PLAN YOUR WOLF TRAP OPERA SUMMER
JUNE
SALON SERIES | 7:30 PM 1 2 21 23
NOI + FESTIVAL SEVEN DEADLY SINS | 7:30 PM
¡TE ADORO! | 2 PM
STUDIO ARTISTS IN CONCERT | 7 PM
COSÌ FAN TUTTE | 7:30 PM
COSÌ FAN TUTTE | 2 PM
COSÌ FAN TUTTE | 2 PM
SALON SERIES | 7:30 PM
JULY
ARIA JUKEBOX | 2 PM
JAMIE BARTON PUBLIC MASTER CLASS | 7 PM
STUDIO SPOTLIGHT | 7:30 PM
BEETHOVEN’S NINTH SYMPHONY | 8 PM
COSÌ FAN TUTTE | 7:30 PM LA BOHÈME | 8 PM
SALON SERIES | 7:30 PM SILENT NIGHT | 7:30 PM
JAMIE BARTON IN RECITAL | 2 PM
SILENT NIGHT | 2 PM
SILENT NIGHT | 2 PM
NIGHT | 7:30 PM
WELCOME
LEE ANNE MYSLEWSKI Vice President of Opera and Classical Programming, Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing ArtsDear Friends,
Wolf Trap Opera has a long history of selecting repertoire based on specific artists rather than themes, but sometimes a throughline emerges. This summer might as well be called “The Music of Battles,” as each production showcases the strategy, conflict, and heartbreak of war in different arenas. In La bohème, the struggling Bohemians fight a life of poverty to find their place in the world, and the campaign Musetta wages to reclaim Marcello is military in its precision. Così fan tutte gives us a classic fight of the sexes—a messy fray in which neither side can clearly be called the victor. Seven Deadly Sins explores the inner clash between two halves of a conflicted young woman, with each side pushing and pulling towards a path of purity or decadence. And in Silent Night, we find ourselves on an actual battlefield, watching WWI soldiers struggle with honor and duty to their countries despite a fragile moment of shared humanity. Throughout the summer, these pieces serve as an artful reminder of the battles we all face daily.
The wide-ranging reach of WTO continues to grow across the industry with every year, and it is not limited to those in the glow of the stage lights. We welcome back our 2023 Filene Artist in Residence Ryan McKinny and his wife Tonya as co-directors of Silent Night. In a similar, multi-hyphenate manner, our alums—singers, coaching fellows, and directing fellows—are all making an impact in the industry around the country. They are running opera companies and young artist programs, training collegiate singers at the highest levels, working for structural change within the artistic community, and making the landscape a better place—with better art—for all. I hope you’ll read about some of these outstanding alumni on page 34.
While you might not know this summer's artists just yet, past experience tells us these performers will be the next shining lights to lead the opera industry. I hope you’ll take the time to get to know them, and I look forward to seeing you at one of our many events this summer.
RECORD NUMBER OF 1,303
As a lifelong opera enthusiast, I am proud to be a part of Wolf Trap Opera’s vibrant community of supporters who help perpetuate this timeless art form. Each season, Wolf Trap Opera produces three innovative and impressive productions that showcase the awe-inspiring talent of our emerging artists.
This summer, audiences can explore romance and heartache with Puccini’s La bohème, humor and ethical dilemmas in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, and the profound redemption of peace during war in Kevin Puts and Mark Campbell’s poignant Silent Night. Through each storyline, persona, and setting, I am thrilled to see how these classic and contemporary works come to life on our stages.
On behalf of Wolf Trap Foundation’s Board of Directors, I thank you for supporting this important and vibrant genre. With the continued generosity of our patrons and donors, Wolf Trap can maintain its commitment to top-tier training that cultivates the next generation of opera talent and inspires stellar programming. I look forward to seeing you at a Wolf Trap Opera performance this summer!
DANIEL A. D'ANIELLO Chairman, Board of DirectorsWolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts
Welcome to Wolf Trap Opera’s 2024 season. Each year, I am reminded of just how remarkable and expansive our program has become, allowing artists at all stages of their journeys to transform and shine. The proof of WTO’s impact lies in our alumni, many of whom go on to perform at the world's most prestigious opera companies, take on leading arts administrator roles, and even return to Wolf Trap to pass on their knowledge to the next generation.
This summer, we are thrilled to welcome back Grammy-nominated mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton (’09) as our 2024 Filene Artist in Residence. Jamie will work closely with our Filene and Studio Artists guiding them on music and career preparation throughout the season, and the public can catch a glimpse of this process during her complimentary Master Class in July. Later in the month, she will also treat us to an exceptional recital at The Barns.
While our mainstage productions remain the cornerstones of the season, I find our many opera recitals and community partnerships to be equally impactful. We kick off the summer with a semi-staged UNTRAPPED production of Weill’s Seven Deadly Sins, a unique “sung ballet” which continues our partnership with National Orchestral Institute + Festival. At The Barns, this year’s Steven Blier concert, ¡Te Adoro!, introduces Spanish-tinged selections, and our most beloved recitals—the Salon Series, Studio Spotlight, and Aria Jukebox—return. Over at the Filene Center, four of this season’s Filene Artists will take centerstage alongside the National Symphony Orchestra for Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.
This dynamic programming would not be possible without the lasting support of our community and partners. We thank our patrons for their contributions and endless enthusiasm, which fuels WTO to keep producing innovative works and shape the future of opera for everyone.
ARVIND MANOCHA President & CEO, Wolf Trap Foundation forthe Performing Arts
WOLF TRAP FOUNDATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
DR. JILL BIDEN
Honorary Chair
MR. DANIEL A. D’ANIELLO
Chairman
MR. ARVIND MANOCHA
President and CEO
MR. JOHN E. KING
Vice Chairman and Secretary
MR. MATTHEW R. KORN
Treasurer
Mr. Raj Ananthanpillai
Mrs. Andrita J. Andreas
Mr. C.E. Andrews
Mr. Jeremy Blank
Mr. Kevin T. Boyle
Ms. Jan Brandt
Ms. Patrice K. Brickman
Mr. Richard K. Bynum
Mr. Bruce L. Caswell
Mr. Dante D’Egidio
Dr. Melissa A. Delgado
Ms. Lynn R. Dillon
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Ms. Hillary Baltimore
Mrs. Marcia M. Carlucci
Mr. Enrico A. Della Corna
Mr. Ric Edelman
Mr. Amr ElSawy
Mr. Vincent L. Ferraro
Mr. Gil Guarino
Mr. Stanley J. Gutkowski
ASSOCIATES BOARD
MRS. SUZANNE YOUNGKIN Honorary Chair
MRS. AMY ROSSI Chair
MS. KATHERINE NEWLAND Vice Chair and Secretary
Mr. Dominic E. Dragisich
Mrs. Jean Edelman
Ms. Virginia McGehee Friend
Ms. Margaret Gupta
Mr. Kenneth R. Hayduk
Mr. Donald “Blue” Jenkins
Mr. Broderick D. Johnson
Mr. Eric J. Kadel, Jr.
Ms. Lesley A. Kalan
Mrs. Leana Katz
Ms. Tracy K. Kenny
Ms. Alka M. Kesavan
Ms. Anne R. Kline
Ms. Nancy J. Laben
Mr. David H. Langstaff
Mr. Robert S. Lutz
Ms. Christina Co Mather
Mr. Prabu Natarajan
Ms. Janet M. Osborn
Mr. Christopher Raymond
Mr. James C. Reagan
Mr. Kevin Robbins
Mrs. Amy Rossi (Ex Officio)
Mrs. Shelly S. Hazel
Dr. Ashok G. Kaveeshwar
Mr. Gerald L. Kohlenberger
Mr. John C. Lee, IV
General Lester L. Lyles
Ms. Ramona Mockoviak
The Honorable Sean O'Keefe
Mr. Patrick Pacious
Mrs. Jennie Bishof
Mrs. Sarah Choi
Ms. Rhonda Fleming
Mr. Leo F. Fox III
Ms. Bonnie Haukness
Mr. Jeffrey R. Houle
Mr. Steven C. Job
Mrs. Bambi Landew
Mr. George Lowden
Mr. David J. Martin
Mr. James E. P. Miller
Mr. David Samuels
Mr. Srikant Sastry
Ms. Anu Saxena
Mr. Fredrick Schaufeld
Mrs. Monica Schmude
Mr. Julian M. Setian
Mr. Kevin P. Smithson
Mr. Todd Stottlemyer
Mr. Clarence Taylor
Mr. Robert G. Van Hoecke
OTHER OFFICERS
MS. BETH BRUMMEL Chief Operating Officer
MR. STEPHEN D. KAHN General Counsel
PRESIDENT EMERITUS
Mr. Terrence D. Jones
DIRECTOR EMERITUS
The Hon. Dirk Kempthorne FOUNDER
Mrs. Jouett Shouse (1896–1994)
Mrs. Norma G. Ramsey
Mr. John J. Robertson
Ms. Danielle O. Saunders
Ms. Karen Schaufeld
Ms. Theresa Thompson
Mr. Ranvir K. Trehan
Mr. David A. Winston
Mr. John B. Wood
Mrs. Linda Moses
Mrs. Pat Menster Neuman
Mr. Michael Polmar
Mr. Daniel W. Quirk
Mrs. Chelsea Rao
Mr. Jiten “Jay” Shah
Mr. Dean Souleles
Mrs. Joan Stansfield
Mr. Douglas A. Tyson
Mr. Jake Zatzkin
MUSIC BY GIACOMO PUCCINI
LIBRETTO BY GIUSEPPE GIACOSA, LUIGI ILLICA
FILENE CENTER
FRIDAY, JULY 19 | 8 PM
LA BOHÈME IS A CO-PRODUCTION OF HOUSTON GRAND OPERA ASSOCIATION, CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY, AND SAN FRANCISCO OPERA.
SPECIAL THANKS TO VIRGINIA M c GEHEE FRIEND AND ANNE R. KLINE AND GEOFFREY POHANKA, PERFORMANCE SPONSORS
CAST
Rodolfo: Eric Taylor
Marcello: Blake Denson
Schaunard: Laureano Quant
Colline: Le Bu
Mimi: Amanda Batista
Musetta: Midori Marsh
Conductor: Grant Gershon
Original Director: John Caird
Revival Director: Katherine M. Carter
Principal Coach: Christopher Turbessi
Chorus Master/Pianist: Nate Raskin
Asst. Chorus Master/ Pianist: Ye In Kwak
Chorus Master, Children’s Chorus of Washington: Margaret Nomura Clark
Benoit/Alcindoro: Adam Partridge*
Parpignol: Jerek Fernández*
Customs Officer: Mario Manzo*
Chorus: See page 47
National Symphony Orchestra
* Studio Artist
Italian Diction Coach: Nicolò Sbuelz CREATIVE TEAM
Scenic & Costume Design: David Farley
Lighting Design: Michael James Clark
Wig & Makeup Design: Anne Nesmith
Supertitles: Michelle Papenfuss
Assistant Director: Elio Bucky
Production Stage Manager: Rachel Henneberry
Asst. Stage Managers: Lisa R. Hays, Arturo Fernandez Jr.
SUNG IN ITALIAN WITH ENGLISH CAPTIONS
RUNNING TIME: 2 HOURS AND 30 MINUTES, WITH ONE INTERMISSION
FIRST PERFORMED: FEBRUARY 1, 1896 AT TEATRO REGIO IN TURIN
Set design for Act II of La bohème for the world premiere; Teatro Regio di Torino, 1 February 1896, Adolfo Hohenstein
THE STORY
ACT I
It is Christmas Eve in Paris, and the artist Marcello and poet Rodolfo try to keep warm. Their roommates—the philosopher Colline and musician Schaunard—return home with food, fuel, and money for a night out. They are interrupted by their landlord Benoit, who is demanding the rent, but they successfully distract him.
Rodolfo stays behind to work as his friends head out to Café Momus. He is interrupted by their neighbor, Mimi, who is looking for a light for her candle and faints. As Rodolfo looks after her, they tell each other their stories and realize they are falling in love.
ACT II
Later, Rodolfo and Mimi join friends at the Café, which is brimming with Christmas Eve excitement. Marcello is furious when his former girlfriend Musetta arrives with Alcindoro, a wealthy older man. Musetta teases him mercilessly, then finally sends Alcindoro off on a fool’s errand and falls into Marcello’s arms.
ACT III
It is February on the outskirts of Paris, and Mimi is searching for Musetta and Marcello. She confides in Marcello that she and Rodolfo have parted ways due to his extreme jealousy.
When Rodolfo appears, Mimi hides from the two men. Unaware that she is listening, Rodolfo tells Marcello that he knows Mimi is ill, and he believes her only chance of recovery is to escape the harsh conditions of their life of poverty.
Mimi comes forward to say goodbye to Rodolfo, but he convinces her to stay with him until springtime. Their tender conversation is accompanied by the sparring of Musetta and Marcello.
ACT IV
Months later, both Marcello and Rodolfo are lonely. Colline and Schaunard join them, and the mood lightens. Suddenly, Musetta bursts in with Mimi, who is near death and has asked to see Rodolfo. They all do what they can to help Mimi, deciding to sell possessions to get her some warm clothes and medical care.
Rodolfo and Mimi are left alone, and they reminisce before she falls quiet. The friends return and find that Mimi has passed as Rodolfo cries out her name in grief.
LESSONS IN RETURNING
Puccini’s La bohème —the story of Bohemians living in Paris—is an opera that audiences love to experience over and over again. Similarly, many young artists and seasoned singers get the opportunity to return to these characters throughout their artistic careers. Although the score and libretto never change, they offer countless new choices for each of us returning to the garret, whether for the second or tenth time. You never forget your first bohème , but your next can offer even more depth and discovery.
John Caird, this production’s original director, created a La bohème that lives inside the art of Marcello, our painter protagonist. David Farley’s set— inspired by Moulin Rouge painter Toulouse-Lautrec—and costumes that pull from life drawings of actual middle-class Parisians transport audiences into the Bohemian world. Michael Clark’s lighting highlights the various moods that paintings can evoke, seamlessly combining time of day and the emotions of each moment. Each time this production is performed, the latest cast members add another layer of paint to its living canvas— including tonight’s newest group of Bohemians.
As the director, my role is to bring out the unique performances from each of our Filene Artists, fostering and finding how they relate to these characters at this stage in their development. When they return to these characters later in their careers, they will build on the foundation of this summer’s production.
Returning to a story, place, or company is a way to mark growth in an industry that has no ladder. Revisiting with a little more knowledge and understanding than what you had available the first time creates a new, unique, and exciting experience. As I return to WTO to direct a revival production of La bohème at the Filene Center, I can’t help but think of my first time on that stage as a directing fellow in 2016, and how my experience, knowledge, and world view will now add different colors and depth to tonight’s performance.
—KATHERINE M. CARTER REVIVAL DIRECTORREJUVENATING THE EXPERIENCE OF LA BOHÈME
WILLIAM BERGERLa bohème became the world’s most cherished opera because of its magical ability to reinvent itself in every performance. Unfortunately, discussions around the opera tend to lack the same spirit of renewal. When we praise this work, we often fall back on the same ideas of a century ago—notions which may or may not have been true then but are clearly clichés now.
Let’s destroy them. That’s what the very believable Bohemian characters in this story would have done, and mostly because the opera is great enough to astound us without such impressions. To rehash the smartest ideas of 100 years ago doesn’t make us more intellectual, it just makes our statements antiquated and usually wrong. La bohème doesn’t need that.
You know the sentiments I’m talking about, even if this is your first time at the opera: La bohème is a “great first opera, a treasury of melody, easy to appreciate, and certain to appeal to young people because of the endearing lovebirds it depicts with immense charm (and without an overabundance of braininess to get in the way).” Most of that is plain wrong, and the rest is misleading. La bohème can be a great first opera, but only because it’s a great opera. In fact, it presents many challenges for the newcomer.
One of those challenges is the melody itself. A hundred years ago, people understood it as a composer’s signal of emotional rawness and sincerity. Today, the melody carries none of its original meaning. It sounds cheaply sentimental to audiences reeling from too much of it in bad movie scores, television commercials, and pop music played in stores to encourage consumption. I talk about opera to many different audiences of all ages, from newcomers to experts, and I never have to explain dissonance to anyone. I have to explain melody—what a composer might have been communicating by stopping the action and unleashing ravishing tones.
What still works in this opera (more than ever, in fact) is not the melody itself, but how Puccini uses it and to what purpose. This is something that has taken decades to fully appreciate. Familiarity with the score, personal and communal, is needed to reveal its shiniest veins of gold. Nineteenth-century Italian operas were designed to be heard many times—some say because it was less expensive to attend the theater than it was to heat the average home. Scores caught people’s attention with some hummable melodies, but elsewhere they provided complexities that became apparent only on repeated hearings (like Verdi’s Rigoletto ).
Listen to the score of La bohème —in Act I, Schaunard suggests they all celebrate Christmas Eve on the Parisian streets, and the orchestra plays a subtle planed
chord theme while he rhapsodizes about the lively street scenes. That theme blares forth to open Act II, on those same streets. It then opens Act III, slower and in a minor key, as if suspended in the icy air.
It depicts something about to happen, something that happens, and then something that happened as a “frozen” memory. That’s how life seems to unfold.
Behold the actual realism of La bohème . Furthermore, the complexities are impossible to hear while attending the opera for the first time. Their significance emerges in retrospect—similar to all of life’s revelations.
These characters are less genuine young people, and instead they are older individuals remembering their youth. The men here are not lower class—they’re bourgeois post-grads. No one in post-college, pre-career poverty thinks they are in their Golden Age. It only looks golden later, remembered from an office cubicle or a carpool.
The tragedy of the final scene is not so much the death of Mimi (an orchestral murmur), but instead is Rodolfo’s realization of her death, heard as thundering trombone chords. The party’s over. Hanging with and loving the other attractive, artistic cool kids won’t pay (or evade) the rent anymore. Time to move on and get a job. And that, we realize at some point, is the real tragedy. The true challenge of this opera today is that we can’t be smug or ironic about its supposed sentimentality.
La bohème refers to la vie —not an individual (which would be La bohèmienne ). The dead Bohemian we’ll weep for is not Mimi but rather each of us.
William Berger is an author and lecturer for a wide variety of topics within and beyond music, as well as a writer of fiction and theater works. He is a commentator for the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts and is responsible for the Met’s “Opera Quiz.”
