Stephen Schwartz, the composer of the musical “Wicked,” has canceled his commitment at Washington National Opera following the renaming of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The composer said that “Last year, way before the change of Board and name of the Kennedy Center, I was invited by (director) Francesca Zambello to be part of a Washington {…}
Richard Grenell, the Executive director of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, is slamming artists for canceling performances. Grenell took to X stating, “The artists who are now canceling shows were booked by the previous far left leadership. Their actions prove that the previous team was more concerned about booking far left political activists rather than artists {…}
(Credit: Soloman Howard) Puerto Rican soprano Kresley Figueroa is a graduate of the Cafritz Young Artist with Washington National Opera where she has performed in numerous productions including “The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs,” “Partenope,” “La Périchole,” and “The Lion, The Unicorn, and Me.” She has also appeared alongside Renée Fleming, Thomas Hampson, and Denyce Graves in WNO’s annual gala. Figueroa {…}
UPDATE: On the Record: Andy Pharoah, President of the WNO Board of Trustees has said in a statement “The WNO has no plans to move out of the Kennedy Center and we are proud to be part of America’s cultural center, entering our 70th season.” The Washington National Opera (WNO) is considering leaving the Kennedy Center. In a report from {…}
Soprano Joélle Harvey is set to join the cast of the Washington National Opera’s production of Mozart’s “Le nozze di Figaro.” In her house debut, the soprano will take on the role of Susanna, joining a cast that stars Rosa Feola, Will Liverman, Le Bu, John Holiday, and Elizabeth Bishop. Robert Spano conducts the production, which opens on Nov. 14, {…}
The Washington National Opera is set to kick off its 70th anniversary season with Opera in the Outfield on August 23, 2025, at Nationals Park in Washington, DC. The free community event will be presented by Mars and will feature a screening of George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess.” There will be a pre-show arts & crafts with a bonus family {…}
Washington National Opera has announced the 2025-26 Cafritz Young Artists. The first-year artists include baritone Chandler Benn, bass-baritone Robert Frazier, soprano Lauren Carroll, tenor Hakeem Henderson, baritone Thandolwethu Mamba, bass Atticus Rego, pianist Deven Shah, and mezzo-soprano Veronica Siebert. Returning artists include soprano Viviana Goodwin, tenor Nicholas Huff, soprano Anneliese Klenetsky, pianist Tongyao Li, and mezzo-soprano Michelle Mariposa. Young Artists {…}
The Washington National Opera is set to present “Porgy and Bess” in Artistic Director Francesca Zambello’s acclaimed production. Zambello’s production was first seen on the Kennedy Center stage in the 2005–2006 season and the return marks the 90th anniversary of this work. In a statement, Zambello said, “It is hard to believe it’s been 20 years since I first directed {…}
Nicholas Newton has been named the 2025 Marian Anderson Vocal Award. Named for the groundbreaking African American contralto, the award recognizes a young American singer in opera, oratorio, or recital repertory and is given annually by the Kennedy Center, offering its winner a cash prize, a residency at Washington’s Duke Ellington School of the Arts, and a recital presented by {…}
The Washington National Opera has announced its 2025-26 season. Mainstage Productions The season opens with Verdi’s “Aida” in Francesca Zambello’s production. Kwamé Ryan conducts with Jennifer Rowley starring in the leading role. She is joined by Adam Smith, Raehann Bryce-Davis, Agnieszka Rehlis, Shenyang, and Morris Robinson. Amber R. Monroe and Robert Watson also star in the lead roles. Performance Dates: {…}
Following the upheaval at the Kennedy Center, the Washington National Opera will move forward with the highly-anticipated “The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs,” created by Kennedy Center’s first Composer-in-Residence Mason Bates and librettist Mark Campbell. The Grammy Award®-winning opera follows the life of Steve Jobs and his quest for inner peace. The production will feature baritones John Moore and Jonathan Patton {…}
