Washington National Opera (WNO) continues its 2013-2014 season with the world premiere of a new holiday family opera: The Lion, The Unicorn, and Me, today, December 14-22 in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!
Based on Jeanette Winterson's award- winning children's book which tells the story of the Nativity from a donkey's point of view, The Lion, The Unicorn, and Me features new music composed by Tony-nominated composer
Jeanine Tesori (Thoroughly Modern Millie and Shrek The Musical) and a libretto by the poet J.D. McClatchy. This WNO commission is directed by WNO Artistic Director
Francesca Zambello and conducted by
Kimberly Grigsby (Broadway's Spring Awakening and You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown) in her WNO debut.
Leading the WNO Orchestra in her WNO debut is
Kimberly Grigsby, who most recently led the orchestra of Broadway's Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. This is Ms. Grigsby's operatic conducting debut.
The Lion, The Unicorn, and Me also features the debut of WNO's new Children's Chorus, made up of 16 D.C.-area children, under the direction of chorus master William Breytspraak. The opera also features a prominent role written for a boy soprano-Henry Wager, who will make his WNO debut as the Angel.
Other roles in the opera will be performed by members of WNO's Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program, including
Jacqueline Echols, Norman Garrett, Soloman Howard,
Deborah Nansteel, Patrick O'Halloran, and Wei Wu. Special guest artists include
Catherine Martin, Ian McEuen, John Ordun?a, and
Lisa Williamson.
Tickets start at $34 and are available at the Kennedy Center Box Office, by calling (202) 467- 4600 or (800) 444-1324, or online at
www.kennedy-center.org. Subscription packages for the 2013-2014 season are also available and can be purchased at (202) 416-8500 or at
www.kennedy-center.org. For more information about Washington National Opera, visit
www.kennedy-center.org/wno.
Photo Credit: Scott Suchman
Henry Wager as the Angel and Jacqueline Echols as the Unicorn
Norman Garrett as the Elk, Lisa Williamson as the Flamingo, Henry Wager as the Angel, and John Orduña as the Donkey
Henry Wager as the Angel and Soloman Howard as the Lion
Norman Garrett as the Elk, Ian McEuen as the Hippo, Lisa Williamson as the Flamingo, Soloman Howard as the Lion, Deborah Nansteel as the Cat, Patrick O’Halloran as the Stagehand, and Wei Wu as the Lizard
The WNO Children’s Chorus and Jacqueline Echols as the Unicorn
Henry Wager (top) as the Angel and (l-r) John Orduña as the Donkey, Patrick O’Halloran as Joseph, Catherine Martin as Mary, and Jacqueline Echols as the Unicorn