MUSIC BY WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART
LIBRETTO BY LORENZO DA PONTE
NEW PRODUCTION
THE BARNS AT WOLF TRAP
FRIDAY, JUNE 21 | 7:30 PM
SUNDAY, JUNE 23 | 2 PM
THURSDAY, JUNE 27 | 2 PM
SATURDAY, JUNE 29 | 7:30 PM
SPECIAL THANKS TO ED AND ANDY SMITH, PERFORMANCE SPONSORS
CAST
Fiordiligi:
Renée Richardson
Dorabella:
Erin Wagner
Guglielmo:
Kyle White
Ferrando:
Lunga Eric Hallam
Despina: Emily Treigle
Don Alfonso:
Wm. Clay Thompson
Chorus:
Studio Artists CREATIVE TEAM
Conductor: Christine Brandes
Director: Dan Rigazzi
Scenic Design: Lawrence Moten
Costume Design: Lynly Saunders
Lighting Design: Colin K. Bills
Wig & Makeup Design: Anne Nesmith
Asst. Costume Design: Bailey Hammett
Asst. Scenic Design: Danielle DeLaFuente
MUSIC & PRODUCTION STAFF
Principal Coach/Continuo: William Woodard
Coach/Italian Diction: Nicolò Sbuelz
Chorus Master/Rehearsal Pianist: Michelle Papenfuss
Supertitles: Manuel Arellano
Assistant Director: Haley Stamats
Intimacy Choreographer: Casey Kaleba
Production Stage Manager: Savannah Valigura
Assistant Stage Manager: Alycia Martin
SUNG IN ITALIAN WITH ENGLISH CAPTIONS
RUNNING TIME: 3 HOURS, WITH ONE INTERMISSION
FIRST PERFORMED: JANUARY 26, 1790 AT BURGTHEATER IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA
THE STORY
ACT I
Don Alfonso and his young friends Ferrando and Guglielmo are arguing over the fidelity of women. Don Alfonso insists that all women are fickle, while Ferrando and Guglielmo refuse to believe that their fiancées, the sisters Fiordiligi and Dorabella, could ever be unfaithful. Don Alfonso wagers that by the end of the day their fiancées will betray them. He instructs Ferrando and Guglielmo to pretend they have orders to go off to war.
ACT II
Fiordiligi and Dorabella sing the praises of Guglielmo and Ferrando when Don Alfonso arrives to share the news of their imminent departure for the battlefield. The young men arrive, and the two couples bid each other a tearful farewell. Despina, the sisters’ maid, prepares their breakfast when Fiordiligi and Dorabella enter lamenting the departure. She counsels them to amuse themselves while their lovers are away, advice that horrifies them. After the sisters leave, Don Alfonso—who has overheard their conversation— recruits Despina to aid him in his plot, asking her to admit two suitors (the disguised Guglielmo and Ferrando) into the house. Fiordiligi and Dorabella are alarmed to find two strange men in their home and become even more concerned when the two men begin courting them. Don Alfonso pretends the men are old friends of his and begs the sisters to accept them. But Fiordiligi staunchly swears fidelity to her absent Guglielmo. The sisters lament the departure of their fiancés when the two ‘strangers’ barge in and swallow what seems to be poison. When they collapse, Despina and Don Alfonso go in search of a doctor, leaving Fiordiligi and Dorabella to tend to the apparently dying strangers. A doctor (Despina
in disguise) arrives to revive the two afflicted suitors. As they recover, they vow their love to the vexed sisters with even greater passion, while Don Alfonso and Despina try to hide their amusement.
Fiordiligi and Dorabella are persuaded by Despina that there would be no harm in a bit of innocent flirtation. Dorabella chooses the disguised Guglielmo while Fiordiligi chooses Ferrando. The suitors serenade the two sisters. Fiordiligi goes off for a stroll with Ferrando, while Guglielmo courts Dorabella. To his amazement, Dorabella surrenders rather easily. As they go off together, Ferrando returns with Fiordiligi, who continues to resist him and leaves. When the two young men exchange news of their progress, Ferrando is stricken to learn that his faithless Dorabella has yielded to Guglielmo.
While Don Alfonso and Guglielmo covertly look on, Ferrando makes another attempt to break Fiordiligi’s tenacity. To Guglielmo’s distress, she too finally yields. Don Alfonso has now won his wager. He tries to console the two young men with his motto: ‘così fan tutte’ (‘all women are like that’).
The sisters’ weddings to their two suitors proceed when a military chorus in the distance signals the ‘return’ of Ferrando and Guglielmo from battle. The suitors and the notary (again Despina in disguise) hide. A moment later, Ferrando and Guglielmo appear in uniform, feigning surprise at the cool reception they receive. When they discover the marriage contract and the notary, they swear vengeance on their faithless fiancées and their suitors. Finally, they reveal their ruse, and the two pairs of lovers are reconciled. Or are they?
THE SCHOOL FOR LOVERS
Così fan tutte , the final work in the towering trilogy brought to us by Mozart and Da Ponte, is certainly the most challenging of the three to bring to the modern stage. The overtly misogynistic libretto was seen at the time of its premiere as offensive and frivolous. Fredrich Schröder, actor and supporter of Mozart, wrote: “It is a miserable thing which lowers all women, cannot possibly please female spectators, and therefore will not make its fortune.” It is easy for us to look back and make assumptions about how women were regarded in earlier eras, but it is clear that our discomfort was mirrored by audiences in the 18 th century.
While the content of the libretto is problematic, the music is absolute genius. Mozart perfectly weds his music to the text, taking us deeper into complex psychological and emotional worlds of each character, sometimes all at once! He uses an ever-shifting palate of orchestral colors, musical keys, and configurations of characters to achieve a transporting perfection.
Unlike previous operas, the clarinets and violas figure more prominently and, remarkably, the trumpet is used to great effect in pieces that are not martial. For example, trumpets are deployed in Fiordiligi’s Act I aria, “Come scoglio.” In earlier operas, horns would have taken this duty, but Mozart’s choice says something about the crispness and clarity of sound he was looking for in complementing the passionate certainty of the character.
In our production for Wolf Trap, Dan Rigazzi and I have considered the challenges presented by the libretto, looking for ways to both make cuts in the recitatives and slight changes to the text to soften a bit of the misogynistic blow that this libretto delivers. Interestingly, the librettist, Lorenzo da Ponte, always referred to the piece by its secondary title, La scuola degli amanti , which means “The School for Lovers.” In fact, this title is how the piece was known throughout Italy for the first 50 years of its life. We have taken our cue from this title. Rather than an indictment of women and their inconstancy, we are interested in this work as an exploration of innocence lost. As a starting point, we understand these young men to be, well, exactly that: young men full of bravado but with very little real experience in the world or of themselves. This is also true of the young women who have been leading rather sheltered lives. It is a much more interesting story when seen as an exploration of the complexity that abounds in human relationships, especially as the worlds of the young open to new, exciting, and unpredictable experiences. The young lovers discover that adult relationships are vastly different from the ideal of romantic love they fantasized about as teenagers.
Much like the self-discovery that arises for the girls, my own journey as a musician has been one of exploration leading me to the podium. As a singer, I had the privilege of working with the greatest conductors, and those experiences led me to become fully devoted to conducting. I’m thrilled to conduct my first Così for Wolf Trap Opera this summer.
—CHRISTINE BRANDES CONDUCTOR
COSÌ FAN "TUTTA"
By Cori EllisonIt’s my Desert Island opera. (Cue the eyerolls.) It’s “a glorious soap-bubble,” “a deep and unsettling masterpiece,” “a musical lark,” “a profound and terrifying tragicomedy.” It’s cited for both its “enchanted artificiality” and its “acute realism.” This is how commentators have variously described Così fan tutte, a work as ambiguous as its title is untranslatable. Though it’s often rendered in English as something like “All Women Act Like That,” I propose that we call it “So Do They All,” taking advantage of our language’s ungendered plural pronouns. More about that later.
So is Così fan tutte a proto-Freudian nightmare or a sort of post-Enlightenment I Love Lucy? The answer, of course, lies somewhere in between. For despite its easy laughs, its apparent neat symmetries, and the tidy paean to reason with which it ends, Così—populated by two prideful young men pressured into placing a bet on their fiancées’ fidelity, a pair of fiancées who defy their expectations, a cynical “philosopher” who manipulates the action, and a
feisty maid who is bribed to help—is a web of ambiguities which may send you home whistling the tunes while also reaching for some antacid.
That certainly describes my own ambivalence whenever I experience Così, whether as supertitle author, dramaturg, lecturer, writer, Dorabella, or audience member. After enjoying a few hours of glistening wit, my last queasy thought is inevitably: What happens to these poor people after the curtain rings down?
Così fan tutte comes by its duality honestly, being a quintessential dramma giocoso (“jocular drama”). This seemingly oxymoronic term, often applied to the trio of Mozart-Da Ponte masterpieces (Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Così), is not a special designation as sometimes claimed. Dramma giocoso is simply a subgenre of 18th-century comic opera with plots leaning more toward sentiment and pathos than the traditionally lighthearted plots of opera buffa
This dramma giocoso form encouraged Mozart to exercise one of the pet conceits of his later operas: constantly colliding the parallel universes of opera seria and opera buffa. The characters in Così, ostensibly a comic opera, frequently lapse into seria-speak, sometimes offered up in parody (Dorabella’s aria “Smanie implacabili,” Fiordiligi’s “Come scoglio”) and sometimes in a spirit of deep sincerity (Fiordiligi’s “Per pietà,” all three of Ferrando’s arias, and their majestic duet). But Mozart and Da Ponte never let us wallow in seria or buffa mode too long. In the Act I finale, they crystallize Così’s duality when the sisters deem the situation a “tragedy,” while the men call it a “farce.”
Così’s popularity has never matched that of Figaro and Giovanni. In 1863, critic Eduard Hanslick lambasted the opera’s seeming implausibility, slamming “the continuing blindness of the two heroines, who do not recognize their fiancés only a quarter hour after they have been caressing them, and who stupidly take their chambermaid to be first a doctor and then a notary just because she is wearing a wig.” Never mind that the element of disguise also figures prominently in both Figaro and Giovanni
The opera’s detractors have also objected to its allegedly unrealistic time span: how could the fickle heroines so thoroughly change their affections in a mere day? We should remember that all the Mozart-Da Ponte libretti observe the Aristotelian unities of time, place, and action—often meant to be symbolic.
The most strenuous objection to Così, however, has always been its apparently unflattering portrayal of women. Yet couple-swapping plotlines date back to the ancient Greeks and Romans and were common in Mozart’s era and beyond, with A Midsummer Night’s Dream and similarly provocative entertainments remaining perennial favorites. Almost always, though, the romantic confusion is caused and reversed through supernatural means, relieving the protagonists of moral responsibility. And though the loaded issue of sexual fidelity is as central to Figaro and Giovanni (both of which also feature disguised lovers pursuing the “wrong” love objects) as to Così, these works didn’t and don’t inspire the same spleen, perhaps because in them the transgressors are male, and anyway, they get their lumps at the end.
Così is, though, an equal-opportunity offender. It could just as easily have been named Così fan "tutta," implicating every single character, not just the women. Granted, the persuadable Fiordiligi and Dorabella, as well as Despina, who eggs them on, don’t emerge smelling like roses. But the men who test them and the misogynist
who dares them to come off even worse. Pride and vanity motivate Ferrando and Guglielmo to accept Alfonso’s wager, and they spare no borderline-sadistic ruse to win it. And their raging jealousy upon losing is as stereotypical and just plain dumb as anything the women do. Ultimately, the men were in love with mere images of their fiancées, and the women were in love with love.
As psychologically penetrating as his libretto grows, Da Ponte still dutifully steers it toward the obligatory lieto fine (happy ending) of 18th-century opera. Mozart, though, was not able to follow him there. As Act II proceeds, the composer parts ways with his librettist once Fiordiligi, the opera’s most complex character, reaches “Ei parte,” the tonally kaleidoscopic accompanied recitative leading to “Per pietà,” a noble rondo of heart-rending emotional truth and gravitas. Soon after, her resistance falls as Ferrando joins her in “Fra gl’amplessi,” arguably Mozart’s greatest duet. Once these sublime strains have sounded, the chaotic events of the Act II finale must be nothing short of harrowing to Fiordiligi—and to us. How, then, can the reflexively cheery “moral of the story” that ends the opera not have a hollow ring to it (unlike its analogues in Figaro and Giovanni)?
“Fortunate are they who take everything in stride. Amid the vicissitudes of fate, they let reason guide them.”
This most modern of all Mozart’s operas leaves us with more questions than answers. Yet, in the words of an uncredited author on the website Opera Online, Così “is carried along by a score that never deceives or lies.” As a dramaturg, I puzzle endlessly over the dissonance between composer and librettist, chasing the perfect theatrical solution like the Great White Whale. But as a devout Mozartian, I accept, embrace, and love Così perhaps even more because of its flaws and ambiguities. For in the end, Così fan tutte is all about the frailty of human nature and the dangling possibility of forgiveness.
Cori Ellison has served as staff dramaturg at New York City Opera, Glyndebourne Opera, and Santa Fe Opera. She is a member of the Vocal Arts faculty at The Juilliard School and on the faculty of the Composer Librettist Development Program at American Lyric Theater.
MUSIC BY KEVIN PUTS
LIBRETTO BY MARK CAMPBELL
THE BARNS AT WOLF TRAP
FRIDAY, AUGUST 9 | 7:30 PM
SUNDAY, AUGUST 11 | 2 PM
THURSDAY, AUGUST 15 | 2 PM
SATURDAY, AUGUST 17 | 7:30 PM
NEW PRODUCTION & WOLF TRAP OPERA PREMIERE
SPECIAL THANKS TO ED AND ANDY SMITH, PERFORMANCE SPONSORS
CAST
THE GERMAN SIDE
Anna Sørensen: Keely Futterer
Nikolaus Sprink: Ricardo Garcia
Lieutenant Horstmayer: Andrew Gilstrap
Kronprinz, son of Kaiser Wilhelm II: Demetrious Sampson Jr.
THE SCOTTISH SIDE
Jonathan Dale: Martin Luther Clark
William Dale: Kyle White
Father Palmer: Wm. Clay Thompson
Lieutenant Gordon: Ryan Wolfe
The British Major: Joseph Calzada*
CREATIVE TEAM
Conductor: Geoffrey McDonald
Directors: Tonya and Ryan McKinny
Scenic Design: Lawrence Moten
Costume Design: Lynly Saunders
Lighting Design: Colin K. Bills
Video Design: Adam Larsen
Wig & Makeup Design: Anne Nesmith
Asst. Scenic Design: Bailey Hammett
Asst. Costume Design: Danielle DeLaFuente
THE
FRENCH
SIDE
Lieutenant Audebert: Jacob Scharfman
Ponchel: Charles H. Eaton
The French General: Le Bu
Madeleine: Tivoli Treloar*
Soldiers: Wolf Trap Opera Studio Artists
* Studio Artist
MUSIC & PRODUCTION STAFF
Principal Coach: Bin Yu Sanford
Diction Coach: Jocelyn Dueck
Chorus Master/Pianist: Alex Munger
Rehearsal Pianist: Manuel Arellano
Supertitles: Ye In Kwak
Assistant Director: Haley Stamats
Production Stage Manager: Savannah Valigura
Asst. Stage Manager: Diane Lin
SUNG IN GERMAN, FRENCH, AND ENGLISH WITH CAPTIONS
RUNNING TIME: 3 HOURS, WITH ONE INTERMISSION
FIRST PERFORMED: NOVEMBER 12, 2011 AT MINNESOTA OPERA
PROLOGUE
ACT I
Summer 1914: At a Berlin opera house, a performance is disrupted by the announcement of war. Singers Anna Sørensen and Nikolaus Sprink’s lives are changed, as Nikolaus becomes a German soldier. In a small church in Scotland, the declaration inspires dreams of heroism in William Dale who urges his younger brother Jonathan to enlist with him as their priest, Father Palmer, looks on helplessly. In Paris, a pregnant Madeleine excoriates her husband, Lieutenant Audebert, for leaving to fight. Amid the fervor of nationalistic songs, the men depart for war.
December 23, 1914: An attack by French and Scottish soldiers on the German bunker fails miserably. Nikolaus stabs a man and despairs at the violence. When William is shot, Jonathan must leave his brother behind to die. Later in the bunkers, Scottish Lieutenant Gordon assesses the casualties while Father Palmer offers solace in prayer. The French General reprimands Lieutenant Audebert for surrendering and threatens him with a transfer. Afterwards, Audebert laments the loss of his wife’s photograph to his aide-de-camp, Ponchel. As it starts to snow, the soldiers fall asleep. Alone in the German bunker, Nikolaus reveals to an imagined Anna his despair about war.
December 24, 1914: In the morning, crates of presents arrive for the soldiers. The Germans receive Christmas trees from the Kronprinz. To Nikolaus’ delight, Lieutenant Horstmayer receives a directive that Nikolaus is to sing for the Kronprinz at a nearby chalet, alongside Anna. The French soldiers jubilantly open crates of wine, sausages, and chocolates. Ponchel, a barber by trade, gives Audebert a haircut and reminisces on having coffee with his mother every morning. In the Scottish bunker, crates of whiskey arrive, and Jonathan writes a letter to his mother.
ACT II
December 25, 1914: The truce is extended to allow for the burial of all the dead in no-man’s land. At dawn, Jonathan tries to bury his brother. During the day, the news of the cease-fire reaches headquarters and the British Major, the Kronprinz, and the French General all declare that they will punish the soldiers for their betrayal. Later in the evening, Lieutenant Horstmayer attempts to arrest Nikolaus for insubordination, but Anna leads him across no-man’s land towards the French bunker. Horstmayer’s order to shoot is ignored, and Nikolaus and Anna ask the French for asylum.
December 26, 1914: The British Major punishes the Scottish soldiers by transferring them to the front lines. Jonathan is ordered to shoot a German soldier who is crossing the battlefield. The French General transfers Audebert— now a new father—to Verdun and disbands his unit. The Kronprinz deploys the German soldiers to Pomerania. As the soldiers are taken off in a boxcar, they hum the Scottish ballad they heard in the bunker on Christmas Eve. The battlefield is now empty, and snow falls again.
