Washington Concert Opera Announces 2017/18 Season

Washington Concert Opera is proud to announce its 2017-2018 lineup. WCO begins its year with a performance of Bellini's La straniera on November 19th and ending on February 18th, 2018 with Donizetti's Maria di Rohan. All performances will start at 6pm and will take place at Lisner Auditorium on the campus of George Washington University.

Inspired by true events during the 12th century, La straniera tells the tale of a French king's scandalous divorce from a Danish princess and his subsequent marriage to a mysterious foreign woman ("la straniera"), kept tucked away in a wooded cottage. This bel canto treasure, which is rarely performed in the United States, will be performed on November 19th and feature three rising stars in their WCO debuts-soprano Amanda Woodbury as Alaide, tenor Gerard Schneider as Arturo, mezzo-soprano Corrie Stallings as Isoletta-and the return of a WCO favorite, baritone Javier Arrey, in the role of Valdeburgo.

A classic love triangle with a tragic twist, Maria di Rohan follows the story of a woman torn between the man she loves and the man to whom she is secretly married. Duels, love letters, underground tunnels and political intrigue ensue. Lifted from a 19th century French play and transformed into this atypically dramatic bel canto work, WCO welcomes four acclaimed artists to our stage in their company debuts: soprano Marina Costa-Jackson in the title role, tenor Norman Reinhardt as Riccardo, baritone Lester Lynch as Enrico, and mezzo-soprano Ginger Costa-Jackson as Gondì.