Wolf Trap Opera's THE GHOSTS OF VERSAILLES Begins 7/10

Following a sold-out run of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro in June 2015, Wolf Trap Opera continues the Figaro storyline with the Washington, D.C. premiere of acclaimed composer John Corigliano and librettist William M. Hoffman's contemporary opera The Ghosts of Versailles. The new production plays for four performances, July 10, 12, 15 and 18, at The Barns at Wolf Trap. See below for production and ticketing information; production photos are available upon request beginning July 10.

A "grand opera buffa," The Ghosts of Versailles encompasses comedy, romance, intrigue, revenge and malice. Incorporating character and plot elements from French playwright Pierre Beaumarchais' The Guilty Mother, the third opera in the Figaro trilogy features characters from Rossini's The Barber of Seville and Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, an opera-within-an-opera story line, and an award-winning score and libretto.

The Ghosts of Versailles is set 20 years after The Marriage of Figaro, in the palace of Versailles, where the ghost of Marie Antoinette haunts the palace and bemoans her execution. The love-stricken ghost of Beaumarchais attempts to seduce her by writing an opera. He revives some of his most beloved characters - Figaro, Susanna, the Count and Countess Almaviva - as well as new characters, to rewrite the history of the French Revolution and ultimately save Marie Antoinette from the guillotine. But as with all of Figaro's antics, things do not go to plan, and chaos, mischief and hilarity follow.

Pulitzer prizewinning composer John Corigliano employs a wide range of musical styles - neoclassical, Romantic, aleatoric (improvisatory) and atmospheric - to bring to life the various worlds in this mesmerizing story. Commissioned by The Metropolitan Opera, Corigliano collaborated with acclaimed librettist William M. Hoffman to create the English-language work, which had its Met debut in 1991 in a highly lauded production starring Teresa Stratas, Renée Fleming and Marilyn Horne.

Wolf Trap Opera's new production is directed by Louisa Muller and conducted by Eric Melear, with set design by Wilson Chin and costumes by David Woolard. The production draws scenic inspiration from Wolf Trap Opera's recent production of The Marriage of Figaro, and uses Opera Theatre of St. Louis' reduced score for an orchestra of 44 musicians.

Continuing Wolf Trap's tradition as a top-tier operatic training program for emerging artists, all principal roles will be performed by Wolf Trap Opera's Filene Young Artists. The cast includes soprano Melinda Whittington as Marie Antoinette, baritone Will Liverman as Beaumarchais, baritone Morgan Pearse as Figaro, and tenor Robert Watson as Bégearss. Wolf Trap Opera's elite group of young singers is chosen through a highly selective annual nationwide audition tour. See complete casting below.

Since 1971, Wolf Trap Opera has mounted over 130 productions of over 80 different operas. In addition to The Marriage of Figaro and The Ghosts of Versailles, the summer opera season will also feature Verdi's Aida in Concert (July 24) sung by Metropolitan Opera artists and Wolf Trap Opera alumni Marjorie Owens, Carl Tanner, Michelle DeYoung, and Scott Hendricks and a full staging of Puccini's heartbreaking opera of passion, honor, and sacrifice, Madama Butterfly (August 7), both featuring the National Symphony Orchestra. Wolf Trap Opera's upcoming summer recitals include Vocal Colors (July 30), a partnership program with The Phillips Collection, Steven Blier of the New York Festival of Song, and Wolf Trap Opera soloists. Filene Young Artists craft a personal soundtrack to visual art? that bridges musical genres and styles in The Rodgers Family: A Century of Musicals (August 1 and 2).