THE TIES OF WAR & ART
War and art are inextricably linked in human history. Some of the greatest paintings, poems, and music have been born of violent conflict, and of course war itself can co-opt art for its own means. If art is the expression of our humanity, war is the destruction of it, and there are few wars that destroyed more humanity than World War I.
Silent Night begins with an opera interrupted by war, and at its climax, war is interrupted by art when enemies begin to make music together, defying their superior officers with a truce on Christmas Eve. The fact that there was any humanity left in those soldiers at all is shocking on its own. Trench warfare was one of the most brutal tactics in the history of humankind. Men stood up while they slept, so as not to lie in the deep mud that was filled with human excrement. Tear gas and later mustard gas was used to suffocate and blind. If you were lucky enough to make it across “no-man’s land” without being blown up by a land mine or shot by a sniper, you were rewarded with close hand-tohand combat with bayonets or handmade “trench maces.”
And yet, as we see in our story, poetry was written, coffee was expertly made, bagpipes were played, sketches were drawn, and songs were sung. Songs brought these opposing sides together, though they were risking their lives from every direction. Humanity seems to come through, even in humankind’s darkest moments—maybe especially in its darkest moments. We think of these armies as different teams: French, Scottish, and German. But as we get to know the individuals involved, a new set of alliances emerge, one where the real opposition is between destruction and connection—war and art.
What are these two opposing forces that live within us? How can we fear and hate each other, kill each other by the tens of thousands and sacrifice our own lives, while at the same time finding ourselves connecting with one another, even with our enemies, through artistic expression? This piece may, on one level, be the story of how men laid down their arms for one Christmas in World War I, but beneath that, it invites us to witness the ugliest and the most beautiful aspects of humankind. It also encourages us to ask ourselves, do we have a choice? While war continues to plague humankind, can we set our weapons down and connect with one another?
—RYAN & TONYA McKINNY DIRECTORSYOU CAN GO HOME AGAIN
By Mark Campbell, Silent Night librettistTwenty years ago, Wolf Trap Opera premiered my first libretto for a full-length opera at The Barns at Wolf Trap. The composer was John Musto, the commissioner/ producer was Kim Pensinger Witman, the director was Leon Major, and the opera was Volpone. Some 40+ operatic works later, I look back on that nurturing, fun, and wonderfully collaborative experience with great fondness; I had been working in musical theater and, somehow in a barn in Northern Virginia, I found a home in this strange, new (at least to me) world called opera.
Eight years after that time of Volpone, my 10th opera
Silent Night premiered at Minnesota Opera. Silent Night originated when Dale Johnson, the company's former artistic director, came up with the idea of adapting Christian Carion’s 2005 screenplay Joyeux Noel into an opera. Dale also uncannily identified Kevin Puts as the ideal composer for the work—a choice that should be noted in the annuls of operatic history—and paired us as collaborators.
Dale's idea was a smart one, but there were many challenges in transforming Joyeux Noel into a work for the operatic stage. While my libretto retained most of the same principal characters and basic plotline, I diverged in many ways from Mr. Carion's fictionalized account of the 1914 Christmas truces to create a stage-worthy work and showcase traditional opera elements.
Examples of this divergence abound. In Act I, Lieutenant Audebert composes a letter to his wife while counting his wounded, dead, and missing soldiers, which segues into the “Sleep” chorus sung by all three platoons in the trenches. Neither of these moments occur in the movie— at most, they are implied. But the opera needed a scene early on to establish Audebert's character and his home life, while also creating a commonality among all the soldiers—both enemies and allies alike.
Several other distinct deviations occur in Act II. In the movie, Anna has but a few words about the devastation of war. I expanded that into an entire aria (“Irgendwo, irgendwann…”). Lieutenant Horstmayer’s conflicts as a Jew and German patriot only get a passing mention in Carion’s film, but after much research, I decided to expand on it in Sprink’s castigation of blind nationalism (“Dem Vaterland?”). Finally, I added a letter scene in this act to reestablish the concordance among soldiers and illustrate how the Christmas truces were not forgotten.
Early in the libretto process, I decided to keep the text in three different languages (five if you count Latin and Italian). This helped create dramaturgical barriers for the soldiers to overcome and became a nice way to turn solo lines into duets and trios because of the need for translation.
Kevin and I also chose to create original songs for the diegetic moments of the story to make them musically organic. These included the Mozartian duet at the top of the opera, the duet at the chalet, the Scottish ballad about “home,” and the two Christmas carols.
While we're on the subject of Kevin's music, I felt very fortunate to have been the first person to hear him play early sketches of the score. At his home in Yonkers, he nervously plunked out some notes on his piano and sang— in the deflective way most composers sing. I knew then and there what Opera News said later about Silent Night, “With this remarkable debut, Puts assumes a central place in the American opera firmament.” Credit for the opera’s success must also be given to the shepherding of Minnesota Opera, as well as director Eric Simonson and conductor Michael Christie. (An interesting side note: Ryan Taylor, now the General Director of Minnesota Opera, appeared as Voltore in the original production of Volpone.)
With The Barns’ more intimate space, the orchestra, chorus, and staging for Wolf Trap Opera’s production will be greatly pared back from the original. WTO's presentation may not have the elaborate stage elements of the opera's previous 22 productions, but Wolf Trap has never been about spectacle or numbers. Its essence and core have always been about musical storytelling. That was as true of Volpone 20 years ago as it is today, and it's one aspect about WTO's audiences that I cherish. It's great to be back home.
The Pulitzer Prize and Grammy Award-winning works of librettist/lyricist Mark Campbell are among the most successful in the contemporary opera canon. Campbell has written 41 operas, seven musicals, nine song cycles, and five oratorios. In 2020, he created the Campbell Opera Librettist Prize, the first award for librettists in the art form's history. markcampbellwords.com
SPECIAL THANKS TO DAN AND GLORIA LOGAN, 2024 UNTRAPPED SPONSORS
The work that Wolf Trap Opera does on its home stages reflects its core mission: to discover and promote the finest emerging talent in the opera field. Whether inside at The Barns or on the amphitheater stage of the Filene Center, Wolf Trap Opera relies on the venue’s resources to mount the quality productions that are hallmark to its training and reputation.
Although the cornerstone of Wolf Trap Opera’s programming remains on Wolf Trap’s campus, the company is increasingly fortunate to be able to reach beyond these boundaries to touch new audiences and share fresh perspectives. These exciting additional performance opportunities and the partnerships that encompass them are the essence of UNTRAPPED.
UNTRAPPED performances take artists into various communities in the greater DC region, bringing the thrill of live vocal music to new places and unexpected spaces.
TAKE THE SHUTTLE!
Let us take you there! Special ticket packages are available that include round-trip travel to and from The Clarice. The shuttle will pick up at The Barns at Wolf Trap at 5:30 PM and return following the performance. For ticket + shuttle packages, please call Group Sales at 703.255.1851.
WEILL SEVEN DEADLY SINS National Orchestral Institute + Festival
SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 7:30 PM
THE CLARICE SMITH PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Anna I: Gabrielle Beteag
Anna II: Anna Lopez
Dancer, choreographer
Father: Martin Luther Clark
Brother: Logan Wagner*
Brother: Charles H. Eaton
Mother: Blake Denson
* Studio Artist
Conductor: John Morris Russell
Director: Elio Bucky Coach: Ye In Kwak
Costume Designer: Cody Von Ruden
This season's UNTRAPPED series opens with conductor John Morris Russell leading the National Orchestral Institute + Festival (NOI+F) in orchestral works by Ives, Stravinsky, Piazzola, and more. For the second act, Wolf Trap Opera joins the NOI+F for Weill's Seven Deadly Sins. This “sung ballet” brings the worlds of voice, dance, and orchestra together as the audience follows Anna on a journey across the United States while she tries to make enough money to build her family a home. Torn between her moral compass and the need for income, Anna splits into two: Anna I holds the moral line, while Anna II tries to follow her heart.
The National Orchestral Institute + Festival (NOI+F) brings together aspiring orchestral musicians from across the country for a month of professional musical experiences. Wolf Trap Opera’s (WTO) partnership with NOI+F is built on collaborative performances between their talented musicians and WTO’s emerging opera singers.
RUNNING TIME: 1 HOUR AND 45 MINUTES WITH ONE INTERMISSION PERFORMED IN ENGLISH
UNTRAPPED
STUDIO ARTISTS IN CONCERT
FRIDAY, JUNE 7 | 7 PM
HOLY TRINITY CATHOLIC CHURCH IN GEORGETOWN
WOLF TRAP OPERA STUDIO ARTISTS
Wolf Trap Opera Studio presents opera scenes and arias in concert. Get to know this season’s Studio Artists as they present some of their favorite pieces from the operatic canon.
JUNE 23:
Midori Marsh
Andrew Gilstrap
Renate Rohlfing, piano
SALON SERIES
SCOTTISH BARN | THE BARNS AT WOLF TRAP
SUNDAY, JUNE 23 | 7:30 PM
FRIDAY, JUNE 28 | 7:30 PM
MONDAY, JULY 1 | 7:30 PM
The intimate essence of the recital is celebrated in these limited-capacity, artist-curated evenings. Come early to grab a bite to eat from The Barns kitchen and stay for a musical journey crafted by the evening’s performers. Each night will showcase wildly different programs.
JUNE 28:
Martin Luther Clark
Charles Eaton
Joseph Li, piano
JULY 1:
Renée Richardson
Gabrielle Beteag
Renate Rohlfing, piano
SPECIAL THANKS TO DEBORAH F. AND DAVID A. WINSTON, PERFORMANCE SPONSORS
¡TE ADORO!
LOVE SONGS FROM SPAIN AND LATIN AMERICA
STEVEN BLIER, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
SUNDAY, JUNE 2 | 2 PM
THE BARNS AT WOLF TRAP
Steven Blier, artistic director and pianist
Amanda Batista
Midori Marsh
Laureano Quant
Andrew Gilstrap
Manuel Arellano, pianist
Maya Liu, stage manager
Joined onstage by Wolf Trap Opera’s Filene Artists, New York Festival of Song Artistic Director Steven Blier returns to The Barns with a Spanish-tinged program that is sure to spice up the afternoon.
ARIA JUKEBOX
THE AUDIENCE GETS TO CHOOSE!
SUNDAY, JULY 7 | 2 PM
THE BARNS AT WOLF TRAP
Performers
Filene Artists
Coach/Pianist
Bin Yu Sanford
Coach/Pianist
Alex Munger
The audience chooses! No really, the AUDIENCE chooses! Vote on your favorite arias sung by your favorite Filene Artists. They find out what they’ll sing when you do—live on stage!
Each year, Wolf Trap Opera chooses one of its distinguished alumni to work with singers on artistic and career preparation. The 2024 Filene Artist in Residence is Jamie Barton
Critically acclaimed by virtually every major media outlet covering classical music, American mezzo-soprano Barton is increasingly recognized for how she uses her powerful instrument offstage—lifting up women, queer people, and other marginalized communities. Her lively social media presence (@jbartonmezzo) serves as a hub for conversations about body positivity, social justice issues, and LGBTQ+ rights. In recognition of her iconic performance at the Last Night of the Proms, Barton was named 2020 Personality of the Year at the BBC Music Magazine Awards. She is also the winner of the International Opera Awards Readers’ Award, Beverly Sills Artist Award, Richard Tucker Award, and BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition.
Barton’s 2007 win at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions launched a major international career that includes leading roles at many of the world’s most-loved opera
houses including the Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Teatro Real Madrid, Houston Grand Opera, Washington National Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Los Angeles Opera, San Francisco Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Bayerische Staatsoper, Santa Fe Opera, and Festival d’Aix-en-Provence. She has appeared in concert with the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and Rotterdam Philharmonic, as well as the symphony orchestras of Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, Iceland, London, Prague, Czech Republic, Oulu, Pittsburgh, Toronto, and Valencia, Spain.
Winner of the 2018 BBC Music Magazine Vocal Award, Barton’s debut solo album, All Who Wander, featuring songs by Mahler, Dvořák, and Sibelius, was also shortlisted for the International Classical Music Awards and Gramophone Classical Music Awards. Most recently, Unexpected Shadows, her critically acclaimed album with composer and pianist Jake Heggie, was nominated for a 2022 Grammy Award for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album.
PUBLIC MASTER CLASS
(FREE, RESERVATION REQUIRED)
WEDNESDAY, JULY 10 | 7 PM
CENTER FOR EDUCATION AT WOLF TRAP
This year’s Filene Artist in Residence, Jamie Barton, will work with WTO’s singers on artistic career preparation.
SCAN TO REGISTER NOW!
JAMIE BARTON IN RECITAL
SUNDAY, JULY 14 | 2 PM THE BARNS AT WOLF TRAP
Joseph Li, pianist
SPECIAL THANKS TO LINCOLN AND THERESE FILENE FOUNDATION, 2024 PROGRAM UNDERWRITER
A CHAT WITH JAMIE BARTON
Before the 2024 season, Wolf Trap Opera spoke with Filene Artist in Residence Jamie Barton (’09) to reflect on her time with WTO and what she’s excited to share with this year’s artists.
Wolf Trap Opera (WTO): How did WTO's program set you up for success in your creative and professional endeavors? Any special moments that stand out?
Jamie Barton (JB): My summer with Wolf Trap Opera was such a pivotal moment for me. I was a young singer, directly out of the young artist program at the Houston Grand Opera and had very few leading roles under my belt. In fact, to that point, I had never played a romantic lead! Not only did I get to do that at Wolf Trap (singing Penelope in Monteverdi’s Il ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria), but I was also buoyed forth in that journey by a group of leaders who were all passionate about helping young singers develop their own artistry. As an artist at WTO, you are given the reins of responsibility for things like developing recitals or singing lead roles, but always shepherded hand-in-hand by established artists, conductors, and directors. It’s an incredibly unique model, given that most summer programs tend to cast established artists in their shows and only let the young artists understudy or sing very small roles. (And as favorite memories go, there is nothing quite as memorable as singing in German about cowboys in Arizona with a mustache on!)
WTO: What has been your favorite role to perform? Any dream roles?
JB: This might be a funny thing to admit, but I absolutely love singing witches. The Witch in Hänsel und Gretel and Jezibaba in Rusalka are two of my favorites, not only because they're totally scrumptious roles to sing, but also because I can do just about anything I want to with the characters!
There is a freedom that comes with singing roles based on women who exist outside of societal expectations, particularly ones who have magical powers. As for dream roles, I’ve gotten to do so many that I had dreamed of for so long! I would love to do a staged Carmen… I’ve only had the pleasure of singing her in concert. There is also another witch I would love to sing, which is The Witch in Into the Woods… I absolutely love that character, and I am a huge fan of Sondheim. I would love to get to sink my teeth into that particular role!
WTO: What excites you about returning to work with WTO as the Filene Artist in Residence?
JB: I’m really excited to return to Wolf Trap Opera as the Filene Artist in Residence because I am so completely into the idea of supporting the emerging artists there this summer. Emerging artists are inspiring to me… they tend to come in with new ideas and lots of curiosity, and that combination is fertile ground for exciting artistry. I myself stand on the shoulders of the artists who inspired and encouraged me along, so the fact that I now get the chance to be a value add for a current young artist just feels incredibly full circle to me!
WTO: You’ve been a big advocate for how you use your voice both on and off the stage. What advice do you hope to share with this year’s emerging artists?
JB: If nothing else, I hope that I get to inspire these emerging artists to be brave and intentional with how they use their voices, both technically speaking from a pedagogical standpoint, but also from a figurative and personal place. Art isn’t just a fun divertissement… art holds the potential to change hearts and minds. I strongly believe that being part of an art form that quite literally has people interested in listening to artists' voices is an opportunity to choose what we give voice to. How we choose to wield that gift has the potential for tremendous impact in the world around us. It just takes vulnerability, bravery, and a commitment to staying checked in with your own gut.
WOLF TRAP OPERA ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR NEXT CHAPTERS
Emerging classical singers know that a summer with Wolf Trap Opera’s (WTO) esteemed training program is just the beginning of many future “opera-tunities.” Learn about the incredible recent accomplishments of the program’s alumni since their time on The Barns and Filene Center stages.
FEATURED ROLES AT THE MET
Wolf Trap Opera alumni voices resounded across the Metropolitan Opera during the 2023-2024 season as they dotted—and sometimes headlined—the lineups of many of its most captivating works. In December 2023, Ailyn Pérez (’06) performed the title role in the company’s first Spanish-language opera in nearly a century, the colorful and imaginative Florencia en el Amazonas.
Spring 2024 at the Met blossomed with more WTO alumni appearances, including J’Nai Bridges (’15, ’16) in the company’s premiere of the dramatic opera-oratorio El Niño Christine Goerke (’95) assumed the regal title role in Turandot in April, and after a successful starring run in X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X , Will Liverman (’15, ’16) played the scene-stealing character Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette.
Ryan Speedo Green (’13, ’14) celebrated an especially exciting season with poignant roles in Fire Shut Up In My Bones and Carmen . Additionally, in the title role, he and fellow alums Eric Owens (’94, ’95) and Stephanie Blythe (’95, ’96) were part of the Grammy-winning cast recording of Terence Blanchard’s Champion at the Met, exploring the life of famed bisexual boxer Emile Griffith.
WOLF TRAP REUNIONS NEAR AND FAR
Filene and Studio Artists may only train at Wolf Trap for a few months each summer, but the connections they build last a lifetime. Many WTO alumni find themselves reconnecting years after their training on stages around the world.
Previously paired in Wolf Trap’s 2014 production of Giulio Cesare , Ying Fang (’13, ’14) and John Holiday (’14) sang together again in Agrippina at the Dutch National Opera. In a different kind of reunion, Tiffany Townsend (’22, ’23)—featured as Donna Elvira in last summer’s Don Giovanni —reprised her role at Los Angeles Opera in a special October 4 performance alongside Craig Colclough (’12, ’13) as Leporello.
