WNO Presents Jake Heggie and Terrence McNally's DEAD MAN WALKING and Terence Blanchard and Michael Cristofer's CHAMPION

Washington National Opera (WNO) continues its 2016-2017 season with the company premieres of two modern American masterworks of opera: Jake Heggie and Terrence McNally's Dead Man Walking, February 25-March 11, 2017 in the Opera House, and Terence Blanchard and Michael Cristofer's Champion, March 4- 18, 2017 in the Opera House. Both operas explore the theme of social justice which is often associated with John F. Kennedy and are presented as part of JFKC, the Kennedy Center's season-long celebration of President Kennedy's centennial. Using many of the same designers and scenic elements, the directors of each opera have worked collaboratively to create two distinct worlds in each new production to showcase the issues of Justice, Courage, and Freedom at the heart of these two compelling stories. An additional special event will continue the exploration of these themes: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will headline Justice at the Opera on Thursday, March 9, 2017 in the Opera House.

"At WNO, we strive to produce works that address important current issues and showcase the talents of our own American composers and librettists, and I am thrilled that these two thought-provoking masterworks-with their themes of love, redemption, spirituality, forgiveness, homophobia, and racism-are part of our season," said WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello. "As the national opera company, we seek to balance the classics with new works, and demonstrate that opera has been and will always be a powerful medium to explore the most pressing issues of the day."

Dead Man Walking

Dead Man Walking, February 25-March 11, 2017 in the Opera House, is based on Sister Helen Prejean's acclaimed 1993 memoir, which tells of her time working with death row inmates at Louisiana State Penitentiary and of a particular relationship she developed with one of the inmates. The opera explores the human conflicts posed by society's demands for vengeance and the Christian imperative for forgiveness and love. The lyrical score by composer Jake Heggie (WNO's Moby-Dick, 2014) is widely regarded as a modern classic, while Terrence McNally's balanced libretto has been called one of the most perfect librettos of an American opera ever written.

Dead Man Walking is one of the most performed of new American operas. Since its world premiere at San Francisco Opera in 2000, it has been staged internationally in more than 40 productions on five continents; it has also received two live recordings. Sister Helen's memoir was also the basis of the Oscar®-winning 1995 film starring Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn.

The extraordinary young mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsey, who has been seen in many productions at the Metropolitan Opera and is known to Washington audiences for her thrilling work in Washington Concert Opera's I Capuleti e i Montecchi and the recent La favorite, makes her WNO and role debut as Sister Helen. Baritone Michael Mayes, a favorite of composer Jake Heggie, makes his WNO debut in his signature role of death row inmate Joseph De Rocher. Susan Graham, the superstar mezzo-soprano who originated the lead role of Sister Helen in the opera's world premiere, returns to WNO for her role debut as Joseph's mother, Mrs. De Rocher. Tenor Clay Hilley makes his WNO debut as Father Grenville, and baritone Wayne Tigges is Owen Hart.

The cast also includes several alumni and current members of the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program. Returning to WNO are soprano Jacqueline Echols as Sister Rose and soprano Kerriann Otan?o as Kitty Hart. Current Young Artists in the cast include bass Timothy J. Bruno as George Benton, mezzo-soprano Daryl Freedman as Jade Boucher, baritone Michael Adams as Motorcycle Cop and Prison Guard 1, and bass-baritone Andrew Bogard as Prison Guard 2.

WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello directs this new production, and conductor Michael Christie, the sought-after music director of the Minnesota Opera, leads the WNO Orchestra in his WNO debut. Zambello and Christie will team again for Don Giovanni in Concert with the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists on Friday, March 17, 2017. The creative team for Dead Man Walking includes set designer Allen Moyer, costume designer Jessica Jahn, lighting designer Christopher Akerlind, projection designer Greg Emetaz, hair and makeup designer Anne Ford-Coates, and fight master Joe Isenberg.

Sister Helen Prejean will be in Washington throughout the rehearsal and performance period. See page 8 for more information about her appearances at the National Museum of Women in the Arts and Washington National Cathedral.

Dead Man Walking opens on Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 7 p.m. in the Kennedy Center Opera House and runs for six performances, including February 27 and March 3, 5, 8, and 11. The opera's running time is approximately two hours and 45 minutes, including one intermission. Talkbacks with members of the cast and creative are scheduled immediately following each performance. Visit WNO's website for complete production details and casting information. See page 8 for a listing of events related to Dead Man Walking.

