Washington National Opera

American Opera Initiative

Terrace Theater

Be there for the world premiere of three one-act operas staged in a concert performance, accompanied by a small chamber orchestra comprised of WNO Orchestra musicians.

Fri. Jan. 19, 2024

Upcoming Dates

  • Fri. Jan. 19, 2024 7p.m.

  • Fri. Jan. 19, 2024 9p.m.

Production Information

WNO: AOI 20 Minute Operas

An abstractly colored open mouth

Program

Talented creative teams. Powerful stories. All-original opera. WNO’s acclaimed commissioning program for contemporary American opera enters its 11th exciting season—showing how short opera can move and inspire us!

Talented composer-librettist teams showcase three world premiere one-act operas, performed by the Cafritz Young Artists

American Opera Initiative (AOI) mentorship is led by Director Christopher Cano, Artistic Advisor Kelley Rourke, librettist mentor Deborah Brevoort, composer mentor Kamala Sankaram, director Chloe Treat, and conductor David Bloom, who will lead a chamber orchestra of WNO Orchestra members.

Creative Team

  • Director

    Chloe Treat

  • Conductor

    David Bloom

  • Stage Manager

    Diane Lin

  • Cover Conductor

    Ken Weiss

  • Lighting Designer

    AJ Guban

  • Costume Designer

    Timm Burrow

Videos

The American Opera Initiative presents “Hairpiece”

On the verge of a solitary retirement, wigmaker Esther knows everything there is to know about her craft: you start by laying a lace foundation, then match the client’s hair with a frontal and stitch in the wefts by hand. And yet she doesn’t know how to save her studio, preserve the dying art, or find meaning in her life’s work. But when an eye-catching young stranger shows up unannounced at her door, an unexpected alliance emerges.

  • Washington National Opera

American Opera Initiative presents “Forever” | Washington National Opera

Eons after humans have gone extinct, a strange, chemically supercharged world remains. Perhaps all a survivor can do is try and navigate their surroundings, one toxic blast at a time. As the environmental legacy of the human species gets heftier, allow a pair of musically inclined polyfluoroalkyl substances and a hardy microorganism to paint a picture of a possible future Earth. Forever is a tragicomic opera about figuring out one’s place on a changing planet.

  • Washington National Opera

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All events and artists subject to change without prior notice.

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