Houston Grand Opera’s 2023-2024 season featured two or more WTO alumni in all five of their major productions. Some highlights include:
• Reginald Smith, Jr. (’15, ’16) in the title role of Falstaff with Nicole Heaston (’97) and Andrea Carroll (’12, ’13), in addition to Blake Denson and Emily Treigle —who return as Filene Artists this summer
• Ailyn Pérez (’06) leading Madama Butterfly alongside Yongzhao Yu (’16), Michael Sumuel (’10, ’11), and Cory McGee (’18, ’22, ’23)
• 2023 Filene Artist in Residence Ryan McKinny (’06, ’08) with Sasha Cooke (’07) and Patrick Guetti (’18, ’19) in Don Giovanni
OPERATIC GLOBETROTTERS
Three women in particular took on the world of opera this season, bringing their Wolf Trap expertise to Europe and the UK. Kate Lindsey (’05, ’07) mastered her portrayal of Offred in The Handmaid’s Tale at English National Opera before performing in The Tempest and Così fan tutte at the renowned Wiener Staatsoper. Erin Morley’s (’07, ’08) international schedule included her Royal Opera House debut and performances at Teatro alla Scala, Philharmonie de Paris, and the Munich Opera Festival.
Powerful soprano Tamara Wilson sang the role of Leonora in Verdi’s Il Trovatore, as well as concert performances of Die Walküre in France, Germany, and the Netherlands. She also toured with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a semi-staged version of Beethoven’s Fidelio. The first performance—in collaboration with Deaf West Theatre—created a unique operatic experience for both deaf and hearing audiences, and subsequent performances were staged in Barcelona and Paris.
Ying Fang and John Holiday from WTO's 2014 production of Giulio CesareWEARING HATS AS EDUCATORS AND PERFORMERS
Denyce Graves (’89) reprised the title character in The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson at Pittsburgh Opera, the very role that inspired her to launch The Denyce Graves Foundation in 2022. Her foundation continues to expand its initiatives: the “Shared Voices” program (partnering with historically Black colleges and universities and top US music schools and conservatories to diversify classical vocal artists) and the “Hidden Voices Archive” (recording the accomplishments of African American classical music trailblazers).
In addition to performing, these alumni have recently broadened their arts influence with new education roles: Sasha Cooke (’07) is the new Director at the Music Academy of the West, Stephanie Blythe (’95, ’96) is Director of the Graduate Vocal Arts Program at Bard College Conservatory, and John Holiday (’14) joined the University of Maryland School of Music as an associate professor of voice.
ALBUMS OF ACHIEVEMENT
It was a fruitful time for WTO alumni in the recording studios. 2023 saw the releases of Abi Levis (’15) and Peter Walsh’s album Songs of Dominick Argento and Eric Ferring (’14) and Madeline Slettedahl’s album We have tomorrow. Plus, congratulations are in order to Lawrence Brownlee (’01), whose 2023 album Rising with pianist Kevin J. Miller was nominated for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album at the Grammys.
Look forward to more innovative recording projects in 2024. Executive Director of the New York City-based Fourth Wall Ensemble, Johnathan McCullough (’18, ’19, ’21), is set to release the group’s debut album Time for Three this year.
2024 FESTIVAL FORECAST
End your summer on a high note by seeing former WTO artists outside of Vienna, VA at these opera festivals:
Glimmerglass Festival:
Filene Artists: Craig Irvin (’11, ’12), Eve Gigliotti (’10, ’11), Rob Stahley (’16, ’22), Taylor Raven (’18, ’19)
Studio Artists: Seiyoung Kim (’19), Fran Daniel Lauceria (’20, ’21), Saane Halaholo (’20, ’21, ’22), Ruby Dibble (’22), Winona Martin (’22, ’23)
Glyndebourne Festival:
Filene Artists: Paul Appleby (’09, ’10), Thomas Allen (’14), Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen (’17)
The Santa Fe Opera:
Filene Artists: David Portillo (’09, ’10), Brenton Ryan (’13), Ryan Speedo Green (’13, ’14), Ying Fang (’13, ’14), Mané Galoyan (’16, ’18), Nicholas Newton (’18, ’20, ’21)
Studio Artists: Liv Redpath (’14), Kathryn Henry (’18), Isobel Anthony (’19), Wayd Odle (’20, ’21), Sam Dhobhany (’22), Tessa Fackelman (’22), Matthew Goodheart (’22), Dylan Gregg (’22), Emma Marhefka (’22), Jazmine Saunders (’23)
Merola Opera:
Studio Artists: Mary Hoskins (’20, ’21), Tessa McQueen (’23)
BEHIND THE SCENES AND ACROSS THE AISLE: WOLF TRAP OPERA’S FAR-REACHING INFLUENCE
BY THOMAS MAYOpera is by definition a cooperative, multi-media art. To bring talent before the public, singers in the spotlight rely not just on their real-time collaborators in the pit and backstage but on an unseen multitude of mentors, coaches, producers, and administrative leaders.
Wolf Trap Opera’s (WTO) far-reaching impact on the opera industry is not limited to its impressive roster of alumni singers who remain active on stages across the world—even if the likes of Lawrence Brownlee, Denyce Graves, or Kate Lindsey first spring to mind.
The company has also left an indelible mark on figures in high-level administrative and educational positions, several of whom initially trained as performers at WTO but later transitioned to offstage roles through which they are shaping and reimagining the future of this art.
“There’s a company culture, a shared ethos, which
these artists have carried forward from WTO,” says Lee Anne Myslewski, Vice President of Opera and Classical Programming at Wolf Trap. In 2019, Myslewski took over the reins from Kim Pensinger Witman, who led Wolf Trap’s opera and classical music programs for 22 years. Witman helped establish an attitude of trust and shared exploration of potential among the young artists that endured as the company has grown and continued to produce great alumni through changing leadership—a testament to the quality and determination of WTO’s leaders overall.
“Wolf Trap Opera was extremely formative for me as an artist even before I became an administrator,” says Joshua Winograde, Director of Opera and Professor of Opera Studies at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music in Houston. As a baritone, he initially planned
to pursue a vocal career and spent two consecutive summers (2000 and 2001) in WTO’s Young Artist program. Winograde recalls how WTO’s leadership instilled in him the confidence “to realize that I could make the transition from the stage to be in management and find that to be highly fulfilling artistically.”
WTO encouraged Winograde to implement his proposal to expand young artist training options with a tightly compressed season of summer operas. “In 2007 the industry was already changing and expecting a lot more from performers,” he says. “I knew it could be a transformative experience for young talent to put all this together over the course of only 10 weeks.” Thus was born WTO’s Studio Artist program, a mainstay ever since of its young artist training.
By offering him the opportunity to create the Studio Artist program, Winograde says, Witman “exhibited the exact same generosity and trust in me as an administrator that she did as an artist. That spirit of extreme generosity at Wolf Trap fostered a culture in which every artist felt safe to take big risks. I feel like I had two births coming through that company— as an artist and as an administrator. Both of those experiences have informed everything I’ve done so far.”
Christine Goerke (alum of ’95 and ’96; Filene Artist in Residence in 2019) similarly characterizes WTO as “a place that allows you to experiment” while at the same time providing “immense support” that is indispensable for young artists at a formative stage. The internationally sought-after soprano astonished the opera world when she accepted a position as Associate Artistic Director of the newly rebranded Detroit Opera in 2021.
“When the pandemic hit, all of us took a collective gasp. What are we going to do?” Goerke recalls thinking. “This seemed like a company positioned to take off, and I wanted to be part of that. I hit it off with Yuval Sharon, the incoming Artistic Director. And I loved how the company was intent on making sure the community was a part of everything. I fell in love with this city and with this audience.”
Although her move into high-level administration happened “ten years sooner than I had planned”— she’s at the peak of her career and continues to sing on a parallel track—Goerke says she always knew she wanted to someday run an opera company. She had been fascinated by Beverly Sills’ later career helming
Joshua Winograde in WTO's Volpone Kerriann Otaño (right) in WTO's The Rape of Lucretia with Brenton RyanNew York City Opera and her role as “a bridge between popular culture and opera. I loved the idea of artists continuing to create when not on the stage.” The young artists she sees coming out of Wolf Trap give Goerke hope: “They are fearless and intent on change. They not only want to help this art form survive but hope to turn it into something for the masses.”
Rather than negotiate a move from performance to administration, it was as a coaching fellow at WTO that Thomas Lausmann got started in his career (’99). “Kim [Witman] gave me my first professional engagement in the industry when she took a chance to hire me as an apprentice coach,” says Lausmann. He ascended quickly to become head of the music department at Vienna Staatsoper while serving as a principal coach at Bayreuth in the summers. Lausmann has been the Metropolitan Opera’s Director of Music Administration since 2019.
Representing an even younger generation, soprano Kerriann Otaño
(Studio Artist ’15, ’16; Filene Artist in ’18) took on the role of Vice President of Engagement at OperaDelaware in 2022. “So much of my philosophy about artist-led programming and putting artists in the driver’s seat came from being in programs like WTO, where I got to see how inventive artists could be,” Otaño said. “You get a different type of performance when you give an artist space for their creativity versus when you tell them: ‘This is what you have to sing.’”
A dynamic speaker who uses her presence on Instagram and TikTok (“opera hype girl”) to entice people to try opera, Otaño has been carrying on the spirit of creative experimenting she admired at WTO in her work with OperaDelaware. She describes a recent project of “micro galas” where artists take their cue from the chef’s menu and create a corresponding musical program of multiple courses. She shares, “It’s a different way to bring the two worlds of the artistic and the culinary together in this restaurant space.” Otaño recalls the idea was inspired by her participation in a WTO program with The Phillips Collection in Washington, DC, during which singers were encouraged to develop a musical program based on personal responses to paintings they connected with.
“What resonates with me from Wolf Trap are those intimate experiences. I think that’s how people fall in love with opera: through the eyes of the people who love it the most—the advocates of it.”
Thomas May is a writer, critic, educator, and translator whose work appears in The New York Times among other publications. The English-language editor for the Lucerne Festival, he also writes program notes for such companies as the Metropolitan Opera.
FILENE ARTISTS
The 2024 Filene Artists were the catalyst for this season’s repertoire choices, and those selected represent the top 3.25% of singers who applied for this year's Filene Artist roster. Wolf Trap Opera’s artist-centric approach makes a Filene Artist residency a coveted engagement for the best of the new generation of classical vocal talent. Filene Artists are emerging professionals on their way to significant careers who have already finished their academic or conservatory study.
AMANDA BATISTA SOPRANO
Lubbock, TX
¡Te Adoro!
Mimi (La bohème)
TRAINING: Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, the Metropolitan Opera; Fleming Artist, Aspen Music Festival; Merola Opera Program; The Juilliard School; Rutgers University
HIGHLIGHTS: First Lady (The Magic Flute), the Metropolitan Opera; Bianca (La Rondine), the Metropolitan Opera; High Priestess (Aida), the Metropolitan Opera; Elettra (Idomeneo), Aspen Opera Theater; Florencia (Florencia en el Amazonas), Merola Opera Program; Salud (La Vida Breve), Merola Opera Program; Frau Fluth (Die Lustigen Weiber), Juilliard Opera
GABRIELLE BETEAG
MEZZO-SOPRANO
Atlanta, GA
Anna I (Seven Deadly Sins) Soloist (Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony)
TRAINING: Merola Opera Program; Adler Fellowship, San Francisco Opera; Chautauqua Opera; Georgia State University
HIGHLIGHTS: Iras (Antony and Cleopatra), San Francisco Opera; Mercédès (Carmen), The Atlanta Opera; Woman with Hat/ Duchess (The Ghosts of Versailles), Chautauqua Opera; Grand Finals Winner, Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions
LE BU BASS
Yancheng, China
Colline (La bohème)
The French General (Silent Night)
TRAINING: Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, the Metropolitan Opera; Merola Opera Program; Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program; Aspen Music Festival; Manhattan School of Music
HIGHLIGHTS: High Priest of Baal (Nabucco), the Metropolitan Opera; Biterolf (Tannhäuser), the Metropolitan Opera; The Mandarin (Turandot), the Metropolitan Opera; Second Guard (The Magic Flute), the Metropolitan Opera; Daland cover (Der Fliegende Holländer), Santa Fe Opera; Second Spirit (L’Orfeo), Santa Fe Opera; Bartolo (Le nozze di Figaro), Aspen Opera Theater
MARTIN LUTHER CLARK TENOR^
Marshall, TX
Brother (Seven Deadly Sins) Jonathan Dale (Silent Night)
TRAINING: Britten Pears Young Artist Program; Ryan Opera Center, Lyric Opera of Chicago; Curtis Institute of Music; Wolf Trap Opera (Studio ’14)
HIGHLIGHTS: Candide (Candide), Madison Opera; Luis Griffith (Champion), Lyric Opera of Chicago; Orderly (Diving Bell and the Butterfly), The Dallas Opera; CJ (The Factotum), Lyric Opera of Chicago; Tenor soloist (Messiah), The Florida Orchestra, South Dakota Symphony
BLAKE DENSON BARITONE^
Paducah, KY
Mother (Seven Deadly Sins)
Marcello (La bohème)
Soloist (Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony)
TRAINING: Houston Grand Opera Studio; Rice University; Wolf Trap Opera (Studio ’19, ’20)
HIGHLIGHTS: Ford (Falstaff), Houston Grand Opera; Prince Yamadori (Madama Butterfly), the Metropolitan Opera; Pastor/Kaboom (Fire Shut Up In My Bones), the Metropolitan Opera; Larkens (La fanciulla del West), Bayerische Staatsoper; Schaunard (La bohème), Washington National Opera; Donner (Das Rheingold), English National Opera; Grand Finals Winner, Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (2020); Winner, The George London Foundation Award
CHARLES H. EATON
BARITONE
Storrs, CT
Brother (Seven Deadly Sins) Ponchel (Silent Night)
TRAINING: Minnesota Opera; The Glimmerglass Festival; Des Moines Metro Opera; Opera Colorado; University of Minnesota; University of Connecticut
HIGHLIGHTS: Fedorov (The Christmas Spider), Opéra Louisiane, Marble City Opera; Sam (Trouble in Tahiti), Minnesota Opera; Schaunard (La bohème), Minnesota Opera; Argante (Rinaldo), Minnesota Opera; Masetto (Don Giovanni), Minnesota Opera; Baritone soloist (Fauré’s Requiem), Carnegie Hall; Third place, 2023 Saengerbund Awards; Third place, 2021 Lotte Lenya Competition
KEELY FUTTERER SOPRANO
Dover, AR
Soloist (Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony)
Anna Sørensen (Silent Night)
TRAINING: Minnesota Opera; The Glimmerglass Festival; Opera Memphis; Tulsa Opera; Opera Saratoga; Eastman School of Music
HIGHLIGHTS: Elle (La Voix Humaine), Eastman School of Music; Adina (L’elisir d’amore) Opera in the Ozarks; Countess Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro), Eastman School of Music; Marie (La fille du régiment), Opera Saratoga; Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte), Opera Memphis; Angostura LaBelle (Tenor Overboard), The Glimmerglass Festival; Armida (Rinaldo), The Glimmerglass Festival; Léontine (The Anonymous Lover), Madison Opera; Musetta (La bohème), Minnesota Opera
RICARDO GARCIA
TENOR*^
Hayward, CA
Soloist (Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony) Nikolaus Sprink (Silent Night)
TRAINING: Staatstheater Darmstadt; Houston Grand Opera; Wolf Trap Opera (Studio ’17, ’18; Filene ’21); Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program; Central City Opera; Aspen Music Festival
HIGHLIGHTS: Lenski (Eugene Onegin), Staatstheater Darmstadt; Alfredo (La traviata), Staatstheater Darmstadt, Houston Grand Opera; Oronte (Alcina), Staatstheater Darmstadt; Cassio (Otello), Staatstheater Darmstadt; Roméo (Roméo et Juliette), Houston Grand Opera; Schmidt (Werther), Houston Grand Opera; Third Jew (Salome), Houston Grand Opera; Remendado (Carmen), Houston Grand Opera
ANDREW GILSTRAP
BARITONE*^
Nashville, TN
¡Te Adoro!
Lieutenant Horstmayer (Silent Night)
TRAINING: Bayerische Staatsoper; Des Moines Metro Opera; Minnesota Opera; Wolf Trap Opera (Studio ’17, ’18; Filene ’23); Moores School of Music, University of Houston
HIGHLIGHTS: Horace Derwent (The Shining), The Atlanta Opera; Starveling (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), The Atlanta Opera; Leporello (Don Giovanni), Wolf Trap Opera; Antonio (Le nozze di Figaro), Bayerische Staatsoper; Il padre di Nencio (L’infedeltà delusa), Bayerische Staatsoper; Basilio (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Minnesota Opera; Immigration Officer (Flight), Minnesota Opera; Sourin (Pique Dame), Des Moines Metro Opera
LUNGA ERIC HALLAM TENOR*
Site B Khayelitsha, Cape Town, South Africa
Ferrando (Così fan tutte)
TRAINING: Cape Town Opera; Ryan Opera Center, Lyric Opera of Chicago; Wolf Trap Opera (Filene ’23)
HIGHLIGHTS: Jupiter (Semele), Wolf Trap Opera; Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), Wolf Trap Opera; Il Conte d’Almaviva (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Pittsburgh Opera; Adult Nathan (Fire Shut Up In My Bones), Lyric Opera of Chicago; First Courtier (Le Comte Ory), Lyric Opera of Chicago
MIDORI MARSH SOPRANO
Cleveland, OH
¡Te Adoro! Musetta (La bohème)
TRAINING: Canadian Opera Company; University of Toronto; Wilfrid Laurier University
HIGHLIGHTS: Nella (Gianni Schicchi), Canadian Opera Company; Annina (La traviata), Canadian Opera Company; Papagena (Die Zauberflöte), Canadian Opera Company; Frasquita (Carmen), Canadian Opera Company; First prize, Quilico Awards; First prize/ audience choice award, Mildred Miller International Voice Competition
LAUREANO QUANT
BARITONE
Barranquilla, Colombia
¡Te Adoro!
