Washington National Opera to Present Rossini's CINDERELLA This May

Washington National Opera (WNO) concludes its 2014-2015 season with a new-to-Washington staging of Gioachino Rossini's charming romance-Cinderella, May 9-21 in the Kennedy Center Opera House.

Starring two powerhouse mezzo-sopranos-Isabel Leonard and Tara Erraught-appearing at WNO for the first time, this dazzling production has been acclaimed worldwide for its witty characterizations, rainbow-bright sets and costumes, and rags- to-riches ending that celebrates the power of love and forgiveness. The production is staged by Spanish director Joan Font and the WNO Orchestra is led by Italian conductor Speranza Scappucci, both in their WNO debuts. The Saturday, May 16 performance will be simulcast free to thousands of fans at Nationals Park as part of M&M's Opera in the Outfield.

Rossini's popular retelling of the beloved Cinderella story adds a few fabulous twists to the traditional fairy tale. A kindhearted girl named Angelina dreams of one day escaping her impoverished stepfather's castle. When a prince announces he will choose his bride at a glamorous ball, she seizes the opportunity to escape the tyranny of her vain stepsisters and take control of her own destiny.

Audiences of all ages will delight in this clever romantic comedy that features bracelets instead of glass slippers, a philosophical tutor in place of a fairy godmother, and six adorable dancing rats that serve as a makeshift Greek chorus. Considered one of his finest vocal works, Rossini's opera glows with captivating bel canto singing and ornate ensemble passages performed by a thrilling cast of young talents.

The stellar cast is led by two extraordinary mezzo-sopranos, both in their WNO debuts. American Isabel Leonard, winner of the 2013 Richard Tucker Award and a 2013 Grammy Award® for Best Opera Recording, is one of the most highly sought after artists in opera today, regularly appearing in leading roles at opera houses around the world. Tara Erraught, a native of Ireland, makes her U.S. operatic debut in one of her signature roles, which she has sung to great acclaim in Vienna, Munich, and Hamburg. Sharing the role of the dashing prince Don Ramiro are Russian tenor Maxim Mironov and American tenor David Portillo (seen locally earlier this season in Washington Concert Opera's I Capuleti e i Montecchi), also both in their WNO debuts.

Italian baritone and WNO favorite Simone Alberghini, who starred as Sergeant Belcore in last season's The Elixir of Love, is Dandini, the prince's valet. Italian baritone Paolo Bordogna makes his WNO debut as Cinderella's stepfather Don Magnifico, sharing the role with Colombian bass-baritone Valeriano Lanchas, an alumnus of the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program. Chinese bass-baritone Shenyang makes his WNO debut as Don Ramiro's tutor, Alidoro. Rounding out the cast are two Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists as Cinderella's wicked (and wickedly funny) stepsisters: American mezzo-soprano Deborah Nansteel is Tisbe, while American soprano Jacqueline Echols sings the role of Clorinda.

Italian conductor Speranza Scappucci makes her WNO debut leading the WNO Orchestra in interpreting Rossini's brisk and playful score. She will also play the score's recitatives on the harpsichord right from the conductor's podium. The imaginative and bright production from the Barcelona-based theater group Els Comediants is directed by Joan Font with sets and costumes by Joan Guille?n, lighting by Albert Faura, and choreography by Xevi Dorca. All of these Spanish artists make their WNO debuts with this production.

The May 16 M&M's Opera in the Outfield presentation of Cinderella will begin at 5 p.m. with special "pre-ball" entertainment, including a royal parade, a meet-and-greet with M&M's Ms. Brown, photo opportunities with living statues of Babe Ruth and characters from Cinderella, a costume trunk and face painting play area, chances to win prizes from M&M's and the Kennedy Center, and more. The opera will be broadcast live from the Kennedy Center

Opera House to the high-definition NatsHD scoreboard at the ballpark at 7 p.m. Free seating will be available on the outfield grass and in the stands. The event will take place rain or shine-in case of inclement weather, some covered seating is available. Complete information and programming for the May 16 M&M's Opera in the Outfield free simulcast will be announced shortly.

Cinderella opens on Saturday, May 9, 2015 at 7 p.m. and runs for eight performances; other dates are May 11, 13, 15, 16, 17m, 19, and 21. Visit WNO's website for complete production details and casting information.

