The Washington National Opera has announced the roster of emerging artists engaged for the 18th season of its Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program.

The company announced that this season, 11 singers and two pianists/coaches will participate. They are tenor Joshua Blue, mezzo-soprano Amanda Bottoms, baritone Joshua Conyers, soprano Marlen Nahhas, soprano Alexandra Nowakowski, bass William Meinert, baritone Samson McCrady,  pianist Thomas Morris, tenor Matthew Pearce, soprano Alexandria Shiner, mezzo-soprano Rehanna Thelwell, bass Samuel Weiser, and pianist William Woodard.

The new class of Young Artists will star in a special performance of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” participate in several world premiere productions as part of WNO’s American Opera Initiative Festival in January 2020, and appear in recitals and concerts across the Washington, D.C. region.

In a press statement, WNO General Director Timothy O’Leary said, “It’s a joy to be associated with the WNO Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists, who represent the future of our art form. These artists serve as an integral part of the WNO season, and they also very much represent WNO’s ‘home team,’ beloved by the Washington community. Whether performing for our audiences at the Kennedy Center Opera House, for thousands of public school students from throughout the D.C. metro area, for fans at Nationals Park, or for world leaders and dignitaries in embassies throughout town, these artists are constantly cultivating their craft while they are with us, and making our community more beautiful by doing so.”

The new class is set to begin its program on August 26, 2019.