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The Washington National Opera (WNO) is a world-class opera company in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the Capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790....
, USA. Formerly the Washington Opera, the company received Congressional designation as the National Opera Company in 2000. Performances are now given in the Opera House
Opera house

An opera house is a theater building used for opera performances that consists of a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and set building....
 of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center located on the Potomac River, adjacent to the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C....
.

Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo

Jos? Pl?cido Domingo Embil Order of the British Empire , better known as Pl?cido Domingo, is a Spanish tenor, known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range....
, the Spanish
Spain

Spain or the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in Southern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though Espa?a , Estado espa?ol and Naci?n espa?ola are used interchangeably....
 tenor
Tenor

The tenor is a type of male voice type and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between the C one octave below middle C to the A above in choral music, and up to high C in solo work....
 and conductor
Conducting

Conducting is the act of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. Orchestras, choirs, concert bands and other musical ensembles often have conductors....
, has served as the company's General Director since 1996. Domingo began a significant affiliation with the Opera company in 1986, when he appeared in its world premiere production of Gian Carlo Menotti
Gian Carlo Menotti

Gian Carlo Menotti was an Italy composer and libretto. Although he often referred to himself as an American composer, he kept his Italian citizenship....
's Goya, followed by performances in a production of Tosca
Tosca

Tosca is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Victorien Sardou drama, La Tosca....
 in the 1988/89 season.






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The Washington National Opera (WNO) is a world-class opera company in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the Capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790....
, USA. Formerly the Washington Opera, the company received Congressional designation as the National Opera Company in 2000. Performances are now given in the Opera House
Opera house

An opera house is a theater building used for opera performances that consists of a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and set building....
 of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center located on the Potomac River, adjacent to the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C....
.

Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo

Jos? Pl?cido Domingo Embil Order of the British Empire , better known as Pl?cido Domingo, is a Spanish tenor, known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range....
, the Spanish
Spain

Spain or the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in Southern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though Espa?a , Estado espa?ol and Naci?n espa?ola are used interchangeably....
 tenor
Tenor

The tenor is a type of male voice type and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between the C one octave below middle C to the A above in choral music, and up to high C in solo work....
 and conductor
Conducting

Conducting is the act of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. Orchestras, choirs, concert bands and other musical ensembles often have conductors....
, has served as the company's General Director since 1996. Domingo began a significant affiliation with the Opera company in 1986, when he appeared in its world premiere production of Gian Carlo Menotti
Gian Carlo Menotti

Gian Carlo Menotti was an Italy composer and libretto. Although he often referred to himself as an American composer, he kept his Italian citizenship....
's Goya, followed by performances in a production of Tosca
Tosca

Tosca is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Victorien Sardou drama, La Tosca....
 in the 1988/89 season. Maestro Domingo celebrated ten years as the Opera's General Director on July 1, 2006 and his contract has been extended through the 2010-2011 season. Parallel to Domingo's management of the company, he has been general manager of the Los Angeles Opera
Los Angeles Opera

The Los Angeles Opera is an opera company in Los Angeles, California. It is the fourth largest opera company in the United States. The company's home base is the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, part of the Los Angeles Music Center....
 since 2001.

The Opera Society

The Washington National Opera was established in 1957 as the Opera Society of Washington by Day Thorpe, the music critic of the now defunct Washington Star. Paul Callaway
Paul Callaway

Paul Smith Callaway was a prominent United States organist and choral conductor, particularly well-known for his thirty-eight years at the Washington National Cathedral, Washington, D.C., between 1939–1977....
, the choirmaster and organist of the Washington National Cathedral
Washington National Cathedral

Washington National Cathedral, whose official name is the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church ....
, was its first music director. In the early years, the company presented opera in George Washington University
George Washington University

The George Washington University is a Private university, Mixed-sex education university located in Washington, D.C. The school was chartered on February 9, 1821 as The Columbian College in the District of Columbia by an Act of Congress and since that time has developed into a nonsectarian research institution....
's Lisner Auditorium.

The Opera and Washington

Many prominent Washingtonians gravitated enthusiastically to the Opera Society and devoted years of their lives to making the Washington Opera a successful undertaking. Paul Callaway the choirmaster and organist of the Washington Cathedral was named the first music director. Some of the early contributors of both time and later financial assistance included David Lloyd Kreeger, who later became President of the Opera Board. Roger Stevens
Roger L. Stevens

Roger L. Stevens was an American theatrical producer, arts administrator, and a real estate executive. He is the founding Chairman of both the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts , and National Endowment for the Arts ....
, as the Chairman of the Board of Kennedy Center invited the Washington Opera into the Kennedy Center where it remains today.

The late Martin Feinstein, one of the early directors of the Washington Opera, brought in many young singers, long before their first appearances at the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera

The Metropolitan Opera Association of New York City, founded in April 1880, is a major presenter of all types of opera including Grand Opera. Peter Gelb is the company's general manager and James Levine is music director....
. His initiative began a Washington Opera tradition of cultivating young talent. Singers nurtured through the program include Jerry Hadley
Jerry Hadley

Jerry Hadley was an American operatic tenor, who was a Mentorship of famous soprano Dame Joan Sutherland and her husband, conducting Richard Bonynge....
 and Denyce Graves
Denyce Graves

Denyce Graves is an United States opera singer.Graves was raised in the city's Bellevue, Washington, D.C. section, in a single-parent household....
.

2008-2009 Season


2009-2010 Season


The American Ring

The Washington National Opera originally announced plans to perform Der Ring Des Nibelungen
Der Ring des Nibelungen

Der Ring des Nibelungen is a literature cycle of four epic poetry music dramas by the Germany composer Richard Wagner. The operas are based loosely on characters from the Sagas and the Nibelungenlied....
, a cycle of four operas by Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner

Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, Conducting, theatre director and essayist, primarily known for his operas . Unlike most other great opera composers, Wagner wrote both the scenario and libretto for his works....
, in November 2009. However, in early November 2008 in view of the nation's economic collapse, the company announced that the full cycle had been postponed. Siegfried
Siegfried (opera)

Siegfried is the third of the four operas that comprise Der Ring des Nibelungen , by Richard Wagner. It received its premiere at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus on 16 August 1876, as part of the first complete performance of The Ring....
 will still form part of the 2008/09 season while Götterdämmerung
Götterdämmerung

is the last of the four operas that make up Der Ring des Nibelungen , by Richard Wagner. It received its premiere at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus on 17 August 1876, as part of the first complete performance of the Ring....
 will be given in a concert performance.

External links

  • (Washington Opera General Director) by Bruce Duffie, June 14, 1990