Upcoming season includes performances by the National Symphony Orchestra, captivating dance presentations, and Kevin Puts’ Pulitzer Prize-winning opera, Silent Night
Vienna, Virginia (January 30, 2024) – Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts announced today programming for Wolf Trap Opera (WTO), classical, symphony, and dance performances for the 2024 summer season. Tickets for all performances go on sale to the public on Friday, February 16 at 10 AM.
Wolf Trap Opera’s summer season includes three full productions as well as additional recitals and intimate performances:
- Mozart’s Così fan tutte (June 21, 23, 29 + 27) at The Barns at Wolf Trap is the first fully staged opera of the 2024 season. The emotionally complex and quick-fire comedy examines sexual attitudes and the battle between love, reason, and human fallibility. Conducted by Christine Brandes and directed by Dan Rigazzi.
- The endearing tale of Puccini’s La bohème (July 19) takes the Filene Center stage with the National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Grant Gershon and directed by Katherine M. Carter. Soaring arias and glorious melodies collide with harsh realities in Puccini’s depiction of Parisian bohemians.
- Kevin Puts’ Pulitzer Prize-winning opera Silent Night (Aug. 9, 11, 15 + 17) is based on the 2005 film Joyeux Noël and tells the story of a surprising Christmas truce during World War I. Conducted by Geoffrey McDonald and directed by Ryan and Tonya McKinny.
- An intimate recital with Grammy-nominated mezzo-soprano, Jamie Barton (July 14), the 2024 Filene Artist in Residence.
“Wolf Trap Opera is committed to an artist-centric philosophy which empowers our programming team to curate a season that showcases the exceptional talents that define the next generation of opera artists, all while ensuring an unforgettable experience for performers and patrons alike," said Lee Anne Myslewski, Vice President of Opera and Classical Programming.
Other WTO performances this summer include the UNTRAPPED series; Weill’s Seven Deadly Sins (June 1), held at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in a collaborative performance with musicians from the National Orchestral Institute + Festival; Steven Blier and Friends (June 2) a Latin-flavored program featuring a quartet of Filene Artists to accompany the highly regarded musician; the Salon Series (June 23, 28, + July 1) featuring intimate performances in the bar lounge at The Barns and Aria Jukebox (July 7), where the audience selects the songs. Learn more about the operas and hear about the curation of the 2024 season here.
Wolf Trap Opera is a summer residency program that offers emerging artists performance experience and career development. A national audition tour takes place each year as the best classical vocalists in the country vie for a place in the highly coveted program. Wolf Trap Opera productions play to the strength of the summer residents and allow audiences to experience unique and powerful moments at The Barns and the Filene Center. Alumni of this prestigious program have gone on to perform in every major opera house in the US, Europe, and more.
Additional summer 2024 highlights include:
- A celebration of the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony (July 12) with the National Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Ruth Reinhardt in a program featuring Wolf Trap Opera artists and award-winning violinist Njioma Grevious performing Samuel Taylor-Coleridge’s Violin Concerto.
- Pilobolus (July 10) a self-professed rebellious dance company, tests the limits of human physicality with sculptural forms that highlight the beauty of connected bodies. re:CREATION dives into a fantastically expansive dreamscape of rare gems and beloved Pilobolus classics featuring a harmonious blend of ethereal imagery, delightful humor, and powerful depth.
- The National Symphony Orchestra brings life to silver screen classics with showings of Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert (July 13) and Ghostbusters in Concert (July 26), both led by conductor Emil de Cou.
- A brilliant evening with The Washington Ballet (Sep. 5) features a mixed repertoire of three diverse works, including George Balanchine's timeless Stravinsky Violin Concerto; a world premiere by Jennifer Archibald; and the graceful Murmuration, choreographed by The Washington Ballet’s new Artistic Director Edwaard Liang. This is Wolf Trap’s 2024 Kay Shouse Great Performance.
Performance calendar, production information, casting, and a full WTO artist roster can be found here.
To view the full season to date, including pop, rock, musicals and more, visit wolftrap.org/calendar
Ticketing information and links to print-ready photography are below.
Ticketing and On-Sale Information
- Tickets for these performances go on sale to the public on Friday, February 16, at 10 AM at wolftrap.org.
- Wolf Trap members (donors of $80 and up) have access to presales starting today.
Wolf Trap’s 2024 season is made possible by generous support from the following
Wolf Trap Foundation Official Sponsors and Partners:
Dan and Gayle D’Aniello, Wolf Trap 2024 Season Underwriters
PNC, Premier Sponsor, 2024 Summer Season
The Boeing Company, Major Sponsor, Boeing Salutes Series
The Washington Ballet is the 2024 Kay Shouse Great Performance
American Airlines, Official Airline
Major support of Wolf Trap Opera and Classical Programming is provided by:
The Theodore H. Barth Foundation, Inc.
Lincoln and Therese Filene Foundation
Virginia McGehee Friend
Anne R. Kline and Geoffrey Pohanka
Dan and Gloria Logan | The Revada Foundation
National Endowment for the Arts
Ed and Andy Smith
Virginia Commission for the Arts
Deborah F. and David A. Winston
Anonymous Foundation
Packard Fund
Fund for Artistic Excellence in Honor of Audrey M. Mars
Catherine Filene Shouse Education Fund
Kay Shouse Great Performance Fund
Kim Witman Fund for Opera Coaching
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About Wolf Trap
Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, produces and presents a full range of performance and education programs in the Greater Washington area, as well as nationally. Wolf Trap features four performance venues: the outdoor Filene Center, Meadow Stage, and Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods, located at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, and The Barns at Wolf Trap, located down the road from the national park and adjacent to the Center for Education at Wolf Trap. The Filene Center, Meadow Stage, and Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods are operated in partnership with the National Park Service and annually showcase an extensive array of diverse artists, ranging from pop, country, folk, and blues to classical music, dance, and theatre, as well as multimedia presentations, from May through September. The Barns at Wolf Trap is operated by Wolf Trap Foundation year-round, and during the summer months is home to the Grammy-nominated Wolf Trap Opera, one of America’s outstanding professional training programs for early career opera singers. Wolf Trap’s education programs include the nationally acclaimed Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods, and a nationally recognized internship program.
Media Information
Contact (not for publication):
Morgan Elwell, Media Relations Manager
O) 703.255.4096 or morgane@wolftrap.org
Sandra Rodriguez, Director of Communications
O) 202.486.7956 or sandrar@wolftrap.org