Washington National Opera Hosts "Soaring in Service" Panel

This season, the Washington National Opera opens with a world premiere--Grounded, an opera about a female drone pilot with a libretto by George Brant and music by Jeanine Tesori. To explore the multifaceted issues of the opera, WNO is hosting a panel discussion at the Military Women's Memorial on October 23 at 5:30p.m with a real female pilots whose experience is similar to the opera heroine, Jess.

The evening opens with a performance by WNO Cafritz Young Artist alumna Hannah Shea, who perform selections from the opera. The following panelists includes Lt. Col. Tammy Barlette, a former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot who has logged more than 3,000 total flight hours and over 1,500 hours of combat support time in both Iraq and Afghanistan; Maj. Scott Swanson, a retired U.S. Air Force pilot and pioneer in unmanned systems including the Predator Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAS); Ret. Col. Elspeth Cameron “Cam” Ritchie, MD, MPH, current chief of psychiatry at Medstar Washington Hospital Center and a forensic psychiatrist with expertise in military and veteran’s issues; and George Brant, Grounded librettist. The panel will be moderated by WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello.