Post Kennedy Center Split, Washington National Opera Sets Stephen Schwartz Hosted WEST SIDE STORY Gala & More

Washington National Opera has announced that its spring 2026 performances, marking the company’s 70th anniversary season, will take place at venues throughout the greater Washington, D.C. region. The previously announced spring productions will be presented following the company’s decision to end its affiliation agreement with the Kennedy Center and resume operations as an independent nonprofit organization.

The spring season includes the premiere of a new version of Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha, directed by Denyce Graves, and Robert Ward’s Pulitzer Prize-winning opera The Crucible. Both productions will be staged at Lisner Auditorium, the same venue where Washington National Opera presented its first performances 70 years ago.

Following the announcement of its transition away from the Kennedy Center, the company reported receiving donations from more than 500 donors within 72 hours.

WNO has stated it remains committed to serving audiences across the region through performances at a variety of venues. Additional details and locations will be announced for the company’s May productions of West Side Story, conducted by Marin Alsop and featuring the original choreography of Jerome Robbins as recreated by Joshua Bergasse, as well as the annual Opera Gala.

The gala will be hosted by composer Stephen Schwartz and co-hosted by Jamie Bernstein, author and daughter of Leonard Bernstein, and will feature a program highlighting connections between opera and the American musical.

WNO’s American Opera Initiative performances have been postponed, with rescheduled dates and venues to be announced. The program commissions three new one-act operas annually by first-time composers and librettists.

“The artists, trustees, and staff of WNO are beyond grateful for the inspiring support we have received,” said General Director Timothy O’Leary. “For this moment, returning to Lisner Auditorium is both a homecoming and renewal.”

Artistic Director Francesca Zambello noted that the spring season will feature three American works exploring major themes in U.S. history and culture.

The spring mainstage season begins with the world premiere of a new version of Treemonisha on March 7, 8, and 15. The production features a newly commissioned adaptation by composer Damien Sneed and playwright Kyle Bass, conducted by Kedrick Armstrong, and stars Viviana Goodwin in the title role, alongside Justin Austin and Tichina Vaughn. WNO will also partner with the Library of Congress for a free community event on February 23 featuring selections from the opera and a panel discussion.

Performances of The Crucible will follow on March 21, 23, 25, 27, and 29. The production stars J’Nai Bridges as Elizabeth Proctor and Ryan McKinny as John Proctor, with a cast that includes company alumni and members of the Cafritz Young Artists Program.

Additional spring programming includes concerts and staged works by the Cafritz Young Artists and performances by the Washington National Opera Orchestra at venues throughout the region.

Patrons holding tickets for previously scheduled Kennedy Center performances are receiving refunds. Tickets for Treemonisha and The Crucible go on sale to the public on January 23, with subscriber pre-sales beginning January 20. 

Washington National Opera 2026 Season

Treemonisha

Music and libretto by Scott Joplin, with musical adaptation and orchestration by Damien Sneed and additional lyrics by Kyle Bass.

Treemonisha follows the story of an educated freedwoman living on a former plantation in 1884 Arkansas who challenges superstition and deceit in order to guide her community toward knowledge, self-determination, and progress. Blending ragtime, Black folk songs, spirituals, ballet, and traditional operatic elements, the work occupies a unique place in the American operatic canon. This newly commissioned version brings Joplin’s unfinished opera to the stage in a modern adaptation that honors its historical roots while expanding its theatrical scope.

The production stars Viviana Goodwin as Treemonisha, with Justin Austin as Remus and Tichina Vaughn as Monisha. The cast also includes Jonathan Pierce Rhodes as Zodzetrick, Kevin Short as Ned, Nina Evelyn as Lucy, Angeli Jemilda Ferrette as Ella, Brittani McNeill as Rose, Alexandria Crichlow as Beth, Hakeem Henderson as Andy, Ernest Jackson as Cephus, Nicholas LaGesse as Parson Alltalk, Thandolwethu Mamba as Simon, and Jim Williams as Luddud.

Kedrick Armstrong conducts the Washington National Opera Orchestra. The production is directed by Denyce Graves, with musical adaptation and orchestrations by Damien Sneed and dialogue and additional lyrics by Kyle Bass. Scenic design is by Lawrence E. Moten III, costume design by Lynly A. Saunders, lighting design by Jason Lynch, and choreography by Eboni Adams.

