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PRESS RELEASE
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WOLF TRAP OPERA ANNOUNCES
SUMMER 2026 FILENE & STUDIO ARTISTS
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The 2026 Summer Season offers an early look at opera’s next leading voices, bringing together a global roster of singers with experience at leading conservatories and major operatic training programs worldwide
Productions include Rossini’s La Cenerentola and Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin at The Barns at Wolf Trap and Puccini’s Tosca at The Filene Center
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Vienna, VA (April 9, 2026) — Wolf Trap Opera (WTO) proudly announces the cast for its 2026 summer season, showcasing a dynamic roster of emerging artists in one of the country’s leading training grounds for rising opera talent. This summer’s opera lineup features fully staged productions of Rossini’s La Cenerentola on June 18, 21, 25, and 27, and Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin on July 17, 19, 23, and 25, along with a one-night-only performance of Puccini’s Tosca on August 7 at The Filene Center. The season will also include recitals, master classes, and performances at Wolf Trap and throughout the DC area, highlighting the exceptional artistry of this year’s Filene and Studio Artists.
This season's summer artists reflect a global community, with singers from Ghana, China, Japan, Israel, Turkey, and Colombia, as well as artists who have performed in prestigious conservatories and programs such as the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Program, Merola, and the Ryan Opera Center, among others, showcasing an international standard of excellence.
Selecting operas only after the young artists are chosen, this season includes 17 Filene Artists—emerging professionals on their way to significant careers who have completed their academic or conservatory studies—and 17 Studio Artists—singers with notable potential who are currently or recently enrolled in voice programs.
The 2026 Filene Artists include: sopranos Magdalena Kuźma (New York City, NY), Tessa McQueen (Loveland, CO), and Angela Yam (Sacramento, CA); among the mezzos and contraltos, Sophia Maekawa (Kyoto, Japan), Cecelia McKinley (Sterling, VA), Aubrey Odle (Portland, OR), and Elissa Pfaender (Delafield, WI); tenors Angel Raii Gomez (McAllen, TX), Daniel O’Hearn (Chicago, IL), Wayd Odle (North Platte, NE), and Demetrious Sampson Jr. (Atlanta, GA); and bass/baritones Jonathan Patton (Juneau, AK/Durango, CO), Finn Sagal (La Cañada Flintridge, CA), Korin Thomas-Smith (Toronto, Canada), Cumhur Görgün (Istabul, Turkey), Sergio Martinez (Sogamoso, Colombia), and Ziniyu Zhao (Shandong Province, China). To read their artists' bios, see HERE.
The 2026 Studio Artists include sopranos: Maya Behiri (Jerusalem, Israel), Ayanna Delk-Lewis (Lynwood, CA), Calista Ro-Jei Smith (Houston, TX), and Uma Singh (Cleveland, OH); mezzo-sopranos include Natalie Creel (Zachary, LA), Madison Kavanaugh (Bossier City, LA), Antoinette Pompe van Meerdervoort (Chicago, IL), and Sydney Sorbet (Covington, LA); tenors Jack Hicks (Bernardsville, NJ), Xiaofeng Hou (Beijing, China), and Rudy Polk (Clinton, MS); baritones include John Arlievsky (Nyack, NY), Jack Burrows (Seattle, WA), and Søren Pedersen (San Diego, CA); and bass-baritones Christopher Gray (Dallas, TX) and bass Michael Mensah (Elmina, Ghana). To read their artists' bios, see HERE.
With the guidance of Renée Fleming, now in her second year as Artist Development Advisor, WTO mentors and supports young artists at the highest level, with artist-driven programming that first identifies the most promising artists and then selects repertoire that best highlights their strengths.
This season, Grammy Award–winning baritone Will Liverman–a distinguished Wolf Trap Opera alumnus and a leading example of the program’s impact in launching careers–will return as the 2026 Filene Artist-in-Residence to work with Studio and Filene Artists. He will also lead a public master class on May 31 and perform in the Salon Series on June 3. Hailed as “a voice for this historic moment” (The Washington Post), Liverman was a Wolf Trap Opera Filene Artist from 2015-2016, performing as Beaumarchais in John Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles, and Tarquinius in Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia. Since his time as a Filene Artist with Wolf Trap Opera, Liverman has achieved significant milestones, including performing as Charles Blow in Terence Blanchard’s Fire Shut Up in My Bones, the first opera by a Black composer staged at the Met, and winning a Grammy for Best Opera Recording in 2023. He also wrote and debuted his opera Factotum at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Additionally, Liverman served as Artistic Advisor for Renée Fleming’s SongStudio at Carnegie Hall in 2023 and has performed at the English National Opera, Dutch National Opera, LA Opera, Santa Fe Opera, and Washington National Opera, among many others.
