Verdi’s La traviata will be performed by the Wolf Trap Opera Company for one night only, Friday, July 19 at 8:15 pm at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. Grant Gershon conducts the National Symphony Orchestra and José María Condemi directs this new, fully-staged production; both artists are making their Wolf Trap debuts. Gershon is the Music Director of the Los Angeles Master Chorale and Resident Conductor of LA Opera; Condemi is the Artistic Director of Opera Santa Barbara and is well-known for his directorial accomplishments at some of the most well-respected opera houses in North America, including San Francisco Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago. Joining in the production is the Washington Chorus, under the direction of Julian Wachner.
This new production features site specific video projections of original scenic designs created by Aaron Rhyne. Costumes and sets will be by Anka Lupes, and lighting will be designed by returning artist Mark Stanley. The production will be set in the Roaring Twenties, and will be sung in Italian with English supertitles.
La traviata was last produced at Wolf Trap in 1976, in a performance that featured renowned soprano Beverly Sills in the title role. During this time, established professionals sang the leading roles in Wolf Trap Opera Company productions and young artists sang in the chorus. Since 1985, all leading roles have been performed by the Filene Young Artists, an elite group of young singers who are chosen through a highly-selective annual nationwide audition tour.
This year’s production was made possible in part through generous philanthropic support from Wolf Trap Foundation Board member Daniel D’Aniello and his wife, Gayle, as well as through the generosity of other loyal Wolf Trap Opera Company supporters.
“After nearly four decades, we are delighted to bring this treasured opera back to the Filene Center with generous support for our internationally renowned young opera program,” said Arvind Manocha, President and CEO, Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts.
For this production, the lead role of Violetta is played by returning Filene Young Artist, soprano Corinne Winters. Earlier this year, London’s Sunday Times named her “The best ENO Violetta in decades and worth the ticket price alone.” A native of Frederick, Maryland, Winters received training from the Academy of Vocal Arts, the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Gerdine Young Artist Program, and the Peabody Conservatory. Her recent roles include Violetta (La traviata, Opera Hong Kong, English National Opera, Opera Lyra Ottawa) and Vendulka (The Kiss, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis). Last summer she sang the role of Anne Truelove in WTOC’s production of The Rake’s Progress.
Benjamin Bliss, tenor, will perform the role of Alfredo Germont. Bliss hails from Prairie Village, Kansas and received training from Chapman University and the Los Angeles Opera Domingo-Thornton Young Artist Program. His recent roles include Aguilar (Dulce Rosa, LA Opera), Male Chorus (The Rape of Lucretia, LA Opera YAP), and Barbargio (I due Foscari, LA Opera).
Nicholas Pallesen, baritone, will sing the role of Giorgio Germont. Pallesen is from Riverside, California. He received training from Juilliard Opera Center, Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Gerdine Young Artist Program, and the University of Florida. His recent roles include Rigoletto (Rigoletto, Shreveport Opera), Pluto (Orpheus, New York City Opera), and Robert Storch (Intermezzo, New York City Opera).
Based on the novel La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas, fils, La traviata (“The Woman Gone Astray”) tells a story of passion, second chances, and heartbreak. Violetta Valéry, a fashionable courtesan recovering from a recent illness, allows herself to love the ardent young Alfredo Germont, leaving her former life to live with him in the country. His father, the upstanding Giorgio Germont, knows that allowing Alfredo to continue in a relationship with a woman of Violetta’s previous reputation would ruin his entire family. Tragedy ensues as Violetta makes a sacrifice for her lover’s family, even as she succumbs to her illness.
A Pre-Performance Discussion by Lee Anne Myslewski, Director, Artistic Administration, Wolf Trap Opera & Classical Programming, will be offered one hour before performance time on the Old Farmhouse Lawn, which is located to the left of the main gate/box office area for the Filene Center.
NEW PRODUCTION
La traviata
Music by Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave
Friday, July 19 at 8:15 pm
Wolf Trap Opera Company and National Symphony Orchestra
Filene Center at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
Creative Team
Conductor – Grant Gershon*
Director – José Maria Condemi*
Projections Design – Aaron Rhyne*
Costume & Scenic Design – Anka Lupes*
Lighting Design – Mark Stanley
Cast
Violetta Valéry – Corinne Winters
Alfredo Germont – Benjamin Bliss*
Giorgio Germont – Nicholas Pallesen*
with
Annina – Courtney Johnson
Flora Bervoix – Alexandra Rodrick
Gastone – Miles Mykkanen*
Giuseppe – Brandon Russell*
Baron Douphol – Harry Greenleaf*
Marquis d’Obigny – Brian Vu
Doctor Grenville – Nicholas Brownlee*
and
The Washington Chorus, Julian Wachner, Director
WHAT: Introducing the Smithsonian’s premier 21+ after-hours event series—a unique mix of culture, art, history, and science, including music, a cash bar, and special access to Smithsonian exhibits,
collections, and experts.
