Washington National Opera Presents THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 5/6

Washington National Opera, under the leadership of GeneralDirector Plácido Domingo, will present a Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist performance of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, May 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the Kennedy Center Opera House. This one-night-only performance is a rare opportunity to witness emerging artists in the Early Stages of their careers, performing in a fully staged opera. In the spirit of cultivating the next generation of opera talent and opera lovers, this performance is offered exclusively to new members of Generation O, the company's free-to-join young professionals group. The Marriage of Figaro is performed in Italian with English supertitles. Tickets are $15 to $35; complete production and ticketing information is below, and artist biographies are available upon request or are available here.

Among the premier artist training programs, the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program supports theartistic development of singers, coach-accompanists, directors and conductors, most in their mid-twenties to early thirties. Graduates of the two-year residence program continue on to internationalcareers, with engagements at the world's leading opera houses. The Young Artists' performance of TheMarriage of Figaro marks the culmination of two years of rigorous training, and provides the on-stage performance experience critical to artists' growth.

Maestro Domingo, founder of the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program and a mentor to each of theYoung Artists, commented that, "the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program is among Washington National Opera's proudest achievements. They are the company's investment in the future of opera, and based on this talented group, the future is bright indeed. The Marriage of Figaro is a delightful opera, and one of the perfect works to introduce new audiences to opera."

Mozart's riotous tale of foibles and follies features an unmatched combination of musical wit andelegance. The Marriage of Figaro tells the lighthearted story of the licentious Count Almaviva and his slyservant Figaro. When the Count, bored with his marriage to the lovely Countess, attempts to woo Figaro's fiancée Susanna, it is up to Figaro and his cunning ploys to ensure that both pairs of lovers are reunited. The fully staged production, from Houston Grand Opera, features opulent sets and costumes.

Young Artist conductor Michael Rossi will lead this performance, marking the first time a Young Artist will lead the WNO Orchestra in an Opera House performance. Joining him in preparing the performanceare Young Artist director David Paul and coach-accompanist Michael Spassov. The featured roles arecomprised solely of Young Artists and include Ukrainian baritones Oleksandr Pushniak as CountAlmaviva and Aleksey Bogdanov as Figaro. American sopranos Jennifer Waters and Emily Albrink will sing the roles of the Countess and Susanna, respectively, and American mezzo-soprano Brandy Lynn Hawkins is the playful Cherubino. Also featured are Cynthia Hanna, Micaëla Oeste (Marcellina), Jesús Hernandez and José Ortega.

The Young Artist Performance of The Marriage of Figaro is offered exclusively to new members of Generation O, the Opera's free-to-join program for young professionals ages 18 to 35. Members receivespecially priced tickets as well as access to special events and networking opportunities. With more than15,000 members, Generation O is among the largest and most successful young patron groups in thecountry.Immediately following the performance, Generation O will host a benefit event, A Late Night Affair, in honor of the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists. This event is by invitation only. For more information, visit www.dc-opera.org/generationo or call 202.295.2488.

Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists' The Marriage of Figaro THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO by W. A. Mozart Libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte, In Italian with English supertitles. Featuring Washington National Opera's Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists Production from Houston Grand Opera. The running time for this production is approximately 3 hours and 6 minutes, including one 20-minute intermission. Thursday, May 6, 7:30 P.M.

DESCRIPTION: WNO's Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists are featured in a fully staged performance of one of the most beloved works in the operatic repertoire, The Marriage of Figaro, a near flawless blend of music and theatricality. Count Almaviva's palace is filled with a tangled web of love affairs: the pageboy Cherubino courtsthe Countess while the Count pursues the maidservant Susanna who is betrothed to the wily Figaro. Thursday,May 6, 7:30 p.m. at the Kennedy Center Opera House. Tickets are $15 to $35, and are available exclusively to new members of WNO's free-to-join Generation O program, for patrons 18 to 35. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact WNO Audience Services, 202.295.2400 or visit www.dc-opera.org/generationo .

TICKETS AND PATRON INFORMATION• Tickets are $15, $25 and $35, and are available through WNO Audience Services, 202.295.2400 or 800.US.OPERA, or online at www.dc-opera.org/generationo• WNO is committed to serving persons with disabilities. Wheelchair accessible seating is available in allprice categories for all operas. Please contact Audience Services at 202.295.2400, email adacoordinator@dc-opera.org, or visit www.dc-opera.org for more information.• This performance of The Marriage of Figaro is held in the Kennedy Center Opera House, located at 2700 F Street NW, Washington, D.C.• Casting, program, schedules and pricing are subject to change without notice. 

Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists' The Marriage of Figaro-Related EventPre-Performance Talk-Prior to the Young Artist Performance of The Marriage of Figaro, join YoungArtist conductor Michael Rossi and Young Artist Director David Paul to discuss the opera, the productionand the Young Artist program. May 6 at 6:15 p.m. in the Kennedy Center Opera House. This event is free with a ticket to the performance.

Special Event: A Late Night Affair-Immediately following the Young Artist performance of TheMarriage of Figaro, join Generation O for their first-ever benefit event: a cast pasty honoring the Young Artists, with proceeds benefiting the Young Artist Program. Generation O is a free-to-join program for students and young professionals ages 18 to 35. May 6 at 10:30 p.m. at Circle Bistro. This event is by invitation only. Admission is $100 and includes premium seating at the performance; VIP packages are $250 per person. For more information, visit www.dc-opera.org/generationo or call 202.295.2488.

About Washington National Opera: Founded in 1956, Washington National Opera is recognized as oneof America's leading opera companies. Under the leadership of Plácido Domingo since 1996, WNOcontinues to build on its rich history by offering operas of the highest artistic quality, balancing popular grand opera with new and infrequently performed works. In addition, WNO fulfills its mission by servingas a vital resource throughout the DC metro area, bringing opera to a broad and diverse public throughits award-winning education and community programs.

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