Get ready for an enchanting cultural journey across Washington, DC, Milton, DE, and North Bethesda, MD! Dive into the rich history of ballet with Diane Coburn Bruning, enjoy the nostalgic tunes of the Carpenters by Lisa Rock, and experience Puccini’s Manon Lescaut at The George Washington University. The Jungle Book brings adventure to life at the Kennedy Center, while 'A Candlelight Christmas' and Handel's 'Messiah' fill the air with festive cheer. Don't miss these captivating events!

Cultural Extravaganza: Ballet, Opera, and Festive Cheer in Washington and Beyond

Experience the enchantment of music with The Washington Chorus as it presents an array of breathtaking performances celebrating diverse themes from holiday joy to profound social commentary. With events like 'A Candlelight Christmas,' 'Stand the Storm,' 'Gianandrea Noseda conducts Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis,' and a powerful rendition of Verdi's 'Aida,' audiences are promised an unforgettable journey. Featuring esteemed conductors, talented soloists, and notable creative works, each event encapsulates a distinct narrative, offering both festive cheer and thought-provoking artistry. Join us in exploring the powerful harmony that music brings to life.

A Harmonious Celebration: The Washington Chorus's Diverse Musical Journey

In a city known for its cultural richness, Washington, D.C., recently hosted a series of transformative musical events that left audiences both enlightened and inspired. From the collaborative efforts of 'Stand the Storm' to the grandeur of 'Missa Solemnis' and 'Aida,' these performances highlighted the power of music to convey profound messages and emotions. With celebrated composers and performers at the helm, each event offered a unique take on timeless themes of struggle, unity, and love, making them unforgettable experiences for all attendees.

A Symphony of Voices: Exploring Iconic Performances at Washington's Cultural Events

Step into the world of grand symphonies and operatic wonders as the National Symphony Orchestra and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra present two monumental works. Experience the spiritual depths of Beethoven's Missa Solemnis conducted by the renowned Gianandrea Noseda, and the timeless love saga of Verdi's Aida led by the talented Jonathon Heyward. From Washington's Kennedy Center to Baltimore's Symphony Hall, these performances promise an unforgettable celebration of music, featuring world-class soloists and vibrant orchestras.

A Musical Journey: From Beethoven's Missa Solemnis to Verdi's Aida

Experience a confluence of musical brilliance as the National Symphony Orchestra and The Washington Chorus bring Beethoven's 'Missa Solemnis' to life. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra re-creates the timeless opera 'Aida' by Verdi, under the skilled baton of Jonathon Heyward. These events promise a breathtaking journey through choral and operatic masterpieces featuring some of the most remarkable voices and musicians of our time.

A Symphony of Classics: Beethoven and Verdi Reimagined

In a remarkable display of musical artistry, Jonathon Heyward conducts Verdi’s 'Aida', captivating audiences with its tale of love and loyalty. The event, hosted across prominent venues like the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall and The Music Center at Strathmore, highlights the talents of renowned performers such as soprano Angel Blue and bass-baritone Mark S. Doss. This concert adaptation strips away elaborate sets to focus on the opera’s emotional depth, complementing a series of orchestral events that explore themes of destiny, unity, and fate through works by Brahms, Bach, and more.

Aida and Beyond: An Exploration of Timeless Opera and Orchestral Performances

The 2025-26 concert season is shaping up to be a breathtaking exploration of orchestral and operatic masterpieces, led by renowned conductors and performers. It kicks off with 'One Song: Exultávit!' featuring the National Philharmonic, followed by the National Symphony Orchestra’s 'Songs of Destiny & Fate', culminating in a thrilling performance of Verdi's 'Rigoletto' by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. These events promise a vibrant tapestry of music that delves deep into themes of unity, fate, and dramatic storytelling.

A Symphony of Destiny, Unity, and Operatic Drama: Uncovering the 2025-26 Musical Season

Experience the thrilling conclusion of the 2025-26 season with a concert performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto, featuring artists famous for bringing their roles to life on international stages. This is the second production of Music Director Jonathon Heyward’s ambitious four-year Verdi Opera Initiative.

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Verdi's Rigoletto Conducted by Heyward

Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall

The Music Center at Strathmore

The Washington Chorus joins Gianandrea Noseda and the NSO for three choral masterpieces by Brahms. Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny) and Gesang der Parzen (Song of the Fates) grapple with fate’s inescapable hand—one offering celestial consolation, the other a foreboding omen. Nänie, named for the Roman goddess, is a powerful requiem set to the poem by Friedrich von Schiller. These mesmeric works choral set the stage for a visceral finale: Schumann’s Symphony No. 2.

Songs of Destiny & Fate

Kennedy Center

One Song: Exultávit!

Strathmore

### Event Description: BSO: Heyward Conducts Verdi’s Aida

**Event Title:** BSO: Heyward Conducts Verdi’s Aida

**Date and Time:** Saturday, June 15, 2025, at 3:00 PM

**Location:** The Music Center at Strathmore

**Event Overview:**
Experience the grandeur and emotional depth of Verdi’s "Aida" as conducted by Jonathon Heyward with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. This concert adaptation of the classic opera brings the timeless tale of love and loyalty set in Ancient Egypt to the symphonic stage, allowing the music and drama to shine without the need for elaborate sets or costumes.