Schaunard (La bohème)
TRAINING: Ryan Opera Center, Lyric Opera of Chicago; Yale University; Manhattan School of Music
HIGHLIGHTS: Starek (Jenufa), Lyric Opera of Chicago; Dancaire (Carmen), Lyric Opera of Chicago; Comte de Lerme (Don Carlos), Lyric Opera of Chicago; Guglielmo (Così fan tutte), The Opera Next Door; Belcore (L’elisir d’amore), Yale Opera; Figaro (I due Figaro), Manhattan School of Music; Maguire (Emmeline), Manhattan School of Music; Zurga (Les pêcheurs de perles), Manhattan School of Music
JACOB SCHARFMAN
BARITONE
Boston, MA
Lt. Audebert (Silent Night)
TRAINING: Theater Lübeck; Opéra national du Rhin; Salzburger Landestheater; Merola Opera Program; The Juilliard School
HIGHLIGHTS: Count (Le nozze di Figaro), Theater Lübeck; Valentin (Faust), Theater Lübeck; Paolo (Simon Boccanegra), Theater Lübeck; Schaunard (La bohème), Theater Lübeck; Eugene Onegin (Eugene Onegin), Theater Lübeck; First place, 2021 National Opera Association Competition
RENÉE RICHARDSON
SOPRANO*
Springfield, PA
Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte)
TRAINING: Wolf Trap Opera (Filene ’23); Butler Studio, Houston Grand Opera; Academy of Vocal Arts; Cleveland Institute of Music
HIGHLIGHTS: Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), Wolf Trap Opera; Flower Maiden (Parsifal), Houston Grand Opera; Sister Berthe (The Sound of Music), Houston Grand Opera; Mary Jane Bowser cover (Intelligence), Houston Grand Opera; Annina (La traviata), Houston Grand Opera; Mimi (La bohème), Academy of Vocal Arts
ERIC TAYLOR TENOR*
St. George, UT
Rodolfo (La bohème)
TRAINING: Butler Studio, Houston Grand Opera; Wolf Trap Opera (Filene ’23); Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program; Central City Opera; Utah Lyric Opera
HIGHLIGHTS: Faust (Faust), Wolf Trap Opera; B. F. Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly), Houston Grand Opera, Detroit Opera; Narraboth (Salome), Houston Grand Opera; Werther cover (Werther), Houston Grand Opera; Chevalier de la Force (Dialogues des Carmélites), Houston Grand Opera; First Armored Man (Die Zauberflöte), Houston Grand Opera; Benvolio (Roméo et Juliette), Houston Grand Opera
DEMETRIOUS SAMPSON JR.
T ENOR
Atlanta, GA
Kronprinz (Silent Night)
TRAINING: Butler Studio, Houston Grand Opera; Des Moines Metro Opera; Merola Opera Program
HIGHLIGHTS: Crab Man (Porgy and Bess), Des Moines Metro Opera, The Atlanta Opera; Timothy (Fellow Travelers), Merola Opera Program; Rodolfo (La bohème), Merola Opera Program; Second prize/audience choice, Eleanor McCollum Competition, Houston Grand Opera
WM. CLAY THOMPSON BASS*^
Lexington, KY
Don Alfonso (Così fan tutte) Father Palmer (Silent Night)
TRAINING: Wolf Trap Opera (Studio ’15, ’16; Filene ’20, ’23); Ryan Opera Center, Lyric Opera of Chicago; Minnesota Opera; The Glimmerglass Festival
HIGHLIGHTS: Méphistophélès (Faust), Wolf Trap Opera; Olin Blitch (Susannah), Lyric Opera of Chicago; Il Re (Aida), Lyric Opera of Chicago; Alidoro cover (La Cenerentola), Lyric Opera of Chicago; Rychtár cover (Jenufa), Lyric Opera of Chicago; Zuniga (Carmen), Lyric Opera of Chicago; Jago cover (Ernani), Lyric Opera of Chicago
EMILY TREIGLE
MEZZO-SOPRANO*^
New Orleans, LA
Despina (Così fan tutte)
TRAINING: Wolf Trap Opera (Studio ’21; Filene ’23); Butler Studio, Houston Grand Opera; Rice University; Fleming Artist, Aspen Music Festival
HIGHLIGHTS: Juno/Ino (Semele), Wolf Trap Opera; Meg Page (Falstaff), Houston Grand Opera; Suzuki (Madama Butterfly), Houston Grand Opera; Donna Elvira cover (Don Giovanni), Houston Grand Opera; Flora (La traviata), Houston Grand Opera; Grand Finals Winner, 2021 the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition
ERIN WAGNER
MEZZO-SOPRANO
El Paso, TX
Dorabella (Così fan tutte)
TRAINING: Butler Studio, Houston Grand Opera; The Juilliard School; Fleming Artist, Aspen Music Festival; Merola Opera Program; Manhattan School of Music
HIGHLIGHTS: Idamante (Idomeneo), Aspen Opera Theater; Zweite Dame (Die Zauberflöte), Aspen Opera Theater; Winner, International Audition, Young Concert Artists; Jack (The Wreckers), Houston Grand Opera; Barbarina (Le nozze di Figaro), Houston Grand Opera; Winner, Naumburg Foundation International Vocal Competition
KYLE WHITE BARITONE*
Dallas, TX
Guglielmo (Così fan tutte)
William Dale (Silent Night)
TRAINING: Wolf Trap Opera (Filene ’23); Virginia Opera; Palm Beach Opera; Kentucky Opera; Boston Conservatory at Berklee; Des Moines Metro Opera
HIGHLIGHTS: Valentin (Faust), Wolf Trap Opera; Samuel and Major General cover (The Pirates of Penzance), Virginia Opera; Tommy McIntyre and Hawkins cover (Fellow Travelers), Virginia Opera; Germont (La traviata), Virginia Opera; Nardo (La finta giardiniera), The Hungarian State Opera; Figaro (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Opera Neo; Schaunard (La bohème), Kentucky Opera
RYAN WOLFE BARITONE
Arlington Heights, IL
Lieutenant Gordon (Silent Night)
TRAINING: Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program, Los Angeles Opera; University of Cincinnati CollegeConservatory of Music; Des Moines Metro Opera
HIGHLIGHTS: Ping (Turandot), Los Angeles Opera; Tarquinius (The Rape of Lucretia), Los Angeles Opera; Golaud (Impressions de Pelléas et Mélisande), Los Angeles Opera; Fiorello (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Los Angeles Opera; Steuermann (Tristan und Isode), Los Angeles Philharmonic; Soloist (Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder), Richmond Symphony; Soloist (Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony), Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra * returning Filene Artist ^ former Studio Artist
STUDIO ARTISTS
The Wolf Trap Opera Studio facilitates the transition from student to professional. Studio Artists are singers of significant potential who are either currently or recently enrolled in a university or conservatory voice program. They understudy principal roles, perform small roles, and sing in the chorus. They also work with a curated group of master teachers to continue their artistic and practical development.
ROSARIO ARMAS
MEZZO-SOPRANO*
Tlaxcala, Mexico
TRAINING: La Musica Lirica; The Manhattan School of Music; Sarasota Opera; Wolf Trap Opera Studio (’23)
ROLES: Chorus (Così fan tutte); Chorus (La bohème)
COVER: Despina (Così fan tutte)
SADIE CHESLAK
MEZZO-SOPRANO
Duluth, MN
TRAINING: Concordia College; University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; DePaul University; Pittsburgh Festival Opera
ROLES: Chorus (Così fan tutte), Chorus (La bohème)
COVER: Alto Solo (Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony)
DEVIN EATMON TENOR
Ocala, FL
TRAINING: Florida State University; Opera Colorado; Palm Beach Opera
ROLES: Chorus (Così fan tutte); Chorus (La bohème); Chorus (Silent Night)
COVER: Brother (Seven Deadly Sins); Rodolfo (La bohème)
JOSEPH CALZADA BASS-BARITONE
Pembroke Pines, FL
TRAINING: San Francisco Conservatory of Music; Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University; Savannah VOICE Festival; Vienna Summer Music Festival
ROLES: Chorus (Così fan tutte); Chorus (La bohème); British Major and Chorus (Silent Night)
COVER: Don Alfonso (Così fan tutte), Colline (La bohème)
JEREK FERNÁNDEZ TENOR
San Juan, Puerto Rico
TRAINING: Conservatorio de Musica de Puerto Rico; Sarasota Opera; Florentine Opera
ROLES: Chorus (Così fan tutte); Parpignol and Chorus (La bohème); Chorus (Silent Night)
COVER: Tenor Solo (Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony); Sprinks (Silent Night)
REED GNEPPER
TENOR
Toledo, OH
TRAINING: University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music; The Juilliard School; The Chautauqua Institution
ROLES: Chorus (Così fan tutte); Chorus (La bohème); Chorus (Silent Night)
COVER: Ferrando (Così fan tutte); Parpignol (La bohème); Jonathan Dale (Silent Night)
MIA MANDINEAU
SOPRANO
Paris, France
TRAINING: Conservatorium van Amsterdam (Netherlands); Athens Conservatory (Greece); SUNY Fredonia School of Music; Georg Solti Accademia
ROLES: Chorus (Così fan tutte); Chorus (La bohème)
COVER: Soprano Solo (Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony); Anna Sørensen (Silent Night)
CHELSEA GUO
SOPRANO
Darien, CT
TRAINING: The Juilliard School; Winner, Young Concert Artists Competition (piano and voice)
ROLES: Chorus (Così fan tutte); Chorus (La bohème)
COVER: Musetta (La bohème)
MARIO MANZO BARITONE*
Mesa, AZ
TRAINING: The Shepard School of Music, Rice University; Arizona State University; Seagle Music Festival; Wolf Trap Opera Studio (’23)
ROLES: Chorus (Così fan tutte); Customs Sergeant and Chorus (La bohème); Chorus (Silent Night)
COVER: Mother (Seven Deadly Sins); Bass Solo (Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony); British Major and Father Palmer (Silent Night)
KYLIE KREUCHER
SOPRANO
Novi, MI
TRAINING: Curtis Institute of Music; Oberlin Conservatory; Music Academy of the West
ROLES: Chorus (Così fan tutte); Chorus (La bohème)
COVER: Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte)
ARIA MINASIAN
MEZZO-SOPRANO
Bainbridge Island, WA
TRAINING: Lawrence University Conservatory of Music; Theatre & Dance, University of Michigan School of Music; Utah Lyric Opera
ROLES: Chorus (Così fan tutte); Chorus (La bohème)
COVER: Anna I (Seven Deadly Sins); Madeleine (Silent Night)
ERIK NORDSTROM
BARITONE
St. Paul, MN
TRAINING: Kentucky Opera; University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music; Lawrence University; Des Moines Metro Opera; Central City Opera
ROLES: Chorus (Così fan tutte); Chorus (La bohème); Chorus (Silent Night)
COVER: Guglielmo (Così fan tutte); William Dale and Lieutenant Gordon (Silent Night)
TIVOLI TRELOAR MEZZO-SOPRANO
Silverado, CA
TRAINING: The Herb Alpert School of Music, University of California, Los Angeles; The Juilliard School; Music Academy of the West; La Musica Lyrica
ROLES: Chorus (Così fan tutte); Chorus (La bohème); Madeleine (Silent Night)
COVER: Dorabella (Così fan tutte)
ADAM PARTRIDGE
BASS-BARITONE*
Jacksonville, FL
TRAINING: The Shepherd School of Music, Rice University; Stetson University; Seagle Music Festival; Wolf Trap Opera Studio (’23)
ROLES: Chorus (Così fan tutte); Benoit/Alcindoro and Chorus (La bohème); Chorus (Silent Night)
COVER: Brother (Seven Deadly Sins); Audebert (Silent Night)
LOGAN WAGNER TENOR
Villa Hills, KY
TRAINING: University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music; Utah Festival Opera; Des Moines Metro Opera
ROLES: Brother (Seven Deadly Sins); Chorus (Così fan tutte); Chorus (La bohème); Chorus (Silent Night)
CLARA REEVES SOPRANO
Greenville, NC
TRAINING: University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music; Songfest; Chicago Summer Opera
ROLES: Chorus (Così fan tutte); Chorus (La bohème)
COVER: Mimi (La bohème)
YICHEN XUE BARITONE
Anshan, Liaoning, China
TRAINING: Hunter College; Manhattan School of Music; Martina Arroyo’s Prelude to Performance
ROLES: Chorus (Così fan tutte); Chorus (La bohème); Chorus (Silent Night)
COVER: Schaunard (La bohème); Ponchel (Silent Night)
COVER: Kronprinz (Silent Night) * returning Studio Artist
FELLOWS
Coaching and Directing Fellows are emerging professionals at a point in their careers similar to that of Filene Artists, and they make critical contributions to WTO’s music and directing teams. Former Fellows have gone on to positions at leading opera companies and have developed thriving freelance careers as conductors and directors.
YE IN KWAK
COACHING FELLOW
Seoul, South Korea
TRAINING: Manhattan School of Music; Korea National University of the Arts; Seoul National University; Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory
HIGHLIGHTS: SongStudio: Young Artists Recital, Carnegie Hall; The Greene Space; Aspen Music Festival and School
MANUEL ARELLANO COACHING FELLOW
Sun City, CA
TRAINING: University of Texas at Austin; University of Michigan; Cal State Long Beach
HIGHLIGHTS: Domingo-Colburn-Stein
Young Artist Program; Aspen Opera Theater; Music Academy of the West
MICHELLE PAPENFUSS
COACHING FELLOW*
Fairfax, VA
TRAINING: Houston Grand Opera Studio; University of Michigan; Brigham Young University
HIGHLIGHTS: Houston Grand Opera; Cafritz Young Artist, Washington National Opera; Young Artist, Glimmerglass Opera; Wolf Trap Opera (‘23)
ELIO BUCKY DIRECTING FELLOW
San Francisco, CA
TRAINING: Butler Opera Center; University of Texas at Austin; Northwestern University
HIGHLIGHTS: Music Academy of the West; Miami Music Festival
HAYLEY STAMATS
DIRECTING FELLOW
Pittsburgh, PA
TRAINING: Resident Artist Stage Director, Pittsburgh Opera; Simpson College
HIGHLIGHTS: Cincinnati Opera; Arizona Opera; Cedar Rapids Opera; 2022 Resonance Works Pittsburgh
* returning Fellow
GUEST ARTISTS
Every summer, industry-leading conductors, directors, designers, production managers, artistic directors, coaches, and guest faculty gather at Wolf Trap to make great opera and mentor up-and-coming singers.
COLIN K. BILLS
Lighting Designer –
Così fan tutte, Silent Night
Arena Stage, Chicago’s Second City, Ford’s Theatre, Kennedy Center, Opera Lafayette, Opéra Royal Versailles, The Smithsonian Institution, Signature Theatre, Studio Theatre, Synetic Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival
STEVEN BLIER
Artistic Director and Pianist –
¡Te Adoro!
New York Festival of Song (co-founder, artistic director), The Juilliard School, Caramoor, New York City Opera, Steans
Music Institute at Ravinia, Santa Fe Opera, San Francisco Opera
CHRISTINE
BRANDES
Conductor – Così fan tutte
Seattle Opera, Atlanta Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Les Violons du Roy, Virginia Symphony, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra
KATHERINE M. CARTER
Revival Director – La bohème
On Site Opera, Canadian Opera Company, Houston Grand Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Metropolitan Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, The Juilliard School
GRANT GERSHON
Conductor – La bohème
LA Opera, LA Master Chorale, San Francisco Opera, Dutch National Opera, LA Philharmonic, Salzburg Festival, Wolf Trap Opera, Minnesota Opera
ADAM LARSEN
Video Design – Silent Night
Broadway, NY Philharmonic, Opera Philadelphia, Canadian Opera, LA Philharmonic, Lincoln Center, Houston Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Neurotypical (PBS); Athens, Edinburgh, Spoleto Festivals
ANNA LOPEZ
Dancer, Choreographer –
Seven Deadly Sins
George Mason University, MOVE (NYC)
Young Professional Program, Graham Company
GEOFFREY McDONALD
Conductor – Silent Night
Opera Philadelphia, Minnesota Opera, Opera Saratoga, Wolf Trap Opera, Chicago Opera Theatre, Atlanta Opera, National Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, International Contemporary Ensemble
RYAN McKINNY
Director – Silent Night
The Metropolitan Opera, Houston Grand Opera, LA Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Seattle Opera, Washington National Opera
TONYA McKINNY
Director – Silent Night
Minnesota Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Washington National Opera, Dallas Opera, The Glimmerglass Festival
LAWRENCE E. MOTEN III
Scenic Design – Così fan tutte, Silent Night Circle in the Square, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Cherry Lane Theatre, Santa Fe Opera, Portland Center Stage, Round House Theatre, The Old Globe, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Wolf Trap Opera
ANNE NESMITH
Wig & Makeup Design –
Così fan tutte, La bohème, Silent Night Kennedy Center, Opera Philadelphia, Arena Stage, Ford’s Theatre, Opera Boston, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Signature Theatre, Castleton Music Festival, Washington Ballet, Wolf Trap Opera, the Metropolitan Opera
DAN RIGAZZI
Director – Così fan tutte
The Metropolitan Opera, Teatro all Scala, Boston Symphony at Tanglewood, Lyric Opera of Kansas, Orpheus PDX, Madison Opera, Pittsburgh Opera
JOHN MORRIS RUSSELL
Conductor – Seven Deadly Sins
Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, LA Philharmonic, Windsor Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, National Symphony Orchestra
LYNLY SAUNDERS
Costume Designer –
Così fan tutte, Silent Night
Washington National Opera, National Symphony Orchestra, Glimmerglass Festival, Minnesota Opera, Tailor Point Styling, Faction of Fools, Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, Longacre Lea, Peabody Opera Theatre, Wolf Trap Opera
MUSIC STAFF
JOCELYN DUECK
Diction – Silent Night
Carnegie Mellon, the Metropolitan Opera, The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, Mannes School of Music at The New School, Seattle Opera, Glimmerglass Festival, Tanglewood Festival, Adobe
DAVID HANLON
Head of Music
Washington Concert Opera (Chorus Master), Houston Grand Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Diego Opera, Arizona Opera, New York City Opera, Santa Fe Opera
JOSEPH LI
Pianist – 6/28 Salon Series
Jamie Barton in Concert
Vice President of Artistic at Minnesota Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Arizona Opera, Aspen Music Festival, Rice University, Baylor University
ALEX MUNGER
Chorus Master/Pianist – Silent Night Coach/Pianist – Aria Jukebox
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (BM); University of Illinois (MM); Wolf Trap Opera; Aspen Opera Center; Houston Grand Opera Butler Studio; The Shepard School of Music, Rice University
NATE RASKIN
Chorus Master/Pianist – La bohème
The Metropolitan Opera, Aspen Music Festival, The Juilliard School, Northwestern University, Semperoper Dresden, Oper Leipzig, LA Opera, Philadelphia Orchestra, Berkshire Opera Festival, Chautauqua Institution School of Music, Lotte Lehmann Akademie
RENATE ROHLFING
Pianist – 6/23 + 7/1 Salon Series
Cincinnati May Festival, Ravinia Festival, Carnegie Hall, Muziekgebouw, Royal Albert Hall, Lincoln Center
BIN YU SANFORD
Principal Coach - Silent Night Coach/Pianist – Aria Jukebox
Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, the Metropolitan Opera; The Sarah and Butler Houston Grand Opera Studio; Wolf Trap Opera; The Music Academy of West; University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music; Music Staff at San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, The Atlanta Opera, and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
NICOLÒ SBUELZ
Coach/Italian Diction – Così fan tutte, La bohème
Sarasota Opera, Merola Opera Program, Aspen Music Festival, Accademia Teatro alla Scala, Opéra de Lyon
CHRISTOPHER TURBESSI
Principal Coach – La bohème
Houston Grand Opera, Aspen Opera Theater, Virginia Opera, Syracuse Opera, University of Michigan, Temple University, Rice University, The Collaborative Piano Institute, Houston Grand Opera, Utah Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, Castleton Festival
WILLIAM WOODARD
Principal Coach/Continuo – Così fan tutte
Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, the Metropolitan Opera; Cafritz Young Artist at Washington National Opera; Wolf Trap Opera; Merola Opera Program; Aspen Music Festival
PRODUCTION STAFF
ARTURO FERNANDEZ JR.