WHEN: Kick-off event: Yuri’s Night at the Smithsonian
Thursday, July 25, 8 to 11 p.m.
WHERE: Smithsonian’s S. Dillon Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Drive SW
When Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to orbit the earth in 1961, he gave his nation a reason to celebrate its pioneering role in the space race. Fifty years later, Gagarin’s achievement began to be celebrated by fans of space exploration, science and good old-fashioned partying in the first of the now-annual global events known as Yuri’s Night.
Yuri’s Night at the Smithsonian marks the 52nd anniversary of that historic blastoff—as well as the 44th anniversary of the first moon landing. Grab a specialty cocktail and get in on the conversation about the future as you chat spaceships, tech and science with the folks from SpaceUp DC. Be a citizen scientist with the Science Cheerleaders and collect microbe samples for the International Space Station. Show off your geek chic or lunar luxe for a costume contest with prizes from ThinkGeek. Get an inside look at a space shuttle orbiter in amazing 360-degree GigaPan images by photographer John Brack.
In the vacuum of space, sway to the sounds of the Silent Disco with music spun by DJ Collective OneLoveMassive. VIP ticket-holders can sample the Cuban dishes that Kennedy Space Center staffer Ivette Jones prepares for astronauts on launch days. As the sun goes down and the stars come out, surround yourself with a mix of space facts and fun at a stellar evening you won’t want to miss.
Capital Flair cash bar and food vendors. Must be over 21; valid ID required.
General Admission $15 in advance, $20 at the door. VIP admission tickets $25, includes special talk & tastings; limited availability. For tickets and further information the public may call 202-633-3030 or visit www.SMITHSONIANat8.com
Admission includes:
- Founding Membership and 1-year subscription to the Friends of the Heurich House
- Commemorative glass
- Drinks & Hors d’ouerves
Meet & drink with:
- The owners of DC Brau
- The creators of the Heurich’s Lager recipe
- Christian Heurich’s granddaughter
The Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery of Art will transform into a cultural hot spot for the final “Asia After Dark” after-hours event of the summer Saturday, Aug. 17, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., featuring a night of exploration and discovery into Chinese martial arts and 3-D printing technology. Ticket prices are $25 in advance and $30 at the door; Silk Road Society prices are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. The ticket price includes one free drink, and guests must be 21 years old with valid photo ID to attend.
Through a special collaboration with the team planning the Smithsonian Innovation Space at the Arts & Industries Building, opening September 2014, guests can explore 3-D scanning and printing with experts from theSmithsonian’s digitization program unit and participate in the creation of a 10-foot-tall replica statue of the Freer’s renowned “Cosmological Buddha,” on view on in “Promise of Paradise: Early Chinese Buddhist Sculpture.” Keith Wilson, curator of ancient Chinese art, will also be on hand to discuss his latest research and what 3-D technology reveals about the scenes portrayed on the Buddha’s robe.
As the night continues and creative forces unfold, guests can experience kung fu martial arts demonstrations and the battle sounds of DJs Hop Fu, who will present their popular “hip-hop meets kung fu” performance–a live show that presents classic kung fu films with a live hip-hop musical score. Tai chi demonstrations and a crafty teacup sleeve art activity provide a calming counterpoint. Specialty cocktails and food trucks will be available throughout the evening.
“Asia After Dark” resumes in 2014 to celebrate Bollywood, in collaboration with theSmithsonian Asian Pacific American Center‘s exhibition “Beyond Bollywood,” opening December 2013 at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of National History.
Hillwood’s exhibition Living Artfully highlights the coordination involved in connecting Marjorie Merriweather Post’s seasonal residences. On this Serene Sunday, learn more about Post’s fleet of thirty-four vehicles and the Merriweather turboprop jet that seamlessly connected the estates, and take in the beauty of classic American cars of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s provided by the Straight Eights Car Club (a chapter of Lambda Car Club International).
Included in suggested donation
4155 Linnean Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
LIVE MUSIC and PERFORMING ARTS
Lise au Piano
September 26. 8pm at Malmaison. $10-$15
In life as at the piano, Lise is a dainty package that packs a punch, nimbly performing delicate compositions and covering artists such as 50 Cent and rock band Noir Désir.
francedc.org
On Aug. 27 and 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) and the Embassy of the Republic of South Africa welcomes Beloved Beadwork designer and founder Anna Richerby from Cape Town, South Africa for a trunk show and designer “meet and greet” in the NMWA museum shop. This small company of 12 Cape Town women, who create intricate pieces of high-end jewelry using complex weaving techniques and glass beads, was founded by Richerby in 2009. She designs the company’s necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings while providing sustainable, flexible jobs for talented local bead workers.
