and Pavel Klinichev from the Bolshoi Theatre.

The company draws its singers from conservatoires throughout Russia, and its youthful chorus, under their Chorus Master Elena Klinicheva, is noted for its vigorous and enthusiastic performances.

Among the soloists are the international prize-winning Natalia Dmitrievskaya whose roles include the Queen of the Night, Violetta, and Michaela and the baritone Peter Makarov is a popular Figaro (Il Barbiere di Siviglia) Onegin, Rigoletto, Prince Igor and Marcello.

Guest Directors include Yuri Alexandrov from St Petersburg Opera House, Georgy Isaakyan from Perm' Opera House and Yuri Laptev, a former director of the Mariinski Theatre.

The Principal Designer for the Rostov State Opera is Stepan Zograbyan, and guest designers include Sergei Barkhin from Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre, Viatcheslav Okunev from S. Petersburg (winner of numerous Golden Masks), and Zinoviy Margolin who won a Golden Mask award in 2005 for his designs for Rostov State Opera's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, Yuri Kuper and Alexander Vassiliev.