Assistant Stage Manager – La bohème
Miami Classical Music Festival (Production Stage Manager), LA Opera (Assistant Stage Manager)
LISA R. HAYS
Assistant Stage Manager – La bohème
The Lost Colony, Lyric Theater of Oklahoma, San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opera Philadelphia, Washington National Opera, Atlanta Opera
RACHEL HENNEBERRY
Production Stage Manager – La bohème
Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Utah Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Wolf Trap Opera
CASEY KALEBA
Intimacy & Fight Choreographer – Così fan tutte
Guthrie Theatre, Folger Theatre, Round House Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Spoleto Festival USA, Studio Theatre, Washington National Opera, Castleton Festival
DIANE LIN
Assistant Stage Manager – Silent Night
Washington National Opera, Washington Concert Opera, Opera Lafayette, Central City Opera, San Diego Opera, Vocal Arts DC
ALYCIA MARTIN
Assistant Stage Manager – Così fan tutte
Lyric Opera of Chicago, Seattle Opera, Chicago Opera Theater
SAVANNAH VALIGURA
Production Stage Manager – Così fan tutte, Silent Night
Wolf Trap Opera, Florentine Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Washington National Opera, Opera Omaha, Madison Opera
GUEST TEACHING ARTISTS & PROFESSIONALS
CHRISTINE GOERKE
Soprano & Associate Artistic Director, Detroit Opera
KATE RIGG
Actor & Activist
MARQUITA LISTER
Soprano & Voice Faculty, Morgan State University
CORY LIPPIELLO
Director of Artistic Programs, Lyric Opera of Chicago
JOSE LUIS GOMEZ
Conductor, Music Director, Tucson Symphony
ORCHESTRA & CHORUS
COSÌ FAN TUTTE
First Violin
Claudia Chudakoff, concertmaster
Jennifer Himes
Jennifer Rickard
Patty Hurd
Sarah Sherry
Leslie Silverfine
Second Violin
Laura Miller, principal
Paula McCarthy
Doug Dube
Laura Knutson
Viola
Jennifer Rende, principal
Tiffany Richardson
Derek Smith
SILENT NIGHT
First Violin
Claudia Chudacoff, concertmaster
Sue Midkiff
Karen Lowry-Tucker
Heather Haughn
Second Violin
Laura Miller, principal
Xi Chen
Sonya Chung
Alexandra Mikhlin
Viola
Jennifer Rende, principal
Tiffany Richardson
Jim Kelly
Cello
Lori Barnet, principal
Kerry van Laanen
Todd Thiel
LA BOHÈME CHORUS
AGMA:
Sopranos
Hana Abrams
Heather Fetrow
Shaina Kuhn
Ketti Muschler
Ashlyn Rock
Randa Rouweyha
Mezzos
Cello
Kerry Van Laanen, principal
Todd Thiel
Lori Barnet, continuo
Bass
Chris Chlumsky
Flute
Beverly Crawford, principal
David Lonkevich
Oboe
Fatma Daglar, principal
David Garcia
Clarinet
Kathy Mulcahy, principal
Jeremy Eig
Bass
Ed Malaga, principal
Flute
Beverly Crawford, principal
David Lonkevich
Oboe
Fatma Daglar, principal
Meg Owens
Clarinet
Kathy Mulcahy, principal
Jeremy Eig
Bassoon
Sam Blair, principal
Eric Dirckson
Horn
Geoff Pilkington, principal
Chandra Cervantes
Amy Horn
Joy Hodges
Marta Kirilloff Barber
Emily Buttram
Alexandra Coburn
Grace Gori
Jessica Harika
Erica Timmerman
Tenors
Cosmo Clemens
Aurelio Dominguez
Jason Gonzalez
Sammy Huh
Opal Clyburn-Miller
Andrew Sauvageau
Bassoon
Eric Dircksen, principal
Jonathan Zepp
Horn
Evan Geiger, principal
Chandra Cervantes
Trumpet
Kurt DuPuis, principal
Philippe Brunet
Timpani/Percussion
Bill Richards
Trumpet
Tim White, principal
Phil Snedecor
Kevin Gebo
Trombone
Brian Bourne, principal
John McGinness (+ Bass)
Percussion
Jon Spirtas, principal
Greg Akagi
Danny Villanueva
Timpani
Bill Richards, principal
Harp
Eric Sabbatino, principal
Bagpipe
Charlie Glendinning
Baritones/Basses
Gordon Blodgett
Gene Galvin
DongKeon Kim
Elliot Matheny
Jose Sacin
James Shaffran
Studio Artists: Rosario Armas, Joseph Calzada, Sadie Cheslak, Devin Eatmon, Jerek Fernández, Reed Gnepper, Chelsea Guo, Kylie Kreucher, Mia Mandineau, Mario Manzo, Aria Minasian, Erik Nordstrom, Adam Partridge, Clara Reeves, Tivoli Treloar, Logan Wagner, Yichen Xue
Children's Choir of Washington:
Robbie Jacobs, Executive Director
Margaret Nomura Clark, Artistic Director
Steinway and Boston are the preferred pianos for Wolf Trap performances and education facilities. Members of AGMA appear through the courtesy of the American Guild of Musical Artists, AFL-CIO.STAFF
WOLF TRAP OPERA ARTISTIC & ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
LEE ANNE MYSLEWSKI
Vice President
RONALD LEE NEWMAN
Director, Artistic Operations
ARIANNA ZUKERMAN
Manager, Artistic Administration
CHRISTEN CAIN Coordinator, Company Management
TIM MCCORMICK
Director of Production, The Barns
DAVID HANLON
Head of Music
DAVID MARGULIS
Rehearsal Administrator
SCENE SHOP
CHRIS STOUTJESDYK
Technical Director
ZOE TOMPKINS
Asst. Tech Director
CHRISTINA KOUNI LAVERTY
Lighting Supervisor
MARIAH FAULKNER
Lighting Assistant
GEORGE BURGTORF
Props Master
ISABELLA GARBER
Props Assistant
YARITZA PACHECO
Charge Artist
CAROLINE AUSTIN
Scenic Artist
ANSON STEVIE
Master Carpenter
MADDIE SOUTHARD
Carpenter
MASON ALLEN
Carpenter
ELI KERN
Carpenter
COSTUME SHOP
SUSAN CHIANG
Costume Shop Manager
CAROLINE MacDONALD
Design Assistant
CAROLINE TYSON
Design Assistant
DENISE AITCHISON
Draper
SETH GILBERT
Draper
DENNIS KITMORE
Draper
SAM EISENSTIEN BOND
First Hand
CAILEE BYWATER
First Hand
AMY VANDER STAAY
First Hand
ESTHER YALI-WILLIAMS
Stitcher/Wardrobe
JENNA HALEEN
Stitcher/Wardrobe
RACHEL LUNEKE
Stitcher/Wardrobe
APPRENTICES
WTO Apprentices are part of Wolf Trap Foundation’s Internship and Apprenticeship program. Having honed their skills through academic training, they now receive hands-on experience in a professional setting as well as mentorship from Wolf Trap Opera staff.
GRIFFIN SCOTT
Artistic Administration
MADELINE CHOI
Artistic Administration
ABIGAIL JOHNSON Communications
MAYA LIU
Stage Management
AISSATA ALOU
Stage Management
BENJAMIN BARTLETT
Tech Apprentice
ANNA MANZO
Tech Apprentice
LINNIE HAMPTON
Lighting Apprentice
KRYSTAL ANDERSON
Props Apprentice
SYDNEY SCHEPISI
Scene Painting Apprentice
CLAY PISTO
Costume Apprentice
CORRINE KRASNER
Wig & Makeup Apprentice
WOLF TRAP FOUNDATION
LEADERSHIP
ARVIND MANOCHA
President and CEO
BETH BRUMMEL
Chief Operating Officer
SARA BEESLEY
Vice President, Program and Production
BERNARD BERRY, III
Senior Director, Ticket Services
DAMON EFFINGHAM
Senior Director, Government Affairs
JOHN GIAMBALVO
Vice President, Finance
ELIZABETH SCHILL HUGHES
Senior Director, Human Resources
SARA P. JAFFE
Vice President, Development
FRASER KADERA
Vice President, Facilities
AKUA KOUYATE-TATE
Vice President, Education
JO LABRECQUE
Vice President, Communications & Marketing
LEE ANNE MYSLEWSKI
Vice President, Opera and Classical Programming
GUIDE CONTRIBUTORS
LEE ANNE MYSLEWSKI
Vice President, Opera and Classical Programming
ARIANNA ZUKERMAN
Manager, Artistic Administration, Opera and Classical Programming
JO LABRECQUE
Vice President, Communications and Marketing
SARA SHAFFER
Director, Creative
SANDRA RODRIGUEZ
Director, Communications
EMILY HUNT
Manager, Publications
CHERLYN REBULTAN
Graphic Designer
CLARISSE GAILLARD
Graphic Designer
DANA ARMSTRONG
Content Writer/Copyeditor
TIMMY CHEN
Marketing, Manager
GUIDE PHOTOGRAPHERS
RICH KESSLER
A.E. LANDES
ANGELINA NAMKUNG
SCOTT SUCHMAN
OPERA BEYOND THE BARNS
EXPAND YOUR WOLF TRAP OPERA EXPERIENCE TO THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOME!
STREAMING VIDEO
Stream Wolf Trap Opera’s 2023 production of Gounod’s Faust. Full productions are available at wolftrap.org/streaming
RADIO
Catch Wolf Trap Opera's 2023 productions airing this summer as a part of the Opera Matinee broadcast series on Classical WETA 90.9. Don't miss Semele on June 15 and Faust on June 22!
THE BARNS AT WOLF TRAP POLICIES
• All patrons agree to abide by The Barns at Wolf Trap health and safety protocols found at wolftrap.org/policies
• All patrons, regardless of age, must have a ticket.
• Patrons must sit in the seats for which they have tickets.
• Outside food or beverages may not be consumed inside the facility.
• Beverages are permitted inside the theater. Food is not permitted inside the theater.
• The Barns is a smoke-free facility. Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is permitted only in the designated area outside the main entrance.
• The use of recording equipment and cameras (with or without flash) during performances is prohibited unless coordinated through management and authorized by the artist(s).
• Late arrivals are normally seated between movements, acts, or numbers at the discretion of management and at the request of the artist(s).
• With the exception of service animals assisting disabled persons, pets are not permitted.
• Patrons may not stand in or block aisles or sightlines at any time during performances.
• Disturbing fellow patrons with loud conversation or inappropriate behavior is not permitted and may result in removal from the performance without a refund.
• All cell phones and electronic devices must be silenced during the performance.
• Firearms are prohibited.
• Resale of tickets on Wolf Trap Foundation property is strictly prohibited by Wolf Trap Foundation policy.
• Violation of The Barns at Wolf Trap House Rules may result in removal from the performance without refund and/or prosecution.
VIEW WOLF TRAP’S MOST UP-TO-DATE POLICIES AT WOLFTRAP.ORG/POLICIES
CAMPAIGN FOR WOLF TRAP
THANK YOU to these Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts donors for their commitments to the Campaign for Wolf Trap: Our Next Chapter, an initiative to support facility enhancements and programs for future generations.
Reflects donations for special long-range initiatives, through March 2024.
VISIONARY DONORS
Dan and Gayle D’Aniello
$5,000,000+
Jacqueline B. Mars
$2,500,000-$4,999,999
Hillary and Tom Baltimore
Lincoln and Therese Filene Foundation
Shashikant and Margaret Gupta
Gary D. Mather and Christina Co Mather
Karen and Fred Schaufeld
$1,000,000-$2,499,999
John and Susie King
Jean and Ric Edelman
Anne R. Kline and Geoffrey Pohanka
Matt Korn and Cindy Miller
BENEFACTORS
$500,000-$999,999
The Setian Family
Janet+ and Calvin Hill
Ed and Andy Smith
F. Chapman and Grace Taylor
Robert and Lisa Van Hoecke
PATRONS
$250,000-$499,999
C.E. and Jean Andrews
Brickman Family Foundation
Bruce Caswell and Lauren Deichman
Melissa Delgado and Anthony Colangelo
The ElSawy Family Foundation
Virginia McGehee Friend
Alka and Sudhakar Kesavan
Janet and Jerry Kohlenberger
John C. Lee, IV and Cindy Lee
Bob and Lisa Lutz
Chris and Paige Nassetta
National Park Foundation/The Boeing Company
Edward and Susan O’Connell
Donna and Jim Reagan
The Robbins Family
Kevin and Beth Smithson
Trehan Foundation
Nell V. Weidenhammer+
John and Jessica Wood
SUSTAINERS
$100,000-$249,999
Anonymous
Steven and Marjie Alloy
The Ananthanpillai Family
Christopher and Andrita (AJ) Andreas
Michael and Ana Beckley
The Bedrock Community Fund
Kevin and Cynthia Boyle
Jan Brandt
Capital One
Marcia and Frank C.+ Carlucci III
Denise Chen and Tim Maas
L. William Derrow+
John and Lynn Dillon
Ken and Vickie Hayduk
Shelly and Jack Hazel
Sue J. Henry and Carter G. Phillips
Eric and Heather Kadel
Leana and Marc Katz
Ashok and Stuti Kaveeshwar
Nancy Laben and Jonathan Feiger
Denise Riedel Lewis and Kenneth J. Lewis
General Lester and Mina Lyles and Family
Arvind Manocha and Gideon Malone
Ann McPherson McKee
Robert and Judy Might
Reed and Pat Menster Neuman
PNC
Norma and Russ Ramsey
James Roth
Srikant Sastry and Manjula Pindiprolu
Todd and Elaine Stottlemyer
Theresa Thompson
Victoria Trumbower and David Ralston
Lynn and Carl Verboncoeur
Deborah F. and David A. Winston
SUPPORTERS
$50,000-$99,999
Anonymous Foundation
The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation
Jeff and Jacqueline Copeland
The Ithaka Foundation
Broderick Johnson and Michelle Norris
Robert M. and Joyce A. Johnson
Philip and Sandy+ Marcum
Donna and Buzz Miller
Janet M. Osborn
The Pence Group, Inc.
Jonathan and Virginia Shames
John and Gina Wasson
Karen A. Zavinsky+
PARTNERS
$25,000-$49,999
Jeremy and Stephanie Blank
Richard and Evelyn Bynum
Tenley Carp and David Samuels
Karen and Jim Cleveland
Vincent Ferraro and Laura Forte
Gil and Janice Guarino
Lisa and Richard Jeanneret
Mars Foundation
Jodi and Darren Morton
Boofie and Joe O’Gorman
Dion and Michele Rudnicki
Craig and Christina Sharon
CONTRIBUTORS
$10,000–$24,999
Anonymous
Sam Barnes
Jennie and Mark Bishof
Beth Brummel and Michael Beresik
Janice Z. and H. Lawrence Clark
Steve and Christie Day
Enterprise Knowledge
Gerald W. and Marlene K. Fischer
Bette S. Gorman
Lynda Lonshein Hellman
Estate of Alexine Clement Jackson
Donald and Sherlyn Jenkins
Scott and RaSheeda Keir
Tracy K. Kenny
William J. Long+
Dana and David Martin
Nanette and Charles Mees
Patrick and Annie Pacious
The Page Family
Dennis Peery and Anu Saxena
Michael and Brigette Polmar
Meg Porta and Matt Swayhoover
Gerry and Lynn Rubin
Ann Sanfacon
Bernadette and Ed Saperstein
Lisa Schievelbein
Virginia and Alan Strauss
Sally A. Turner and Jerry G. Bridges
The Janice and Robert Vitale Charitable Fund
Marjorie H. Wax and Brian P. Hochheimer
Judith and Ronald+ Wilgenbusch
Bill and Terry Witowsky
Doug and Melanie Wolfe Giving Fund
Theresa F. and John B. Wood
Ann Ziff + Deceased
WITH APPRECIATION
Wolf Trap Foundation is deeply grateful to each of the following individuals for supporting the Foundation through membership gifts, event, and other annual program sponsorships made between April 1, 2023 and April 1, 2024.
Donations to the Campaign for Wolf Trap: Our Next Chapter are listed separately in this program, at wolftrap.org/campaign, and on dedicated signage throughout Wolf Trap. To donate, please contact Wolf Trap Development at 703.255.1927 or visit wolftrap.org/give.
