A new year brings a new perspective: Mark Bamuthi Joseph, Kennedy Center Vice President and Artistic Director of Social impact says it well: “rather than look back to historic loss, we look forward to possibility.” Joseph created the Cartography Project with the National Symphony Orchestra and Washington National Opera to empower Black artists nationwide. Kennedy Center Composer–in-Residence Carlos Simon is a project mentor with Joseph. On Sunday, January 10, the Cartography Project features the premiere of two new short operas: Future of Dreams, written by Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton and Jaylin Vinson, and The Seer, composed by Levi Taylor and Brittini Ward, 7 p.m. Studio K.
Another forward-thinking project to look out for this month is Washington National Opera’s American Opera Initiative, their acclaimed commissioning program for contemporary American opera. Talented composer-librettist teams will showcase three world-premiere one-act operas with the Cafritz Young Artists among the casts. Saturday, January 18 at 7 & 9 p.m. at the Terrace Theater.
Opera lovers have a bit of a quandary on Thursday, January 30 as the Fortas Chamber Music Concerts present mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton in concert with violist Matthew Lipman and pianist Tamar Sanikidze. 7:30 in the Terrace Theater, while Gianandrea Noseda conducts the NSO in Barber’s Vanessa as part of the Opera in Concert project, featuring an all-star cast including Nicole Heaston, J’nai Bridges, Matthew Polenzani, Susan Graham and Thomas Hampson. Fortunately, there are 2 performances of Vanessa: Thursday, January 30 at 7 pm and Saturday February 1 at 8 p.m. in the Concert Hall.
Speaking of the NSO, the week of January 16, Carlos Miguel Prieto conducts a program of music by Beethoven, Rachmaninoff and Gabriela Ortiz.
And don’t miss NSO Music for Young Audiences: Old MacDonald’s Symphony. Saturday and Sunday, January 18 and 19, Studio K at the REACH, and Sunday, January 19, the Kennedy Center Chamber Players (comprising titled musicians of the NSO) present their Winter Concert. Terrace Theater 2 pm.
This is just a sampling of the many varied offerings from classical music to hip hop to dance, theater, Broadway and the art of wellbeing on offer at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts this month as they kick off 2025.
WETA Passport
Stream tens of thousands of hours of your PBS and local favorites with WETA Passport whenever and wherever you want. Catch up on a single episode or binge-watch full seasons before they air on TV.