Many of today’s leading opera singers began their careers in this program, a trajectory reflected in its distinguished alumni including Jamie Barton, Lawrence Brownlee, Stephanie Blythe, Sasha Cooke, Michelle DeYoung, Christine Goerke, Denyce Graves, Ryan Speedo Green, Paul Groves, Nathan Gunn, Alan Held, John Holiday, Kate Lindsey, Ryan McKinny (who returns this season to direct Tosca), Erin Morley, Eric Owens, Ailyn Pérez, Dawn Upshaw, Tamara Wilson, and many more.
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2026 OPERA SEASON
Rossini: La Cenerentola (Cinderella) | June 18, 21, 25 & 27 | The Barns at Wolf Trap
Conducted by Louis Lohraseb and directed by Joel Ivany, this timeless fairytale bursts into romantic and comedic life in an Italian-language production with English subtitles. Featuring a full cast of Filene Artists debuts, La Cenerentola spotlights the Japanese-American mezzo-soprano and first prize recipient of the Tokyo International Vocal Music Competition, Sophia Maekawa, as Angelina; 2023 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition District Winner, soprano Angela Yam, praised as “radiant” by The Boston Globe, as Clorinda; the “endlessly watchable and a consummate musician” (Parterre Box) mezzo-soprano Emily Treigle, as Tisbe; Turkish bass Cumhur Görgün, winner of the Opera Naples Luciano Pavarotti Competition, as Alidoro; winner of the San Francisco District in the 2025 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, Chinese bass Ziniu Zhao, as Don Magnifico; “rising star” (Parterre Box) tenor Angel Raii Gomez, 2023 first prize in the Giargiari Bel Canto Competition, as Prince Ramiro; Canadian baritone Korin Smith-Thomas, CBC Music’s 30 hot classical musicians under 30 in 2021, as Dandini; and Gentlemen of the Wolf Trap Opera Studio Artists in the chorus.
Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin | July 17, 19, 23 & 25 | The Barns at Wolf Trap
Presented in Russian with English subtitles, Tchaikovsky’s lyric opera Eugene Onegin reimagines Pushkin’s verse novel, which follows a moody, romantic Russian aristocrat who lives to regret his rejection of a young woman's love and his careless incitement to a fatal duel with his best friend. Conducted by Steven White and directed by Emma Griffin, the cast includes the Filene Artist debut of baritone Finn Sagal, 3rd prize winner at the prestigious 2025 Neue Stimmen Competition, in the title role of Eugene Onegin; Polish-American soprano Magdalena Kuźma, celebrated for a voice that is “shining, free, and lustrous,” (Seen and Heard International) as Tatiana; the winner of the 2024 Sullivan Foundation Award; mezzo-soprano Aubrey Odle as Madame Larina; returning Filene Artist contralto Cecelia McKinley, praised for her “plush, glowing tones, and lyrical poise” (Arts and Culture Texas) as Filipyevna; mezzo-soprano and winner of The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, The Gerda Lissner Foundation, The Opera Foundation, The NEA YoungArts Foundation, among many more, Elissa Pfaender will return to the Wolf Trap stage as Olga; making his Filene Artist debut, tenor Daniel O’Hearn, prizewinner at the Hans Gabor Belvedere Competition and a former Met Lindemann Young Artist, will sing the role of Lensky; Colombian bass-baritone Sergio Martinez, internationally praised for his voice of “cavernous resonance and…power” (OnStage Pittsburgh), will make his Filene Artist debut as Prince Gremin; rising Studio Artists tenor Jack Hicks, Ghanaian bass Michael Mensah, and baritone Jack Burrows will join the cast as Triquez (Hicks), Commander (Mensah), and Zaretsky (Burrows); and vocalists from the Wolf Trap Opera Studio Artists will take to The Barns stage as chorus members.
