VIDEO: Works & Process at the Guggenheim On Washington National Opera's WRITTEN IN STONE

Inspired by iconic monuments in Washington, D.C., and the ideals embodied by President Kennedy, "Written in Stone" is a series of intimate short works interwoven into a single evening celebrating the Kennedy Center's fiftieth anniversary.

For one night only at Works & Process at the Guggenheim, prior to the March world premiere, select creators of "Written in Stone," including Huang Ruo, David Henry Hwang, Kamala Sankaram, and A.M. Homes discussed their creative process with Artistic Director Francesca Zambello. Cast member also performed highlights illuminating the intimate stories that celebrate diversity and acknowledging the struggles of today's America.

Fully realized, the production featuring creative teams Alicia Hall Moran and Jason Moran, Huang Ruo and David Henry Hwang, Kamala Sankaram and A.M. Homes, and Carlos Simon and Marc Bamuthi Joseph considers: What stories do our monuments tell? What legacies do they embody? What memories do they cement?

PANEL (in alphabetical order)
A.M. Homes, librettist, Rise
David Henry Hwang, librettist, "The Rift"
Timothy O'Leary, General Director, Washington National Opera
Huang Ruo, composer, "The Rift"
Kamala Sankaram, composer, "Rise"
Francesca Zambello, moderator, Artistic Director, Washington National Opera

PERFORMERS (in alphabetical order)
Vanessa Becerra (soprano), Alicia Hernández
Hunter Enoch (baritone), Robert McNamara
Daryl Freedman (mezzo-soprano), a powerful woman/Adelaide Johnson
Karen Vuong (soprano), Maya Lin

Robert Ainsley, piano

"Written in Stone" will premiere on March 5 through March 25 at The Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater. For tickets and more information, call 202-467-4600, toll-free 800-444-1324 or visit the website at https://www.kennedy-center.org/.