Washington National Opera Cafritz Young Artists

This resident-training program offers artists on the verge of international careers a course of intensive training, study, career guidance, and performance opportunities in Washington, DC and beyond.

About the Program

Beginning its 19th season, the Cafritz Young Artists of Washington National Opera are young singers and pianists/coaches on the verge of international careers. The program provides intensive study with renowned vocal and dramatic coaches and offers voice lessons, language classes, career guidance, and master classes with Washington National Opera staff and guest artists. The Young Artists also have the opportunity to perform and cover roles in WNO productions, and to create new roles in WNO’s new works program, the American Opera Initiative.

In addition to many performances on the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, the Young Artists have performed at the White House, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Opéra de Monte-Carlo, the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia in Valencia, the United States Senate, the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, the Mexican Cultural Institute, the Music Center at Strathmore, with the Baltimore and Charleston Symphony Orchestras, and at numerous embassies.

Each season, the Young Artists sing a fully staged performance with orchestra in the Kennedy Center Opera House as part of the WNO season. Past productions have included La traviata, The Marriage of Figaro, Madama Butterfly, Così fan tutte, Don Giovanni, The Magic Flute, La bohème, Alcina, and Carmen, conducted by such luminaries as Philippe Auguin, Evan Rogister, Renato Palumbo, Jane Glover, and Michael Christie. In the 2018-2019 season, the Young Artists performed a Concert of Comic Masterpieces on Friday, May 24, 2019, including the first act of Verdi’s Falstaff. The annual recital series has featured the Young Artists at the National Gallery, the Phillips Collection, Dumbarton Oaks, and the Kreeger Museum. Last season, they performed a special production of extracts from Gian-Carlo Menotti’s The Consul at the Supreme Court.

Cafritz Young Artists of Washington National Opera graduates have gone on to successful careers including performances with the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, LA Opera, New York City Opera, The Glimmerglass Festival, Santa Fe Opera, Seattle Opera, National Symphony Orchestra, Carnegie Hall, Bayreuth Festival, Glyndebourne Festival, Vienna State Opera, Berlin State Opera, Teatro Real in Madrid, Liceu Opera Barcelona, and Opéra de Monte-Carlo.