Christine Ebersole Will Host WNO Gala

Washington National Opera (WNO) announces the addition of Tony Award-winning actress Christine Ebersole as host and special guest artist for its 2019 Gala on Saturday, May 18, in the Kennedy Center Opera House.

Ebersole, an iconic artist of the stage and screen-who appeared in Francesca Zambello's 2018 production of Candide at LA Opera-joins the WNO gala cast, along with previously announced headliner Christine Goerke, another iconic American voice who is currently starring as Brunnhilde in the Ring Cycle at the Met. This year's WNO gala concert program explores the beauty and vitality of the human voice through music ranging from Wagner to Gershwin to Irving Berlin.

Christine Ebersole is known for her wide artistic range and versatility, perhaps most notably for her work on Broadway, where she won the Tony Award twice for her work in Grey Gardens and 42nd Street. She has a distinguished list of television and film credits to her name, including The Wolf of Wall Street, Amadeus, Tootsie, and Richie Rich on the big screen, as well as Sullivan and Son, Royal Pains, Madame Secretary, and Blue Bloods. Her concert and stage credits have taken her to renowned venues across the country, and she has made numerous recordings.

Also added to the roster of talent for the gala evening are soprano Latonia Moore, who appears in the title role in two performances of WNO's upcoming run of Tosca. Moore joins Ebersole, Goerke, and Washingtonian bass Soloman Howard.

The Gala is WNO's largest fundraising event and one of Washington's most anticipated events of the year. Proceeds from the Gala play a crucial role in advancing WNO's artistic, educational, and community engagement programs. The 2019 WNO Gala honors local entrepreneur John J. Pohanka for his outstanding contributions to the organization, features Evan Rogister leading the WNO Orchestra in his inaugural performance as WNO's Principal Conductor.

The Co-Chairs of the WNO Gala are Jacqueline Badger Mars and Camille Biros.

Tickets for the Gala concert only, starting at $45, are on sale now.

Special packages to attend all Gala festivities are available. The Gala evening will begin with a cocktail reception on the Kennedy Center's River Terrace at 4:30 p.m., followed by the 6 p.m. Gala concert performance. The event concludes with elegant black-tie dinners hosted by Ambassadors and foreign dignitaries at embassies and residences throughout Washington, a longtime tradition of the Opera's season-ending social gathering.

Tickets to the WNO Gala concert, which start at $45, are available online, in person at the Kennedy Center Box Office, and by calling (202) 467-4600 or (800) 444-1324. For all other ticket-related customer service inquiries, call the Advance Sales Box Office at (202) 416-8540.

Gala ticket packages start at $500 and include the VIP cocktail party and priority seating for the Gala concert. Packages that also include seating at the private embassy dinners following the performance start at $1,000. Information is available online or by contacting the Special Events office at (202) 416-8496 or operagala@kennedy-center.org.

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