Puccini: Tosca | August 7 | The Filene Center
Puccini’s dramatic three-act opera Tosca will be performed in Italian with English subtitles, conducted by José Luis Gómez and directed by Tonya and Ryan McKinny. This Filene Center production pays tribute to 1970s Italy and the work of Italian film director and screenwriter Federico Fellini. Tosca’s impressive cast features: former Merola Opera Program and Wolf Trap Opera Studio Artist soprano Tessa McQueen in the lead role of Floria Tosca; returning Filene Artist tenor Demetrious Sampson Jr., the 2023 Second Place and Audience Choice winner in Houston Grand Opera’s 35th Annual Eleanor McCollum Competition, as Mario Cavaradossi; returning Filene Artist and winner of the Lewisville Lake International Voice Competition baritone Jonathan Patton as Baron Scarpia; Turkish bass Cumhur Görgün returns to sing Cesare Angelotti; Colombian bass-baritone Sergio Martinez will portray Sacristan; and GRAMMY-nominated and returning Filene Artist, tenor Wayd Odle, described by Opera News as a “standout,” will sing Spoletta. Rising Studio Artists baritone Søren Pedersen, soprano Calista Ro-Jei Smith, and bass-baritone Christopher Gray will join as supporting soloists; and Wolf Trap Opera Studio Artists and members of the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) will participate as chorus.
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ADDITIONAL WOLF TRAP OPERA PRESENTATIONS
The WTO summer season begins on May 10 with NextGen, an afternoon of music and collaboration hosted by internationally acclaimed opera singer and WTO Artistic Advisor Renée Fleming. The performance will feature former Filene Artists, soprano Brittany Logan, praised for her “irresistible power and consummate control” (Washington Classical Review); the “ringing tenor voice” (Chicago Classical Review) Travon Walker; and the “robust” (San Francisco Chronicle) Colombian baritone Laureano Quant, all accompanied by pianist Javier Arrebola. (NOTE: Fleming will coach the singers in this concert; however, she will not participate as a performer.)
On May 31, Artist-in-Residence Will Liverman will host a public master class, followed by the acclaimed recitalist and longtime Wolf Trap favorite, Steven Blier, who will conduct a master class focused on song and interpretation with Wolf Trap Opera’s Studio Artists on June 9. The series will conclude on June 23 with a masterclass led by Renée Fleming. All master classes take place at the Center for Education at Wolf Trap and are free and open to the public. Space is limited, and advanced registration is required. Register for the Will Liverman Master Class HERE; Steven Blier Master Class HERE; and Renée Fleming Master Class HERE.
Aria Jukebox returns to The Barns at Wolf Trap on Sunday, June 28, inviting audiences to take control of the program in a high-energy afternoon of opera’s greatest arias. Each singer presents four arias, and the audience votes live to decide what is performed, as the artists charm, persuade, and playfully campaign for their selections. Suitable for both opera beginners and seasoned fans, this interactive event provides surprises, impressive voices, and plenty of enjoyment.
Finally, the artist-curated Salon Series features bespoke musical journeys programmed by the performers, showcasing wildly diverse programs in a serene, intimate listening environment. Artistic expression is at the heart of these limited-capacity, artist-curated salon evenings. On June 3, Will Liverman will kick off the Salon Series with a one-of-a-kind evening of song showcasing the music he loves. Salon Series programs to follow will be curated and performed by Filene Artists, including soprano Magdalena Kuźma and tenor Daniel O’Hearn on June 8; the husband and wife duo mezzo-soprano Aubrey Odle and tenor Wayd Odle on June 22; mezzo-soprano Sophia Maekawa and baritone Jonathan Patton on July 6; and soprano Angela Yam and baritone Korin Smith-Thomas on July 20.
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WTO performance calendar, production information, casting, and a full artist roster can be found here. High-resolution images are available here.
A complete calendar of performances is available at www.wolftrap.org/calendar.
Tickets on sale now.
Dan and Gayle D’Aniello, Wolf Trap 2026 Season Underwriters
PNC, Premier Sponsor, 2026 Summer Season
The Boeing Company, Major Sponsor, Boeing Salutes Series
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ABOUT WOLF TRAP
Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, produces and presents a full range of performance and education programs in the Greater Washington area, as well as nationally. Wolf Trap features three performance venues: the outdoor Filene Center and Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods, both located at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, and The Barns at Wolf Trap, located down the road from the national park and adjacent to the Center for Education at Wolf Trap. The 7,028-seat Filene Center is operated in partnership with the National Park Service and annually showcases an extensive array of diverse artists, ranging from pop, country, folk, and blues to classical music, dance, and theatre, as well as multimedia presentations, from May through September. The Barns at Wolf Trap is operated by Wolf Trap Foundation year-round, and during the summer months is home to the Grammy-nominated Wolf Trap Opera, one of America’s outstanding professional training programs for early career opera singers. Wolf Trap’s education programs include the nationally acclaimed Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods, a diverse array of arts education classes, grants, and a nationally recognized internship program.
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