ARMIDA, DON QUICHOTTE & IL PIRATA Set for Washington Concert Opera 40th Season

Now in its 40th season, Washington Concert Opera will present masterworks by Joseph Haydn, Jules Massenet, and Vincenzo Bellini, performed by an all-star cast and the Washington Concert Opera Orchestra under the baton of Artistic Director Antony Walker. All performances will be held at Lisner Auditorium on the campus of George Washington University in Washington, DC, as is tradition for the company. 

The season begins on Saturday, October 24, 2026 at 6pm with Haydn's Armida, which was considered, in the composer's own words, his finest operatic work. Armida was also a favorite at the Eszterháza Court Theatre, where it premiered in 1784 and received an astounding fifty-four performances over six years. Set during the era of the Crusades, this opera seria focuses on the psychological conflict between love and duty in a time of war. Armida retells the story of Torquato Tasso's Renaissance poem “Jerusalem Delivered.” Rinaldo, a knight of the Crusades, is lured into temptation by the powerful sorceress Armida who falls in love with him. 

Making her WCO debut, we are thrilled to welcome renowned soprano Lauren Snouffer in the title role of Armida. Joining her and returning to WCO following his stellar performance as Pylade in Gluck's Iphigénie en Tauride, tenor Fran Daniel Laucerica plays the crusading knight Rinaldo. The 2026 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition Grand Finals Winner, soprano Shannon Crowley will make her WCO debut as Zelmira, Armida's ally and accomplice.

The season continues on Sunday, March 14th, 2027 at 6pm with Massenet's Don Quichotte. The opera was one of Massenet's last operas, of the more than thirty he composed. Premiered in 1910 at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, it is based loosely on Cervantes' novel Don Quixote but Massenet's interpretation blends themes of heroism, humility, comedy, and tragedy into an operatic masterpiece in which reality and imagination seem to blend together. In Massenet's words, “this is a work of comédie héroïque with a rare low-voice ensemble of principal roles featuring bass, baritone, and mezzo-soprano soloists.”

Bass-baritone, Christian Van Horn makes his WCO debut with a voice that can “shake the heavens” (Opera Today) in the title role, Don Quichotte. Joining him as La Belle Dulcinée, mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong returns to WCO after her extraordinary performance in Robert Devereux in 2022. Finally, we are thrilled to welcome bass-baritone Le Bu, as Sancho Panza, Don Quichotte's deeply loyal and pragmatic companion.

Finally, on Sunday, May 2, 2027 at 6pm, WCO rounds out their season with Bellini's Il Pirata, an early Romantic masterpiece in the Bel Canto style. Premiered in 1827 at the Teatro alla Scala, Il Pirata marked the beginning of a long and fruitful collaboration between Vincenzo Bellini and his librettist, Felice Romani. Set in Sicily during the 13th century, this opera tells the story of an exiled nobleman turned pirate, his long-lost love, and his rival. Filled with drama, passion, soaring melodies, and a quintessential “mad scene,” Il Pirata brings audiences through profound emotional journeys and soaring melodies.

Lawrence Brownlee, returns to WCO as the brooding antihero, Gualtiero. Joining Lawrence in this production, WCO will welcome back GRAMMY Award-winning baritone Will Liverman in the role of Ernesto. And finally, renowned soprano Angela Meade, a champion of the Bel Canto repertoire, returns to WCO and performs the tragic role of Imogene.

Subscriptions for two of the three performances start at $89. Single tickets start at $51. All are on sale now at www.concertopera.org. 

In addition to these productions, WCO will host their popular free “Opera Outside” concerts throughout the DC Metro Area. The 2026 series features six talented DC Metro-area singers: baritone Jonathan Patton and soprano Viviana Goodwin in August; tenor Jason Garcia-Kakuk and soprano Laura Sanders in September; and tenor Jason Gonzalez and soprano Jouelle Roberson in October. All performances are free and open to the public. The series is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts. Schedule is below and more info can be found at https://concertopera.org/operaoutside. 

2026 Performance Schedule

• Friday, August 21, 6:00 PM — Union Market

• Sunday, August 23, 1:00 PM — Dupont Circle Park

• Saturday, September 12, 12:00 PM — Union Market

• Sunday, September 13, 1:00 PM — Dupont Circle Park

• Saturday, October 9, 5:30 PM — Union Market

• Sunday, October 11, 1:00 PM — Dupont Circle Park

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