“This cooperative group of jewelers, heavily influenced by the feminist movement, is a perfect fit for the museum’s mission and its shop,” said Director of Retail and Wholesale Operations Lynda Marks. “NMWA’s Empowering Women through Art shop initiative supports socially responsible artistic and entrepreneurial endeavors of women artists worldwide by actively promoting the sale of and information about products they create.”
The Beloved Beadwork company was awarded a grant to exhibit at the NY Now trade show earlier in August by the Cape Craft & Design Institute, which promotes the growth of craft as an economic sector, and the South African Department of Trade and Industry, responsible for commercial and industrial policy. They will present the trunk show at NMWA before returning to Cape Town.
“We are over the moon at this opportunity,” said Beloved Beadwork founder Richerby. “Cape Town is the birthplace of the first human-made beads. Beads have a history of trade, of desire, of communication, of love, of belonging, of creativity expressed and enjoyed. I’m thrilled that while in the U.S., I’ll have the opportunity to show our work at the National Museum of Women in the Arts.”
Although Beloved Beadwork’s glass seed beads are imported from Japan, their design potential is unearthed by the talented Cape Town bead weavers in designs that transcend categories.
“Some people try to define us as ‘traditional’ or ‘contemporary,’ or ‘African’ or ‘Western,’ but our work transcends these boundaries, and we enjoy that,” said Ms. Richerby.
Beloved Beadwork’s jewelry has been exhibited at the South African National Gallery and Design Indaba, and featured in the accessory collections at South African Fashion Week. In the United States, the jewelry is featured in art galleries, boutiques and NMWA’s museum shop in Washington, D.C.
Rebecca Sive, public affairs consultant and author, will be promoting her timely new book *Every Day is Election Day: A Woman’s Guide to Winning Any Office, from the PTA to the White House* (Chicago Review Press, August 2013) at Politics & Prose on August 27, 2013 at 7pm.
Sive’s experiences and numerous interviews with women leaders from Mississippi to Manhattan inform her inspirational, no-apologies playbook for women who aspire to public leadership and having a voice in the public square. Among other issues, energetic and straightforward Sive covers:
- · The truth about winning elections and developing influence as a woman, taken from her experience as public affairs strategist for Hillary Clinton, Betty Friedan, Geraldine Ferraro and US Senators Mary Landrieu and Barbara Mikulski among others.
- · Why women shy away from running for office. From concerns about family to professional qualifications to worries about their ability to raise funds needed to run a campaign, women considering leadership roles are more inhibited than men.
- · How we can break down barriers and ensure women an equal opportunity to lead both locally and at the national level. Sive offers fresh advice on how women can surmount public barriers, conquer private fears and run a winning campaign with confidence and no apologies—and why it’s important.
Political Science / Women’s Studies, 256 pages, 6 x 9 inches
On Aug. 27 and 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) and the Embassy of the Republic of South Africa welcomes Beloved Beadwork designer and founder Anna Richerby from Cape Town, South Africa for a trunk show and designer “meet and greet” in the NMWA museum shop. This small company of 12 Cape Town women, who create intricate pieces of high-end jewelry using complex weaving techniques and glass beads, was founded by Richerby in 2009. She designs the company’s necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings while providing sustainable, flexible jobs for talented local bead workers.
“This cooperative group of jewelers, heavily influenced by the feminist movement, is a perfect fit for the museum’s mission and its shop,” said Director of Retail and Wholesale Operations Lynda Marks. “NMWA’s Empowering Women through Art shop initiative supports socially responsible artistic and entrepreneurial endeavors of women artists worldwide by actively promoting the sale of and information about products they create.”
The Beloved Beadwork company was awarded a grant to exhibit at the NY Now trade show earlier in August by the Cape Craft & Design Institute, which promotes the growth of craft as an economic sector, and the South African Department of Trade and Industry, responsible for commercial and industrial policy. They will present the trunk show at NMWA before returning to Cape Town.
“We are over the moon at this opportunity,” said Beloved Beadwork founder Richerby. “Cape Town is the birthplace of the first human-made beads. Beads have a history of trade, of desire, of communication, of love, of belonging, of creativity expressed and enjoyed. I’m thrilled that while in the U.S., I’ll have the opportunity to show our work at the National Museum of Women in the Arts.”
Although Beloved Beadwork’s glass seed beads are imported from Japan, their design potential is unearthed by the talented Cape Town bead weavers in designs that transcend categories.
“Some people try to define us as ‘traditional’ or ‘contemporary,’ or ‘African’ or ‘Western,’ but our work transcends these boundaries, and we enjoy that,” said Ms. Richerby.
Beloved Beadwork’s jewelry has been exhibited at the South African National Gallery and Design Indaba, and featured in the accessory collections at South African Fashion Week. In the United States, the jewelry is featured in art galleries, boutiques and NMWA’s museum shop in Washington, D.C.
