(Credit: Caitlin Oldham Photography)

This week, the Washington National Opera returns with a production of Scott Joplin’s “Treemonisha” featuring a new production by Denyce Graves. But perhaps the biggest draw of the night is one of the Washington National Opera’s Cafritz Young Artists in the title role, Viviana Goodwin.

The soprano, who has already been in the program for over a year, has performed in the company’s productions of “Le Nozze di Figaro,” and “The Little Prince,” as well as “Porgy and Bess” for which critics praised her for delivering “Summertime” “completely rooted in character.” The also noted that in this aria, she made each repetition of the lullaby “different and worthwhile.”

Now Goodwin gets to be centerstage with the company for Joplin’s opera, which blends ragtime, Black folk-songs, spirituals, ballet, and traditional operatic elements.

Goodwin has been featured with the Merola Opera Program, was an Apprentice Artist with Des Moines Metro Opera and performed with the Glimmerglass Festival. She is a winner of the Encouragement Award from the Tulsa District of the Laffont Competition and third place in the Ladies Music Club Competition in 2022.

For audiences not in Washington D.C., the soprano will perform with the Glimmerglass Festival this summer.

Recordings 

For audiences who want to discover Goodwin’s voice, here are some recordings of the soprano singing from “La Bohème” and “Turandot.”