Washington National Opera Announces Name Change to Young Artist Program

By Francisco Salazar

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, he created an apprentice artist development program for the company, the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program. WNO respects and acknowledges Mr. Domingo’s singular artistic legacy and contribution to the opera field and to WNO. Mr. Domingo stepped down from his post at WNO in 2011 and has not been active with the company or its apprentice artist program in the years since.”

The company continued, “In light of recent developments, the company today announces that going forward, WNO’s apprentice program for early-career opera singers and pianists will be called the Cafritz Young Artists of Washington National Opera, retaining in the name The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, which has generously supported the program for nearly two decades. WNO commends the outstanding partnership and continued generosity of all its supporters, including the Cafritz Foundation.”

This is the second young artist program to take Domingo’s name off. The Palau de les Arts announced earlier last week that it would take his name off the company’s young artist program.

Domingo is set to perform at the Mariinsky Theatre and Hamburg State Opera this month.

Categories

News