Champion

In Champion, March 4-18, 2017 in the Opera House, five-time Grammy Award®- winning composer Terence Blanchard uses jazz as the basis for a cinematic and groundbreaking operatic score filled with bluesy harmonies and Afro-Caribbean beats; Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Cristofer's libretto ably tells the true story of Emile Griffith, a professional boxer from the U.S. Virgin Islands who threw a fatal punch in the boxing ring in 1962 after being taunted for his sexuality by his rival. "I kill a man and the world forgives me. I love a man and the world wants to kill me." Through flashback, an aging Emile reflects on his tumultuous life, from his Caribbean upbringing and conflicted sexuality to his meteoric rise in the ring and ensuing decline in health. Battling years of guilt, regret, and denial, he faces his greatest fight: to come to terms with his true self. Using a diverse soundscape along with powerful multimedia elements, Champion explores issues of race, sexuality, and self-discovery. The opera had its world premiere at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis in 2013, and WNO's production is the work's East Coast premiere.

Distinguished worldwide for his searing portrayals of some of opera's most complex characters, the towering bass Arthur Woodley originated the lead role of boxing legend Emile Griffith at Champion's premiere and reprises it for WNO. Also repeating his role from the premiere is rising bass-baritone Aubrey Allicock, who plays Young Emile in his WNO debut. Singing the role of Emile's mother, Emelda Griffith, is renowned mezzo- soprano and WNO favorite Denyce Graves, an alumna of D.C.'s Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Tenor Victor Ryan Robertson is Emile's rival, Benny Paret, in his WNO debut, while baritone Wayne Tigges is Howie Albert and in-demand contralto Meredith Arwady makes her WNO debut as Kathy Hagan. Two Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists take on featured roles: soprano Leah Hawkins sings Cousin Blanche and Sadie Griffith, while tenor Frederick Ballentine is Luis Griffith. Local performer Samuel Grace, a student at Benjamin D. Foulois Creative and Performing Arts Academy in Suitland,

Maryland and a member of the WNO Children's Chorus, sings the role of Little Emile Griffith. The opera also features the talents of principal dancer Joe Orrach.

In a first for Washington National Opera, a quartet of jazz musicians will join the WNO Orchestra for performances of Champion. The quartet includes local guitarist Dan Hovey and WNO Orchestra bassist Nathaniel West, as well as two special guest musicians: pianist and regular Terence Blanchard collaborator Fabian Almazan and renowned drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts.

The production is led by director James Robinson, artistic director of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and conducted by George Manahan, music director of Portland Opera, both of whom were involved in Champion's world premiere production. The creative team also includes set designer Allen Moyer, costume designer James Schuette, lighting designer Christopher Akerlind, projection designer Greg Emetaz, hair and makeup designer Tom Watson, choreographer Sea?n Curran, and fight master Joe Isenberg.

Champion opens on Saturday, March 4, 2017 at 7 p.m. in the Kennedy Center Opera House and runs for six performances, including March 6, 10, 12, 15, and 18. The opera's running time is approximately two hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission. Visit WNO's website for complete production details and casting information. See page 10 for a listing of events related to Champion.

Justice at the Opera with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg-a longtime WNO fan and patron-will be joined by WNO Artistic Director and host Francesca Zambello for a special one-night- only event: Justice at the Opera, Thursday, March 9, 2017 in the Opera House. The program features a lively balance of performance and commentary, with members of the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program enacting selected opera scenes and arias that deal with law and justice, followed by Justice Ginsburg's engaging insights. This unique event is a perfect companion to WNO's productions of Dead Man Walking and Champion. Visit WNO's website for complete details on the evening.

Washington National Opera's 2016-2017 season continues with Don Giovanni in Concert featuring the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists on Friday, March 19, 2017 in the Opera House, and Puccini's beloved Madame Butterfly in a dazzling production designed by visual artist Jun Kaneko, May 6-21, 2017 in the Opera House. WNO's 2017-2018 season includes new productions of Verdi's epic drama Aida, the company premiere of Handel's magical baroque opera Alcina, and Verdi's towering masterpiece Don Carlo, plus Rossini's delightful comedy The Barber of Seville and Bernstein's biting satire Candide. The season also features a festival weekend of four world premieres as part of the American Opera Initiative, the return of the holiday family opera The Little Prince, two special Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist performances, and other exciting vocal events. Subscription packages and single tickets are available now.

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