Renée Fleming and Mo Willems present

The Ice Cream Truck Is Broken! & Other Emotional Arias

Eisenhower Theater

Join a family-friendly event exploring our strongest emotions through one of the world’s most dramatic genres…opera!

Apr. 22 - 23, 2023

Upcoming Dates

  • Sat. Apr. 22, 2023 1p.m.

  • Sat. Apr. 22, 2023 4p.m.

    Sign Interpreted icon
  • Sun. Apr. 23, 2023 2p.m.

    Sensory Friendly icon

Production Information

Art © Mo Willems

Program

A Kennedy Center and Washington National Opera World Premiere Commission

Don’t miss this opera-tunity to laugh, cry, and learn new ways to sing your heart out.

Join hosts Kennedy Center Artistic Advisor Renée Fleming and inaugural Education Artist-in-Residence Mo Willems for a family-friendly event exploring our strongest emotions through one of the world’s most dramatic genres…opera!

Together with the Washington National Opera Cafritz Young Artists, Mo and Renée present famous arias as you’ve never heard them before, bursting with Mo-ified lyrics to explore the range of human emotions in a way audiences new and old can appreciate and enjoy.

Feel the joy of playing with 10,000 puppies through the music of Verdi, the despair of not having ice cream through Leoncavallo, and the anger and frustration of not being able to ride a bike through Mozart. And—as a special bonus for the evening—enjoy a world premiere performance of the new WNO commission, Don’t Let the Pigeon Sing Up Late!, composed by Kennedy Center Composer-in-Residence Carlos Simon and featuring The Pigeon’s dramatic operatic debut.

Music directed and conducted by David Hanlon
Directed by Felicia Curry

Most enjoyed by ages 5+

Sunday, April 23 at 2 p.m. is a sensory-friendly performance.

Sensory-friendly performances are designed to create a performing arts experience that is welcoming to all families, including those with children with autism or other sensory sensitivities. If you order these performances and do not require these Accessibility accommodations, your family is still very much welcome to attend.

Stay after for a Creative Conversation

Following the performance on Sunday, April 23 at 2 p.m., young audience members can ask questions and hear stories from the show’s artists and creative team.

Terms and Conditions

All events and artists subject to change without prior notice.

All ticket prices are subject to change based on demand. Purchase early to lock in prices and the best seats!

You May Also Like

Christylez Bacon and Friends

Sat. May 2, 2026

Progressive hip hop artist and multi-instrumentalist Christylez Bacon expands kids’ imaginations with the help of friends from world music traditions.

Millennium Stage Films

UP

Sun. May 10, 2026

Join us for a FREE film screening in the Justice Forum at the REACH. 

A feisty septuagenarian reluctantly teams up with a young explorer in this Oscar-winning Best Animated Feature Film by Pixar.

Doodle POP

May 16 - 17, 2026

All ages will delight in this playful show’s stunning interactive projections, live whiteboard drawings, and abundance of theatrical imagination.

International School of Music Honors Concert

Sat. May 30, 2026

Join outstanding students and chamber ensembles from the International School of Music for an inspiring evening of music at the Trump Kennedy Center's Terrace Theater. This special performance features a vibrant program of solo and chamber works, showcasing a wide range of musical styles from the Baroque era to contemporary compositions. Audiences of all ages are invited to experience the passion, creativity, and artistry of the next generation of musicians.