Facts and Background

"Washington National Opera is. . . staging grand spectacles to exacting standards with precision and power not often seen even at the world's top houses." ~Opera Now

Founded in 1956, Washington National Opera (WNO) is recognized as one of America’s leading opera companies. Under the leadership of Plácido Domingo since 1996, WNO continues to build on its rich history by offering operas of the highest artistic quality. In addition, WNO fulfills its mission by serving as a vital resource throughout the DC metro area, bringing opera to broad and diverse constituencies through its award-winning education and community programs. Designated the nation’s opera company by an act of Congress in 2000, WNO is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that strives to impact the world of opera locally, nationally, and internationally.

Leadership

Plácido Domingo, General Director; Jane Lipton Cafritz, Chairman; Kenneth Feinberg, President; Jacqueline Badger Mars, Chairman of the Executive Committee

Board of Trustees: 51 members

Global Advisory Board: 8 members

Budget in 09-10 season: $27.4 million

Contributed income (donations): 61.3%

Earned income (ticket sales): 38.7%

Endowment: $31.8 million

Staff and contracted employees

66 full-time staff

800 part-time and contractual staff, including artists, musicians and production staff

Number of orchestra musicians: 61 tenured musicians,

with additional musicians as required

Average number of choristers per production: 42

Average cost per mainstage performance: $405,000,

including all artist fees, rental fees and related production, promotional and direct administrative costs

Mainstage performances in 2010-11 season: 45

Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera

Strauss’ Salome

Puccini’s Madama Butterfly

Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride

Donizetti’s Don Pasquale

Plácido Domingo Celebrity Series: Juan Diego Flórez and Bryn Terfel

Annual attendance in the 2009-10 season

Mainstage productions: 101,000

Education & community outreach events: 35,000

Artistic highlights

Since its founding as a local opera society in 1956, WNO has experienced tremendous artistic growth, breaking ground with premieres, reaching millions through international broadcasts, and hosting some of the world’s most renowned artists.

7 world premieres, 11 American premieres
77 new productions
National and international radio and television broadcasts through NPR, XM Satellite Radio and PBS
Six recordings, including Stravinsky’s Le Rossignol (1960) and Marta Domingo’s groundbreaking reimagining of Puccini’s La Rondine (DVD released 2009)
Five free simulcasts, including the 2007 simulcast of La Bohème to 31 colleges and universities throughout the country. In 2009, more than 19,000 attended the Target FREE Opera in the Outfield broadcast to Nationals Ballpark
In 2002, WNO toured Japan: Ferrari’s Sly with José Carreras; Verdi’s Otello with Plácido Domingo; and Puccini’s Tosca featuring Maria Guleghina. Heinz Fricke and Valery Gergiev shared the podium
Singers who have appeared with WNO include: Plácido Domingo, Frederica von Stade, José Carreras, James McCracken, Eva Marton, Mirella Freni, Renée Fleming, Samuel Ramey, Olga Borodina, Juan Diego Flórez, Salvatore Licitra, Anna Netrebko, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, and Denyce Graves
Composers, conductors and directors who have appeared with WNO include: Igor Stravinsky, Gian Carlo Menotti, Franco Zeffirelli, and Mstislav Rostropovich

WNO in the Community: WNO’s Center for Education and Training includes WNO’s Education and Community Programs, the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program, and the Plácido Domingo Intern/Apprentice Program. Combined, these programs impact the field of opera locally, nationally and internationally, serving opera lovers with enrichment opportunities and preparing the next generation of singers, patrons, and professional staff through high-quality education and training initiatives.

Community Impact: WNO reaches 35,000 annually through free & low-cost programs, including 12,000 young people through education programs.

Number of WNO Teaching Artists: 25

Number of Education and Community Programs: 9

Programs operate year-round throughout the DC metro area, including all eight wards of the District. Programs include:

Kids Create Opera: A comprehensive, year-long curriculum which uses opera as the basis for teaching math, reading and cooperative learning skills
Opera Look-In: The program brings young people into the opera house for an educational, behind-the-scenes look at the elements of opera
WNO–DC School Partnership: Operating in 17 district elementary schools, the program supplements music education in DC’s public schools
DC Library Partnership: Serving all of the city’s branch locations with an age-appropriate program which introduces opera using stories and music

The Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program: Founded in 2002, WNO’s Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program has quickly become one of the most competitive and comprehensive professional training programs for singers, directors, conductors, and coach/accompanists. Artists come from around the world for the unique two-year intensive training program, and have gone on to sing at some of America’s leading opera companies, including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera and New York City Opera, as well as opera houses internationally.

Number of Young Artists each season: 10-12

Opera in the Outfield: The live simulcast of a regular season production from the Kennedy Center Opera House has been seen by more than 125,000 people over the last 5 years.

Generation O: The program for young patrons aged 18 to 35 encourages young opera lovers and new opera listeners through specially-priced tickets, special events, and educational opportunities. In the 2010-11 season WNO began Series O, a full season subscription program for these young patrons, to further involve them in the life and future of the company.

Venue and Facilities Information

Kennedy Center Opera House: WNO is the resident opera company at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. WNO operates independently of the Kennedy Center, to which it pays an annual rent and from which it receives no funding.

Seats: 2,219

Stage: At 100’ wide by 70’ deep by 100’ tall, the Kennedy Center Opera House Stage is among the largest in the country. Wing space is 50’ by 50’ on each side. Built in 1972.

The Watergate: WNO’s administrative offices and Audience Services office is conveniently located just one block from the Kennedy Center.

Washington National Opera Studios, Takoma Park: In 2000, WNO opened the Washington National Opera Studios in Takoma Park, MD. This facility contains rehearsal space large enough to accommodate three different productions simultaneously, houses a well-equipped costume shop and practice rooms, and is home to WNO’s Center for Education and Training.

Ticketing Information: WNO’s ticket office is located in the Watergate complex and is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Tickets are available in person at 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Suite 301, by phone at 202.295.2400 or 800.US.OPERA or online at www.dc-opera.org.

updated July 2010