The Washington National Opera has announced that the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program will be renamed Cafritz Young Artists of Washington National Opera. The company announced in a press statement that in light of AGMA’s recent finding, the company chose to rename the program. The company stated, “In 2002, while Placido Domingo was serving as Washington National Opera’s (WNO) artistic director, {…}
(Credit: © Greg Gorman/LA Opera) The Washington National Opera has issued a statement regarding the American Guild of Musical Artists’ findings in its investigation of allegations of sexual harassment against Plácido Domingo. The investigation found that the famed opera star had engaged in inappropriate activity, ranging from flirtation to sexual advances, in and outside of the workplace. “Washington National Opera {…}
(Credit: Washington National Opera) The Washington National Opera has announced its 2020–2021 season offering up some ambitious repertoire. The season with WNO’s new production of Beethoven’s “Fidelio.” Robert Spano makes his WNO debut conducting a cast that includes Elza van den Heever, Brandon Jovanovich, Brian Mulligan, Ryan Speedo Green, Joshua Blue, and Eric Owens. Performance Dates: Oct. 24–Nov. 9, 202o {…}
The Washington National Opera is set to present the D.C. premiere of Jeanine Tesori and Tazewell Thompson’s poignant new opera “Blue.” The work is inspired by contemporary events and black literature, including Ta-Nehisi Coates’s “Between the World and Me” and James Baldwin’s “The Fire Next Time.” Blue centers on the hopes and fears of a young black couple in Harlem {…}
Washington National Opera has announced its eighth season of its acclaimed American Opera Initiative. This year, the initiative will present three world premieres on Jan. 10, 2020, in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. This season the three one-act operas featured will be by composer-librettist teams Michael Lanci and Kim Davies, Carlos Simon and Sandra Seaton, and Liliya Ugay and Sokunthary Svay. {…}
Baritone Gordon Hawkins is set to sing the role of The Reverend in Washington National Opera’s upcoming co-commissioned production of Tazewell Thompson and Jeanine Tesori’s “Blue.” The company announced that Hawkins will replace Lester Lynch, who has withdrawn for personal reasons. Hawkins is a winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and the George London Grant recipient. He has {…}
Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” is set to be revived at the Washington National Opera in an English version. In time for the holiday season, the production will feature designs by famed children’s author/illustrator Maurice Sendak. David Portillo is set to star as Tamino with Sydney Mancasola singing Pamina in her WNO debut. Kathryn Lewek will sing her signature Queen of {…}
The Washington National Opera is set to open the 2019-20 season with Verdi’s “Otello.” The season will open with Russell Thomas in the title role, a work he recently performed to great acclaimed at the Canadian Opera Company. He is joined by Leah Crocetto in the role of Desdemona. They both reunite after an acclaimed “Don Carlo” which OperaWire called, {…}
(Credit: Jonathon Tichler) The REACH has announced its “inclusive, multi-genre, multidisciplinary” 2019 Opening Festival, which marks its first-ever expansion to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. For the purpose of this article, we focus on opera-related events. The Festival’s “Opening Day” will “illustrate the breadth of experience that the REACH is designed to foster,” according to the {…}
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, {…}
You’ll likely notice that when you come to check out these top five picks from NORTH AMERICA, you’ll usually find just shows in the U.S. But this week, we have made a few selections truly do encapsulate North America. Pandora – FAWN Chamber Creative, Canada FAWN Chamber Creative will world premiere this opera-ballet by David James Brock and and such {…}