INDIVIDUAL DONORS
SEASON UNDERWRITERS
Dan and Gayle D’Aniello
$250,000 TO $499,999
David M. Rubenstein
$100,000 TO $249,999
Anonymous
Kimberly Engel Haber and Brett Haber/ The Dennis and Judy Engel Charitable Foundation
John and Susie King
Michael Saylor
F. Chapman and Grace Taylor
Governor Glenn and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin
$50,000 TO $99,999
Christopher and Andrita (AJ) Andreas
Hillary and Tom Baltimore
Jan Brandt
Patrice King Brickman Family Foundation
Melissa Delgado and Anthony Colangelo
Craig and Valerie Dykstra
Jean and Ric Edelman
Virginia McGehee Friend
Shashikant and Margaret Gupta
Sue J. Henry and Carter G. Phillips
Matt Korn and Cindy Miller
Dan and Gloria Logan | The Revada Foundation
Karen and Fred Schaufeld
Scuba Mike
Ed and Andy Smith
The Webber Family
Deborah F. and David A. Winston
$25,000 TO $49,999
Anonymous (2)
Steven and Marjie Alloy
Raj Ananthanpillai and Radhika Rajagopalan
C.E. and Jean Andrews
Michael and Ana Beckley
Tenley Carp and David Samuels
Bruce L. Caswell and Lauren Deichman
Leo and Mary Fox
William and Elizabeth Gould
William Hanlon
The Ithaka Foundation
Broderick Johnson and Michele Norris
Robert M. and Joyce A. Johnson
Eric and Heather Kadel
Leana and Marc Katz
Alka and Sudhakar Kesavan
Anne R. Kline and Geoffrey Pohanka
Nancy Laben and Jon Feiger
Gen. (Ret.) Lester L. and Mina Lyles
Gary D. Mather and Christina Co Mather
Samuel Meisner
Diane and Tim Naughton
Donna and Jim Reagan
The Robbins Family
Patrick and Annie Pacious
Srikant Sastry and Manjula Pindiprolu
Jiten (Jay) and Sujani (Jen) Shah
Todd and Elaine Stottlemyer
Paul and Tracy Tartaglione
Robert and Lisa Van Hoecke
Lynn and Carl Verboncoeur
$15,000 TO $24,999
Anonymous (4)
Cynthia and Kevin Boyle
Beth B. Buehlmann
Richard and Evelyn Bynum
Jeff and Jacqueline Copeland
John and Lynn Dillon
Dr. and Mrs. Gerald W. Fischer
Shelly and Jack Hazel
Jacqueline Hinman
Clark Hoyt and Linda Kauss
Donald and Sherlyn Jenkins
Janet and Jerry Kohlenberger
Barry and Bambi Landew
Matt Lerner/Frederick Coin Exchange
Leviton Family
Bob and Lisa Lutz
Dana and David Martin
Ann McPherson McKee, Gift in Remembrance of Burtt & Rebecca Gray McKee and Douglas & Ann McKee Seeley
Boofie and Joe O'Gorman
Michael and Cynthia O'Kane
Brenda and William Romenius
Peri and William Ross
Dr. James Roth
Gerry and Lynn Rubin
Karl and Susan Salnoske
Ashley Stow
Pam and Greg Sullivan
Caroline Morris Van Kirk
Michael Williams
$10,000 TO $14,999
Anonymous (4)
Reggie and Dharini Aggarwal
Michael and Tricia Antonis
Erin and Derek Arrison
Jay and Terry Bachmann
Jennie and Mark Bishof
David and Amy Bosserman
Rick and Debbie Bress
Madison and Victoria Calvert
David and Stacie Childress
Sarah and James Choi
Kenneth W. Coan/Sevila Coan Financial Group
of Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
Erin Collier
Ann Cook Charitable Fund
Enrico and Linda Della Corna
Jon and Patty Craver
Dominic and Nedda Dragisich
Diana and Douglas Dykstra
Bonnie Feld
Vincent Ferraro and Laura Forte
In Honor of Jim and Mary Beggs, Allen and Maureen Fox
Bonnie L. Goldschmidt and Michele Shimek
Gil and Janice Guarino
Stanley J. and Cynthia M. Gutkowski
Ken and Victoria Hayduk
Alexander and Jacqueline Henry
Julie Ann Heyward
Estate of Alexine Clement Jackson
John and Tracie Jacquemin/ The Jacquemin Family Foundation
Gayle and Steven Job
Suneetha and Pardha Karamsetty
Ashok and Stuti Kaveeshwar
Tracy K. Kenny
Harmony Knutson and Alan Cohn
Jenna and Wyatt Korff
Ross and Kaye Kory
Gayle and Jonathan Kosarin
Priya and Anirudh Kulkarni
Brent and Jennifer Long
Clark and Kathleen Manning and Family
Wendy and Dario Marquez
Ray and Colleen McDuffie
Nanette and Charles Mees
James and Audrey Miller
Jeff Miller
Ramona and John W. Mockoviak
Stephen and Betsy Mundt
Patsy and Howard Norton
Janet M. Osborn
Fatih and Eren Ozmen
Renata and Spence Patterson
Sean and Shirley Prosser, in memory of Jim and Rosemary Prosser
Norma and Russ Ramsey
Harish R. Rao & Chelsea R. Rao
Chris and Rita Raymond
Patti and John Robertson
Sherry Rutherford and Bill Krokowski
Jeff and Dawn Sanok
Danielle and John Saunders
Stan and Ruth Seemann
John and Darcy Sekas
The Setian Family
Craig and Christina Sharon
Joan Sheppard
Ronald and Deborah Sindler
Rajendra and Neera Singh
Arlene and David Slan
Mike Slattery
Virginia and Alan Strauss
Derrick Tam
Victoria Trumbower and David Ralston
John and Gina Wasson
Marc and Cortney Weber
Daniel Webster
Theresa and John B. Wood
Greg and Janne Young
Mary and Jeffrey Zients
$6,000 TO $9,999
Anonymous (6)
Ernie and Cathy Abbott
Mark and Robin Adams
Ramon and Marissa Alcala
John R. and Kathy Allen
The Arner Family
Susan and Jim Arnold
Edward J. and Laura G. Asher
Mrs. Benjamin P. Astley
Vicky Bailey and Larry Smith
Russel and Ann Bantham
Richard and Julie Barcus
Thomas A. Belles and Carla Minosh
Gregory and Nancy Beronja
Paul Blakely
Harlan W. and Mary M. Bowers
K. David Boyer, Jr. and Family
Beth Brummel and Michael Beresik
Nancy and Dennis Burke
Alice and Terry Burns
Dan and Leslie Burpee
Richard and Evelyn Bynum
John and Susan Byrne
George C. and Sarah P. Cabalu
Marcia and Frank C.+ Carlucci III
Gregory and Jane Castanias
Christopher and Carol Casto
James and Karen Chamberlain
Allayne and Brian Chappelle
The Chaskin Family
Jay W. and Heidi A. Chesky
Brian J. Christianson
Kathy and Jim Connor
Coolie Doolie
Chris and Gwynne Corridon
Kevin Crabtree and Mary Kelleher-Crabtree
Mary Cristler
Jeff and Natalie Davis
John and Mary Davis
Janet L. Day
W. Alan Day
Shawn and Robyn Degnan
David L. Denny and Laurie Scott Denny
Barbara A. DiCicco
Tami and Jeff Dierman
Renny and Pat DiPentima
Raymond A. and Roslyn M. Duda
Juliana Dunlap and James Corrigan
Mr. and Mrs. Dean S. Edmonds/
Dean S. Edmonds Foundation
Randall Eliason and Chérie Kiser
Sara and Sam Feder
Michael P. and Marilyn H. Fitzgerald
Susan Fox/The Walt Disney Company
Lien and George Galloway
Glenn and Barbara Gardner
Cathy A. German
Verena Gibbs and Bo Cappabianca
William and Jacqueline A. Gravell
Andrea M. Greenan and Alex Hwang
Chris and Jennifer Greenlee
Marge and Joe Grills
Atul and Katherine Grover
MaryLynn and Greg Haase
Marlene and William Haffner
Todd and Melinda Hall
Dr. Dabney G. Hart / Mr. & Mrs. T. Michael Louden
Bonnie and Bob Haukness
Robert H. and Brenda Hawthorne
Avi Hoffer
Nettie Horne
Shannon Houck
Jeffrey Houle
Cynthia Hull
Jodie Hunter
Ashley Iddings
Ricki and Joel Kanter
Sean M. Kelley
Laura, Jess, Mike, and Tim Kennedy
Samir Khleif and May Y.J. Khamis
Rae Ann and Bill Knopf
Leo Kratz
David F. La Mar and Terri L. Crowl
David and Mary Beth Lane
John and Cindy Langan
Sheri A. Layton
George Lowden
Chip and Katie Lowry
Mr. and Mrs. James F. MacGuidwin
Philip and Sandy+ Marcum
Cynthia and John Martin
Donald and Shannon McGahn
Susan and David McMunn
Eric McNutt
Susie and Josh Metz
Christopher and Simone Meyer
Donna and Buzz Miller
Thomas and Lauren Morreale
Mr. and Mrs. Charles T. Moses III
Anne Motz
John Murray and Jill Hansen
Nora and Glen Petitt
Carol S. Popowsky
Joetta Rauchnot and Brenda Heck
Selwa and David Rutchik
Rebecca Sanders
Ann Sanfacon
Bernadette and Ed Saperstein
Monica and Robert Schmude
Richard and Susan Seabrook
Jonathan and Virginia Shames
Dr. Peter G. Shields
Paul D. Shively and Claire L. Orth
Steven and Donna Shriver
Jon and Pat Simons
Tina and Albert Small, Jr.
Joel K. and Martha L. Smith
Ruth Sorenson
Duncan and Patricia Sparrell
Peter and Jennie Stathis
David L. Straus,
Gift in Remembrance of Betty B. Straus
Christie and Mark Struckman
Peter and Ann Tanous
Justin and Jennifer Tate
Tori Thomas
Theresa Thompson
Rob Timmins and Jeff Kaplan
Jennifer Toole
Cris and Cindy Turner
Richard J. Underwood
Rosetta and Martin Virgilio
Catherine and Eric Waldron
Marjorie H. Wax and Brian P. Hochheimer
Dr. Brooke Weddle and Mr. Miguel Payan
Sandy and Carolyn Weininger
Sue Irish and Kenn Weir
Lisa and Eric Wieman
David and Ellen Winter
Bill and Terry Witowsky
Cheryl A. Wooden and Dr. Deb Bobbitt
Karen Yankosky
James Y. S. Yap
$4,000 TO $5,999
Anonymous (16)
Christopher and Kathryn Adams
Robert and Sara Adler
Melchora Alexander
Melinda Ampthor
Marian and Jay Andre
Richard and Rosemarie Andreano
Barbara and Bear Ard
Billy Armstrong
Elizabeth and John Armstrong
Jeanine Aronowitz
Karen Azoff
John C. Backus, Jr.
Jennifer Barendse
Rose Bates
Donna and Barry Beach
David and Cecilia Beck
Amy Beckman and Steven Gaba
Susan and Marc Benezra
B. Michael and Sandra Berger
Steven Berger
Kevin and Jane Bise
Jeremy and Stephanie Blank
Sara Nelson Bloom
Regina and Bill Bouie
Kevin M. Breslin
Barbara Brocker
Diane S. Bronfman
Stephanie Brotherton
Rex Brouillard and Michelle Henry
Dennis Brown and Jane Platt-Brown
Donald Brown
Nancy Broyhill
Dennis and Julie Bruns
James and Phyllis Bruyette
Andrew and Jennifer Buckreis
Sarah Buescher and Peter Cullen
Jessica Bunin
David and Carolyn Burgess
Laina Bush and Michael Zajkowski
Donna Callejon and Deborah Whiteside
Joseph and Donna Cantara
Drew and Therese Caplan
Lori and Robert Caplan
Cori and Jared Cardwell
Christopher Carpenter and Lora Shimp
Christopher and Jennifer Chatman
Denise Chen and Tim Maas
Col. (R) Lary and Sabine Chinowsky
Joseph and Michelle Chotkowski
John Claringbould and Patricia Loughrey
Susan R. Clayman and Frank Starks
Karen and Jim Cleveland
Beth and Michael Coakley
Bob and Kellie Cochran
Marcy and Neil Cohen, Ryna Cohen
Franklin C. Coleman
Rachel Coll
Wendy Connell
Michael Corkery
Phyllis and Wes Corley
Katharina Cron
Deborah Dale and Michael Goodman
Dan and Bekki Danner
Scott and Krista Darnell
Maria Coakley David
Steve and Christie Day
Susie and Oscar De Soto
Kathleen and Joseph Deal
Trevor and Ingrid Dearman
Meghan and John Deese
Dante and Tracy D'Egidio
Joseph and Pat Donahue
Hank Dorochovich and Julie Johns
Christian Downs
Elizabeth Dresing
Kristin and Eric Dubelier
Teri D. Dungan
Jim and Timoney Dunlap
Helen and Ronald Dunn
Robert J. Eatinger, Jr.
Rear Admiral and Mrs. Thomas J. Eccles,
James and Diane Ecklund
George and Karen Eichert
Michael J. Eidsness
Robert and Alison Eisiminger
Eddie and Rachel Eitches
Holly and Richard Ellis
Jim Evans and Sam Misleh, The Evans Company/Sophia's Cafe
Jack Fahey
Ginny Kogan Feldman
Taryn Fielder and Ryan Forsythe
Brian Fields
Ross Fishkind and Kimberly Hamilton
Rhonda Fleming and Mike Cooley
James and Mary Flounlacker
Roger and Nancy Fones
Tucker Foreman
Ryan Forsythe and Taryn Fielder
Carol and Jorge Fortine Ochoa
Lauren Freeman and Walter Steimel
Russell Frey and I-Min Chao
Dan Frisby and Suzanne Dougherty
Gerry and Lynne Gabrys/Guest Services, Inc.
Christina and Louis Gadrinab
Eddy and Joan Gallahan
Chris Garner
Glenn Gaynor
David and Jean Lynn Gearin
Barbara Gernon and Valerie Kimball
Michael Gilliam
Rocio and Raul Gonzalez
Jennifer and Chris Graham
Sherry and Todd Gray
Jeffrey Graybeal
Teresa and Garson Green
Lauren and Brian Greenberg
Brian and Deb Grosner
Bruce Gudenberg
Norene and Tim Guilford
Allen Haid and Sandra Cummins-Haid
Nicole Alfandre Halbreiner
Amy Halpern
Bridget and Conway Halsall
Jeffrey and Elizabeth Harris
Luke Harris
Teresa M. Haycraft
Frank and Teresa Hearl
Sharon Heinle and Chris DeLashmutt
Sharon and Jeff Heinz
Lynda Lonshein Hellman
Leigh and Peter Henry
Lisa and Ron Hodge
Robert and Linda Horrigan
Briglia Hundley, P.C.
Kevin and Barbara Hutto
Rylan and Carl Hutzler
Frank Huynh and Leandro Toledo
Dr. Renee Iacona
Joseph and Robin Jackson
Richard and Anna Jackson
Neerja Jain
Richard and Laurie Johnson
Andrea Jolly
Matthew Jones
Terre and Polly Jones
Lesley A. Kalan
Joseph and Jill Kale
Sharon Karaffa
Richard and Barbara Kaufmann
Brian Keller
Roger and Teresa Keller
Jodie Kelley and Scott Sinder
Patrick and Ellen Kelsay
Governor and Mrs. Dirk Kempthorne
Robin and Michael Kennedy
Carol King
Mr. and Ms. W. Russell King
Travis and Sarah Kirspel
Stephen and Mary Sue Kitchen
Mark and Elena Kleifges
Tara T. Kochis
Phyllis Krochmal
Lori LaFave
William and Nancy LaForge
Joni and Don Langevoort
John and Nancy Larue
Kim Latkiewicz
David and Michele Lawrence
Stuart and Brock Lending
Denise Riedel Lewis and Kenneth J. Lewis
Ted and Vivian Lewis
Dennis and Tracey Liberson
Douglas and Elizabeth Lobel
Dr. Diana Locke and Mr. Robert Toense
Megan Lockhart
Julie Lonardo
Aldys London
Marcia and Adrian Lund
Jennifer Lyons and Derek Morrissette
Michael and Jennifer Maloney
William H. Mann III
Joey and Anna Maranto
Kevin and Sarah Martin
Albert and Terri Martinez
Ricardo Martinez
Shari Maruca
Juliana E. May/JLL
John and Deanne McGranahan
Cristina F. and Michael A. McLaughlin
Mr. and Ms. Jay Meadows/
Meadows Farms Nurseries
Maria Michaels and Nick Studds
Devon Miller and Darryl J. Anderson
Ryan and Krista Miller
Jill Minneman
Thomas W. Minnick, National Counseling Group
David and Vanessa Moir
Jax, Lilly and Lee Monsein
Ann and Keith Montgomery
Linda Moran
Darren and Jodi Morton
Robert and Barbara Moss
Amy and Will Mudge
Michael Mullen
Roderick and Jane Murchison
Ray and Patricia Murphy
James and Karen Murray
Leanne and James Myers
Joanne Nanna
Sarah and John Nash
Reed and Pat Menster Neuman
Paul J. Nevins and Sheila LaFalce
Katherine Newland
Blake and Andrea Newman
Kathleen and Kevin Newmeyer
Nancy Nix-Karnakis
Lloyd C. Noland
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Norstern
Jill Norton
Timmy and Amanda Norton
Debra O'Beirne
Judith and Mary O'Brien
Edward and Susan O'Connell
Laura and Sean O'Keefe
Theodore B and Lady Olson
Rebecca Onuschak
The Page Family
Kimberly Parks
Alex and Michael Pascarella
Laura Peebles and Ellen Fingerman
Dennis Peery and Anu Saxena
Katie Pehrson
Mark and Carol Poblete
Christopher Poell
Michael and Brigette Polmar
Samantha and Troy Poppe
Meg Porta and Matt Swayhoover
Chris and Katie Poteat
Jeff and Jill Purdy
Daniel and Roberta Quirk
James Raba and Maureen Nelson
Rabaut Family Foundation
Eileen Rader
David Rand
Reinsch Pierce Family Foundation
by Lola C. Reinsch
Jonathan Remson
James and Linda Rettberg
Ms. Melissa Rhoads and Mr. Ryan Simpson
Dave and Aimee Richardson
H. Mac and Michele-Anne Riley
Jim Roberts and Julie Carter Roberts
Rick and Faith Roberts
Ward and Jennifer Roberts
Amy and Ben Rossi
Michael and Jane Rowny
Kathryn Tucker Rutkowski
Alicia Saffer and Kris Hatlelid
Eric Salzberg
Drs. Stephen and Mary Sapp
Dr. Mona Sarfaty and Dr. Jay Siegel
Jennifer and Andy Schenker
Christopher and Joanna Schindler
Jean Schiro-Zavela and Vance Zavela
Dawn Schlegel
Jim Schwenke
Jim Seeley
Harold and Adele Seifried
Dr. Steven & Mrs. Gretchen Seiler
Sean Sharifi
Ritika and Rohit Sharma
Sandeep Sharma
Jennifer Shelton
John T. Sheridan, Jr.
