Washington National Opera 2010-11
The Washington National Opera is paring its 2010-11 season to five productions, four of them repertory staples, with some major names as sweeteners: Topping the list, soprano Deborah Voigt starring in Richard Strauss' "Salome" and bass-baritone James Morris starring in Donizetti's "Don Pasquale."
The company also is sponsoring concert performances by tenor Juan Diego Flórez on Feb. 27 and baritone Bryn Terfel on March 12 in its Plácido Domingo Celebrity Series. Domingo, WNO's general director, will conduct both concerts. He also will star in the company's first production of Gluck's "Iphegénie en Tauride."
The coming season of WNO productions, all in the Kennedy Center Opera House:
* Verdi: "Un ballo in maschera" (Sept. 11-25), starring Salvatore Licitra alternating with Frank Porretta (Riccardo), Luca Salsi alternating with Timothy Mix (Renato), Tamara Wilson alternating with Iréne Theorin (Amelia), Micaëla Oeste alternating with Monica Yunus (Oscar); directed by James Robinson; Daniele Callegari conducting.
* Richard Strauss: "Salome" (Oct. 7-23), starring Deborah Voigt (Salome), Richard Berkeley-Steele (Herod), Daniel Sumegi (Jokanaan), Dorris Soffel (Herodias); director TBA; conducted by Heinz Fricke.
* Puccini: "Madame Butterfly" (Feb. 26-March 19), starring Ana María Martínez alternating with Catherine Naglestad (Cio-Cio San), Alexey Dolgov alternating with Thiago Arancam (Pinkerton), Hyung Yun alternating with Michael Chioldi (Sharpless), singer(s) TBA (Suzuki); directed by Ron Daniels; conducted by Philippe Auguin alternating with Plácido Domingo.
* Gluck: "Iphegénie en Tauride" (May 6-29), starring Domingo (Oreste), Patricia Racette (Iphegénie), Simone Alberghini (Thoas), singer TBA (Pylade); directed by Emilio Sagi; conducted by William Lacey.
* Donizetti: "Don Pasquale" (May 13-27), starring James Morris (Don Pasquale), Ekaterina Siurina (Norina), Dwane Croft (Dr. Malatesta), singer TBA (Ernesto); directed by Leon Major; conducted by Domingo alternating with conductor TBA.
Ticket information: (800) 876-7372; www.dc-opera.org