Washington National Opera's 2015-2016 season includes a new-to-Washington staging of Bizet's Carmen, the world premiere of a newly revised version of Appomattox by composer Philip Glass and librettist Christopher Hampton, a revival of WNO's charming holiday production of Hansel and Gretel, the company premiere of Kurt Weill's Lost in the Stars in a gripping production from Cape Town Opera, and WNO's first complete staging of Wagner's extraordinary four-part Ring Cycle, with a world-class cast under the direction of Francesca Zambello and featuring the WNO Orchestra conducted by WNO Music Director Philippe Auguin. Subscription packages are available now.

Performances: Saturday, May 9 at 7 p.m. • Monday, May 11 at 7 p.m. • Wednesday, May 13 at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 15 at 7:30 p.m. • Saturday, May 16 at 7 p.m. • Sunday, May 17 at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 19 at 7:30 p.m. • Thursday, May 21 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $25 and are available online, in person at the Kennedy Center Box Office, and by calling (202) 467-4600 or (800) 444-1324.

Cinderella Related Programs and Events:

Washington National Opera's Cinderella in Context
Thursday, April 23 at 6:30 p.m., Embassy of Italy, 3000 Whitehaven St., N.W.
Presented by WNO and the Italian Cultural Institute. Join director Joan Font, conductor Speranza Scappucci, and other special guests for a program of discussion and music that explores Rossini's classic comedy. Star baritone Paolo Bordogna (Don Magnifico) will perform some of the opera's most beloved arias. Admission is free but reservations are required. Visit the website of the Italian Cultural Institute for more information and reservations.

Musical Preview: Cinderella
Friday, May 8 at 6 p.m., Kennedy Center Millennium Stage
Enjoy a free preview of musical highlights from Cinderella on the Millennium Stage featuring members of the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program and other artists from the production.

Opera Insights before every performance
WNO presents a free pre-performance education event prior to every performance in the Opera House. These Opera Insights are led by WNO artistic staff members or other experts and will take patrons inside the composer's mind, behind the scenes of planning a production, and into the history and social context of the opera. These events will begin one hour prior to curtain and last approximately 20-25 minutes. (The O-Zone lecture with musicologist Saul Lilienstein on Thursday, May 21 begins 75 minutes prior to curtain and lasts approximately 45 minutes.) A complete list of participants will be posted to WNO's website.

Artist Q&As: Cinderella
Monday, May 11 and Sunday, May 17-post-performance, Opera House
Join WNO artistic staff for a wide-ranging discussion with the artists of the production. These events are free to patrons presenting a ticket from any performance of Cinderella.

ABOUT WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERA - Washington National Opera (WNO) is one of the leading opera companies in the United States. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Francesca Zambello, the company presents a diverse season of grand opera-including both classics from the repertory and more contemporary pieces-plus an annual holiday family opera, several newly commissioned American works, and a variety of special concerts and events. The WNO Orchestra is led by Music Director Philippe Auguin. Founded in 1956 and an affiliate of the Kennedy Center since 2011, WNO has a storied legacy of world premieres, new productions, international tours, live recordings and radio broadcasts, and innovative education and community-engagement programs. Throughout its history WNO has been led by titans in the opera field, including the legendary Pla?cido Domingo, who headed the company from 1996 to 2011.

WNO contributes to the future of opera through two signature artist-development programs. The Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program, now in its 13th season, has become one of the nation's most competitive and comprehensive professional training programs for young singers and collaborative pianists. Alumni of the program have won major competitions and gone on to successful careers at major operas houses in the U.S. and abroad. The WNO Opera Institute nurtures the ambitions of high-school-age singers from across the nation during an intensive three-week summer program held at American University in Washington.

Among the company's most successful recent programs is the 2012 launch of the American Opera Initiative, a comprehensive commissioning program that works to expand the American operatic repertory, to give WNO's young artists the chance to collaborate with living composers and librettists on new works, and to make American opera more relevant to 21st century audiences. The most popular of WNO's community-engagement programs is M&M'S® Opera in the Outfield, during which an opera is broadcast live from the Kennedy Center Opera House stage to the high-definition scoreboard at Nationals Park. Last season's simulcast drew more than 10,000 spectators to the ballpark. The company's other education programs include the Kids Create Opera program at local elementary schools, Look-In performances for students in grades 4-8, and the Student Dress Rehearsal Program for middle and high school students. The company also offers free Opera Insights programs before every performance in the Opera House.

To celebrate the company's 60th anniversary, Washington National Opera will present three complete cycles of Wagner's Ring in spring 2016. These performances, featuring an acclaimed production by Artistic Director Francesca Zambello and conducted by Music Director Philippe Auguin, will be the first time the company has presented The Ring in complete cycles in its history.

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