Performances take place at George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20037. The opera is performed in English with projected English titles. Performances are scheduled for Saturday, March 7, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.; Sunday, March 8, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.; and Sunday, March 15, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.

The Crucible

Music by Robert Ward with a libretto by Bernard Stambler, based on Arthur Miller’s play.

The Crucible dramatizes the Salem witch trials of the late 17th century while serving as an allegory for political persecution and moral panic in mid-20th-century America. The opera explores themes of fear, power, and personal conscience as accusations spiral into tragedy, destroying families and communities. Ward’s Pulitzer Prize-winning score underscores the psychological tension and moral complexity of the story.

The cast is led by J’Nai Bridges as Elizabeth Proctor and Ryan McKinny as John Proctor. They are joined by Lauren Carroll as Abigail Williams, Ronnita Miller as Tituba, Chauncey Packer as Judge Danforth, Robert Frazier as Reverend John Hale, Alexander McKissick as Reverend Samuel Parris, Michelle Mariposa as Rebecca Nurse, Atticus Rego as Francis Nurse, Joshua Dennis as Ezekiel Cheever, Nicholas Huff as Giles Corey, Kresley Figueroa as Mary Warren, Tiffany Choe as Ann Putnam, Chandler Benn as Thomas Putnam, Anneliese Klenetsky as Sarah Good and Ruth Putnam, Veronica Siebert as Betty Parris, and Alexandra Christoforakis as Susanna Walcott.

Robert Spano conducts the Washington National Opera Orchestra, with direction by Francesca Zambello. Scenic design is by Neil Patel, original lighting design by Mark McCullough with lighting design by Jason Lynch, and costume design by Jessica Jahn.

Performances will be held at George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20037. The opera is performed in English with projected English titles. Performances are scheduled for Saturday, March 21; Monday, March 23; Wednesday, March 25; and Friday, March 27 at 7:00 p.m., with a matinee performance on Sunday, March 29, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.

WNO’s Treemonisha: Behind the Scenes

This free community event offers audiences an opportunity to explore the creation of Treemonisha through live performance excerpts and discussion. Panelists include Francesca Zambello, Damien Sneed, and Denyce Graves, with performances by Cafritz Young Artists Viviana Goodwin and Hakeem Henderson. The event takes place on Monday, February 23, 2026 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Building, Coolidge Auditorium, located at 10 1st Street SE, Washington, DC 20540. Reservations are required.

Additional Spring 2026 Programs

My Genius, My Angel, My Friend

This concert program features vocal and instrumental works performed by members of the Washington National Opera Orchestra alongside former Cafritz Young Artists. Performers include cellist Igor Zubkovsky, baritones Christian Simmons and Rob McGuinness, sopranos Zoya Gramagin and Nina Mutalifu, tenor Ryan Lustgarten, and pianist Katerina Souvorova. The concert takes place on Friday, January 23, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church in Bethesda, Maryland.

Beethoven & Bohème

This collaborative program with the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra pairs orchestral works by Beethoven with vocal scenes from Puccini’s La Bohème. Conducted by James Ross, the performance features singers from the Cafritz Young Artists Program and will be presented on February 14, 2026 at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center in Alexandria, Virginia, and on February 15, 2026 at the George Washington Masonic Memorial.

Mendelssohn Piano Trio: Benefit Recital for Jamaica

This benefit recital features chamber music by Mendelssohn performed by violinist Heather Green, cellist Danielle Cho, and pianist Grace MacFarlane. The concert will take place on Sunday, February 15, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. at National Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C., with free admission and donations accepted to benefit Jamaica.

Presented by Orange Music Society and Sound Impact, this chamber music concert features works by Caroline Shaw alongside selections by Mendelssohn. Performers include violinists Kayla Moffett and Angelia Cho, violist Ashley Vandiver, and cellist Danielle Cho. The concert will take place on Sunday, February 22, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Orange, Virginia, with free admission.

Hylton Presents Washington National Opera Orchestra with the Cafritz Young Artists

This concert features the Washington National Opera Orchestra joined by singers from the Cafritz Young Artists Program in a program of operatic favorites. The performance takes place on Sunday, March 1, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. at the Hylton Performing Arts Center’s Merchant Hall at George Mason University in Manassas, Virginia.

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