WNO Announces Casting Update for AIDA; Leah Crocetto Joins the Production

Washington National Opera (WNO) today announces that American soprano Leah Crocetto will sing the title role of Aida in performances on September 10, 15, and 17. She replaces American soprano Amber Wagner, who has withdrawn from the production for personal reasons.

"We are incredibly fortunate that an artist of the caliber of Leah Crocetto, who originated the role in this new production's premiere in San Francisco last season, was available to step in at the last minute," says WNO Artistic Director and Aida director Francesca Zambello. "We are disappointed not to present Amber Wagner's role debut as Aida, but I know she will have success in the role in the future."

Leah Crocetto is well known to Washington audiences. She was seen earlier this summer as the soprano soloist in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the National Symphony Orchestra in Christoph Eschenbach's final performances as the orchestra's Music Director. She made her WNO debut as Madame Lidoine in Dialogues of the Carmelites in 2015 and was presented in a recital with pianist Mark Markham in the Terrace Theater in 2016. She will soon appear as Elisabeth of Valois in WNO's new production of Don Carlo. Later this season she will also make her role debut as Tosca with Pittsburgh Opera; appear as Liù in Turandot with San Francisco Opera, the role of her Metropolitan Opera debut in 2015; and make her debut with Oper Frankfurt as Leonora in a new production of Il trovatore. A finalist in the Song Competition at the 2011 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition and a 2010 Grand Finals Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, her recent performances include the title roles of Aida and Luisa Miller and Mimì in La bohème at San Francisco Opera, Anna in Maometto II and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni at Santa Fe Opera, and the title role of Semiramide at Opéra National de Bordeaux. She is currently starring as Eleonora in the American premiere of The Siege of Calais at The Glimmerglass Festival in a production directed by Francesca Zambello.