Samantha and Evan Shinbaum
Jules and Judy Shore
Gina Shultz
Joseph Sifer
Linda B. Singletary
Dru and Marie Smith
Eric L. Smith
Martha Nell Smith and Marilee Lindemann
Neil and Nadia Smith
Linda and Nigel Smyth
Thomas and Angelique Snyder
Amy and Patrick Souders
Sandra and Dean Souleles
Chris Spina
Joan Stansfield, Stansfield Signature Real Estate
Drs. Virginia Steen and Joseph Verbalis
Judith M. Stehling and Edgar J. Ariza-Niño
Michael L. Stevens and Elizabeth Munno
Kathleen and Scott Stewart
Kimberly and Gary Stewart
Bill and Pat Stipe
James and Geraldine Stockdale
Perla Stoeckert
Jeff and Jaci Stoltz
Jennifer Stone
Lisa Stransky
Khary and Caroline Stringer
Thomas and Heather Stroup
Gretchen and Christopher Strub
Aruna Subramaniam and Prabu Natarajan
Sinclair Szebrat
Clarence and Anne Taylor
Cornell and Anne-Wesley Teague
Brooke Terry
Ray and Stacey Thal
Paul and Pam Thieberger
John E. Thomas, Jr.
Donald and Gloria Thorson
Kristine and David Timmerman
Tim and Corina Trainer
Kathleen Tremblay
Rick R. Trevino and W. Larz Pearson
Amy and Jeff Turcotte
Stephanie and Fernando+ van Reigersberg
William and Patricia Vance
Chris and Karen Warack
Kathy and C. Eric Warden
Roger and Diane Warin
Rick Watson
Elizabeth A. Way and Dorothy Dougherty
John and Marylou Whisler
Jason and Shannon White
Tina and Geoffrey White
Robert Whiteman
Elizabeth F. Wickersham and Charles Schmitz
Judith and Ronald+ Wilgenbusch
CORPORATE, FOUNDATION & GOVERNMENT PARTNERS
David and Joy Willey
Janet Wilson
Stephen and Rosemarie Wilson
The Witt Family
Mark W. Wollschlager
Myla Wyatt
Alan and Sandra Yamamoto
Joseph and Gwendolyn Zanin
Jake and Whitney Zatzkin
S. Zeliff
+ Deceased
Wolf Trap Foundation sincerely appreciates each of the following institutions for supporting the Foundation through grants, corporate partnerships, and fundraisers between April 1, 2023 and April 1, 2024.
$500,000+
Department of the Interior, National Park Service
PNC
$250,000 TO $499,999
The Boeing Company
$100,000 TO $249,999
Anonymous Foundation
Booz Allen Hamilton
Capital One
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Danaher Foundation
Lincoln and Therese Filene Foundation
General Dynamics
National Endowment for the Arts
Northrop Grumman
PwC
SAIC
Tickets.com
The Volgenau Foundation
$50,000 TO $99,999
American Airlines
A. James and Alice B. Clark Foundation
Cox Business
CrossCountry Consulting
KPMG LLP
SOSi
South Carolina Arts Commission
Virginia Commission for the Arts
$25,000 TO $49,999
Acentra Health
The Theodore H. Barth Foundation, Inc.
Battelle
The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation
Cherry Bekaert
Choice Hotels International
The Claude Moore Charitable Foundation
Ernst & Young
Frontier Technology Inc.
Hilton
Kearney & Company
L.F. Jennings
Leidos
Maximus
Telos Corporation
The Price-Taylor Group of Truist Wealth
Washington Gas
Washington Harbour Partners
WHITE64
$15,000 TO $24,999
Aon Corporation
ArtsFairfax
Beacon Building Products
Chevy Chase Trust
DLA Piper
The Richard Eaton Foundation
Hilton McLean Tysons Corner
Laird Norton Family Foundation
Mars Foundation
The Mather
Nauticon Office Solutions
Our Purpose Foundation
Park Hotels & Resorts
Pinnacle Financial Partners
Reston Limousine
Starr Hill Brewery
Stratos Solutions
The Edens Group, LLC
V2X
VHC Health
WilmerHale
$10,000 TO $14,999
Alston & Bird
ArentFox Schiff LLP
Arnold F. Baggins Foundation, Inc.
Bender Foundation, Inc.
Brown Advisory
Cathell & Associates
Cleary Gottlieb
Covington
Enterprise Knowledge
Expedition Technology
FTS International, LLC
Holland & Knight LLP
Host Hotels & Resorts
Inova Health System
Karin's Florist
Live Oak Bank
M&T Bank
Nancy Peery Marriott Foundation, Inc.
Merrifield Garden Center
NFP
Ohio Hometown Heroes
PenFed Credit Union
Playa Hotels & Resorts
rand* construction corporation
Raymond James Investment Banking
S&R Evermay Foundation
Signal Hill Technologies
Thos. Somerville Co.
United Bank
Venable Foundation
Wiley
$5,000 TO $9,999
ACT1 Federal Andersen
Avalon Consulting
The Dallas Morse Coors Foundation for the Performing Arts
Cresset
Devils Backbone Brewing Company
GovNavigators
HHMI Janelia Research Campus
Johnson Brothers Service Distributing, Inc.
NetApp/immixGroup
Langhorne Custom Homes
LMI
Maximus Foundation
Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management
Mortgage Bankers Association
Mount Vernon Printing, an RR Donnelley Company
The Nader Family Foundation
The Nora Roberts Foundation
National Security Space Association
Octo, An IBM Company
Stone Brewing
Unison Software Inc.
WOLF TRAP FOUNDATION NAMED ENDOWMENT FUNDS
The following Endowment Funds were established with $100,000 or more to support Wolf Trap Foundation’s programs.
Baltimore Family Fund
Mary H. Beggs President’s Fund
The Howard and Sondra Bender Family Fund for Education
Patrice King Brickman Family Fund
Caswell/Deichman Family Fund for Wolf Trap
Capital One Fund for Education
Denise Chen and Tim Maas Fund for Wolf Trap
The Coffelt Fund for Wolf Trap Opera and Education
The Colangelo Family Fund for the Arts
The Cox Communications Fund for Education Initiatives in the Performing Arts
D'Aniello Fund for Opera
L. William Derrow Fund for Wolf Trap Opera in Honor of Amy E. Schaffer
Lynn and John Dillon Endowment Fund
Nancy K. Eberhardt | Howard and Dorothy Kahn Education Fund
The ElSawy Endowment for Education
The Freed Fund for Early Childhood Education in the Performing Arts
The Lee Anne F. Geiger Fund for Early Learning Through the Arts
General Dynamics Fund for Early Learning Through the Arts
Gupta Fund for Early Learning Through the Arts
Carol V. Harford Fund for Wolf Trap Opera in Memory of Catherine Filene Shouse
Shelly and Jack Hazel Family Fund for Wolf Trap
Hearst Foundation, Inc.
Sue Henry and Carter Phillips Fund for Wolf Trap
Janet and Calvin Hill Fund for Wolf Trap
The Jacquemin Family Fund for Master Teaching Artists
The Paula A. Jameson Fund for Wolf Trap Opera
Stuart C. and Nancy M. Johnson Fund for Wolf Trap
Terre and Polly Jones Endowed Fund for Artistic Initiatives
Kadel Family Fund for Wolf Trap
Ashok and Hariastuti Kaveeshwar Fund for Wolf Trap
Alan and Carol Kelly Fund for Education
The King Family Fund for Early Learning Through the Arts
Janet and Jerry Kohlenberger | The Trojanger Fund for Wolf Trap
Matthew Korn and Cynthia Miller Family Foundation Fund for Education
Nancy Laben and Jonathan Feiger Fund for Wolf Trap
Robert and Lisa Lutz Fund for Wolf Trap
The General Lester L. Lyles and Family Fund for Education
Fund for Wolf Trap in Honor of Arvind Manocha and Gideon Malone
The Sandy “Tanta” Marcum Fund for Early Learning Through the Arts
Fund for Artistic Excellence in Honor of Audrey M. Mars
Mars Fellowship Fund for Wolf Trap Opera
Gary D. Mather and Christina Co Mather Fund for Wolf Trap
The Suzann Wilson Matthews Internship Fund
Ann McKee Fund for Opera
The Linda and Tobia Mercuro Fund for Early Learning Through the Arts
The Mullaney Family Fund for Education
National Endowment for the Arts
NEA Packard Challenge Fund
Reed and Pat Neuman Fund Celebrating Arts and Education
The Terry Noack Master Teaching Artists in Dance Fund
Edward and Susan O’Connell Family Fund for Wolf Trap Packard Fund
PNC Fund for Early Childhood Education
Geoffrey P. Pohanka and Anne R. Kline Fund for Wolf Trap Opera
Carol S. Popowsky Parrot Fund for Education
James A. Roth Family Fund for Wolf Trap
Sastry-Pindiprolu Family Fund for Wolf Trap
Julian Setian Family Fund for the Arts
Catherine Filene Shouse Education Fund
Kay Shouse Great Performance Fund
Jon and Pat Simons Fund for Wolf Trap
Ed and Andy Smith Fund for Wolf Trap Opera
Kevin and Beth Smithson Family Fund for Wolf Trap Education
Peter and Jennie Stathis Fund for Early Learning Through the Arts
Arthur Tracy Fund for Wolf Trap Opera
Hans and Mimi Tuch Fund for Wolf Trap Opera Conductors
Van Hoecke Family Fund for Technology in Education
RADM Ronald C. and Judith A. Wilgenbusch Fund for Wolf Trap Opera and Classical Programs
Earle C. and June A. Williams Fund for Wolf Trap
Deborah and David Winston Fund for Classical Music
Kim Witman Fund for Opera Coaching
CATHERINE FILENE SHOUSE LEGACY CIRCLE
Wolf Trap Foundation gratefully acknowledges these individuals who have thoughtfully expressed their commitment to preserving the legacy of Wolf Trap for future generations by remembering the Foundation in their estate plans.
Anonymous (34)
Dr+ and Mrs. Duane A. Adams
Jean W. Arnold
Jeannie P. Baliles*
Nancy A. Bartholomaei
Sharon and Gary Batie
The Honorable+ and Mrs.+ James M. Beggs*
Ashley Benes
David+ and Joan Berenson*
Eleanor K. H. Blayney
Thomas W. Bliss and Debra Harkins Bliss
Dr.+ and Mrs.+ George P. Bogumill*
Barbara A. Boinest
Barbara A. and Peter P. Bonora
David M. Borowski and Kerry Cadden
K. David Boyer, Jr. and Family
Mary W. Brady
Mrs. Joel T. Broyhill+*
Nancy Broyhill
Dennis and Julie Bruns
Beth B. Buehlmann
Edward A.+ and Karen A. Burka
Allyson Butler
Marcia and Frank C.+ Carlucci III*
James and Karen Chamberlain
Denise Chen and Tim Maas
Deborah M. and Michael Jay Chusmir
Roy Cleland
Mark Richard Clem* and Kathleen Callahan
Mr. and Mrs. Philip M. Collins
Suzanne Conrad*
Jim and Kaye Cook
Phyllis and Wes Corley
Stephen T. Cramolini+ and John R. Feather II
Lawrence and Sharon Deibel
Laurie Parks DeLand
Ronald and Linda DeRamus
L. William Derrow+
John and Lynn Dillon
Raymond A. and Roslyn M. Duda^
Kristen and Christopher Eckert*
Eddie and Rachel Eitches
Suzanne Anastos Feigert
Gary T. Festerman+*
Marilyn Hicks Fitzgerald
Michael P. Fitzgerald
Mark and Lynn Freemantle
Daryl and Marcia Friedman*
Virginia McGehee Friend
Hermione Fthenakis
Tom Gardner and Marianne Meagher^
James N. Glerum+ and Diane Morales Glerum
Stephen and Barbara Goetting*
Bette S. Gorman
Sandra Goshgarian
Mark William and Jodie Monger Gray
Robert H. and Linda C. Grimes*
John and Dawn Grinstead
Barbara Groshans
Marcia Hackett
Allen Raphael Halper and Kim Kunzig Halper
Carol V. Harford+*
Mr.+ and Mrs.+ Marion Edwyn Harrison*
Robert H. and Brenda Hawthorne^
Holidae H. Hayes
Robin Crawford Heller
Kaye Ann Hellmich
The Honorable Sophocles A.+ and Mrs. Aphrodite S.+ Hero*
Jo and Larry Hodgin*
William M. Holmes, Jr.*
Clark Hoyt and Linda Kauss
Alexine Clement Jackson+
Stuart C. and Nancy M.+ Johnson*
Terrence and Polly Jones*^
Ms. Terry Lynn Jones*
Barbara (Grabon) and Robert Juszczyk
Ashok and Stuti Kaveeshwar*
Shawn Kelley and Karen Albert
Janet and Jerry Kohlenberger^
Sue Leonard
Howard and Charla Levine^
Mr.+ and Mrs. Robert D. G. Lewis
Dr. Diana Locke and Mr. Robert Toense
Jill and Jeff Loewer
Dennis and Pam Lucey
Bob and Lisa Lutz^
Karyl Charna Lynn
Philip and Sandy+ Marcum
Mr.+ and Mrs. William H. Marumoto*
Dr. R. Barbara Mattas*
Mr.+ and Mrs. R. Dennis McArver*
Ann McPherson McKee*
Ingrid B. Meyer
Joshua, Benjamin, and Micah Miller*
RoseMarie M. Mirabella*
Frances Edmonds (Mohr) and Michael D. Mohr*
Ward+ and Barbara Morris
Mr. and Mrs. Charles T. Moses III
Robert and Barbara Moss^
Jim and Karen Murray
Dr.+ and Mrs. J. Frederic Mushinski
Richard+ and Stella Guerra Nelson*
Darrell L. Netherton
Dr. Norine E. Noonan*
Nicholas Nylec II and Sharon J. Nylec
Edward and Susan O’Connell
Philip and Marjorie Odeen*
Beatriz M. Oliveira
Stephen D. Parks, Jr. and Amy Domagala-Parks
Susan J. and Stephen D. Parks
James B. Pearson, Jr.*
Dr.+ and Mrs.+ Jed W. Pearson, Jr.*
Julia Perry
Carol S. Popowsky
Meg Porta and Matt Swayhoover^
Dr. Kazuko K. Price+*
R. J.+ and Nancy+ Purdy*
Don and Paige Rhodes
Dr. Robin Rinearson
Kevin and Kate Robbins
Julie Carter Roberts and The Honorable James Montgomery Roberts*
Lisa and Bud+ Roeder
Dr. James Roth
Kevin L. Rusnak and Donald R. Dechow Jr.
Rosanne Russo
Bernadette Saperstein
Danielle O. and John H. Saunders
Alan J. Savada*
David Lawrence Scally
Amy E. Schaffer
Ruth and Stan Seemann
Ronald Segal+ and Beverly Dickerson
Keith and Michelle Senglaub
Keith+ and Barbara+ Severin*
Mary Shedlock and Jim Mizner
Wayne+ and Mary Kay+ Shelton*
Joan Sheppard
Dr. George Siemering and Vickie Watson Siemering
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Silien
Mr.+ and Mrs. Murray Simpson
Sandra and Eoin Stafford
Robert E. Stovall and Deborah D. Ralston
Pam and Greg Sullivan
Robert A. Timmins, Jr.
Ina and Ed+ Tornberg
Timothy and Corina Trainer^
Rick R. Treviño and W. Larz Pearson
Lesley D. Turner and Curtis L. Schehr
Mr. and Mrs. James M. Underhill
Mr.+ and Mrs.+ J. Robert Vakiener
Stephanie and Fernando+ van Reigersberg
Charlie and Terry Walters*
Patricia Shea Ward and Paul B. Ward
W. Jay and Camille Warren*
Donald W. Weber, Sr.
Mrs. Robert M. Weidenhammer+*
Margaret Miller and Richard D. Welch, Jr.+*
Sue Ann Westlund and James B. Zahrt
RADM Ronald C.+ and Mrs. Judith A. Wilgenbusch
Earle C.+ and June A.+ Williams*
Miriam C. Flaherty Willis and MG Simon V. L. Willis*
Bob Wilson^
William L. Wingert, Jr.*
Deborah F. and David A. Winston
Donna Wolverton
Mr.+ and Mrs.+ Harry E. Wood*
Andrew Woodcock and Mary Ewell
Cheryl A. Wooden and Dr. Deb Bobbitt
Thomas J. Zaug
* Charter Member ^ Next Chapter Legacy + Deceased
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony
National Symphony Orchestra
Njioma Grevious, violin
Wolf Trap Opera Artists
Ruth Reinhardt, conductor
Keely Futterer, soprano
Gabrielle Beteag, mezzo-soprano
Ricardo Garcia, tenor
Blake Denson, baritone
July 12
Michael Feinstein
Because of You: My Tribute to Tony Bennett featuring The Carnegie Hall Big Band
Edwin Outwater, conductor
June 26
Signature Theatre and Wolf Trap Present Broadway in the Park featuring Laura Benanti and Jordan Fisher
June 29
Pilobolus re:CREATION
July 10
Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert
National Symphony Orchestra
Emil de Cou, conductor
July 13
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ Part 1 in Concert
National Symphony Orchestra
Steven Reineke, conductor
July 24
Explore More Music at the Filene Center
The National Symphony Orchestra's summer classical feature at Wolf Trap is Beethoven's Ninth, the symphony by which all others are measured. The cosmic drama of this colossal masterwork—its grand, emotional melodies and the tremendous closing “Ode to Joy”—reminds us why Beethoven’s final symphony resounds as loudly today as it did two centuries ago. This sublime program opens with Sphinx Concerto Competition winner Njioma Grevious performing Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s irresistibly bold and lyrical Violin Concerto.
SPECIAL THANKS TO DEBORAH F. AND DAVID A. WINSTON, PERFORMANCE SPONSORS
Ghostbusters in Concert
National Symphony Orchestra
Emil de Cou, conductor
July 26
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
Cécile McLorin Salvant
August 15
An Evening with The Washington Ballet
A Kay Shouse Great Performance
September 5
VIRGINIA M c GEHEE FRIEND, PERFORMANCE SPONSOR
Kristin Chenoweth
Alan Cumming
September 13