**Featured Performers:**
- **Jonathon Heyward:** Conductor
- **Angel Blue:** Aida
- **Melody Moore:** Amneris
- **Limmie Pulliam:** Radamès
- **Reginald Smith, Jr.:** Amonasro
- **Mark S. Doss:** Ramfis
- **The Washington Chorus**

**Highlights:**
- Soprano Angel Blue, renowned for her captivating voice, will perform the role of Aida, bringing the character's emotional turmoil to life.
- The concert production has been praised for its ability to convey the opera's beauty and drama, as noted by OperaWire after a previous performance with the Detroit Opera.

**Additional Information:**
- This event is presented by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and not by Strathmore.
- Strathmore is Global Biorisk Advisory Council STAR accredited, ensuring a safe and secure environment for all attendees.

**Tickets:**
- Tickets can be purchased on the BSO website.

**Plan Your Visit:**
- For more information on planning your visit, including directions, parking, and dining options, please refer to the Strathmore website.

Join us for an unforgettable afternoon of music and storytelling as the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra brings Verdi’s "Aida" to life under the masterful direction of Jonathon Heyward.

Heyward Conducts Verdi’s Aida

You don’t need sets or costumes (or even live elephants!) to appreciate the magnitude and wonder of Aida, Verdi’s tumultuous tale of love and loyalty set in Ancient Egypt. All you need is a prima donna as spectacular as soprano Angel Blue, whose “voice perforated the hearts of her listeners and miraculously captured the tortured oscillations of Aida’s existence perfectly” (OperaWire), reported after a concert production led by BSO Music Director Jonathon Heyward with the Detroit Opera. This concert adaptation allows the beauty and drama of the original opera to soar on the symphonic stage.

Jonathon Heyward conducts VERDI’s Aida

Verdi’s Aida Conducted by Heyward

“From the heart, may it again go to the heart,” an inspired Beethoven wrote above the opening “Kyrie” in the manuscript of his greatest choral work, the Missa Solemnis. The Washington Chorus and remarkable guest soloists Erika Grimaldi, Rihab Chaieb, Saimir Pirgu, and Marko Mimica join the NSO for this infrequently performed epic mass—a vast symphonic statement of mysticism,  drama, and sacred intimacy.

Gianandrea Noseda conducts Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis

Noseda conducts Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis

The Washington Chorus and National Philharmonic join forces once again to bring American voices and struggles to life on stage in “Stand the Storm.” On this program, composers Nkeiru Okoye, Leonard Bernstein, John Legend, Common, and Rollo Dilworth demonstrate their own method for both standing through adversity and enacting the change necessary to build and sustain communities that are fair and just for all. Featuring the world premiere of the brand-new symphonic orchestration for Dilworth’s Weather: Stand the Storm, as well as the beloved arrangement of “Glory” by TWC’s own Eugene Rogers, join us as we examine our nation's disparities and find strength and unity through this powerful performance.

Stand the Storm

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Join The Washington Chorus in celebrating the 15th Anniversary of its annual “A Candlelight Christmas,” ringing in the holiday season with joy, spirit, and unity. Featuring spirited brass, a festive chorus, and extra special guests, this family-friendly concert is among the DC region’s most beloved holiday traditions. Last year’s performances were entirely sold out, so don’t miss your chance to celebrate the season with TWC!

A Candlelight Christmas

Join us for a rousing collection of songs and stories that celebrate and challenge the American narrative—from Jessie Montgomery’s revolutionary anthem Banner to iconic music from Copland’s Billy the Kid and more. The NSO proudly presents Here I Stand: Paul Robeson, a new commission by composer Carlos Simon and librettist Dan Harder written to honor the African American singer, actor, athlete, scholar, and fearless supporter of racial equality. Bass-baritone Morris Robinson and The Washington Chorus join us for this symphonic exploration of the ideals we strive for as a country and community, united by hope.

Eugene Rogers Conducts “EchoEs of America”

Celebrate the genius of American composers as the NSO performs Aaron Copland’s Suite from Billy the Kid and selections from his Old American Songs, Jessie Montgomery’s Banner, and Here I Stand—a new NSO co-commission by Carlos Simon and librettist Dan Harder. Grammy–winning bass-baritone Morris Robinson and The Washington Chorus join for this special concert.

American Masters:  Eugene Rogers conducts Carlos Simon/Dan Harder, Aaron Copland & Jessie Montgomery

National Philharmonic and The Washington Chorus reunite under the baton of TWC Artistic Director Eugene Rogers for a program highlighting the brilliant choral works of Lili Boulanger, Igor Stravinsky, and Ludwig van Beethoven. The intricate harmonies, expressive melodies, and expansive orchestration of Boulanger’s Psalm 24 paint a picture of the composer’s faith and immense talent. While Symphony of Psalms is a profound work that blends religious texts into Stravinsky’s unique musical vision, using dissonant harmonies and shifting meters to create a sense of drama and tension. 

L’éternel

This is not your typical Requiem. Anguish, loss, and fear of death are gone—replaced with a tender vision of paradise that awaits. Gabriel Fauré’s masterpiece is one of the most iconic works of the sacred choral repertoire, comforting audiences far beyond the composer’s Parisian congregation. Bernard Labadie conducts the divine score, along with symphonies by Mozart and Rigel that also premiered to great acclaim in Paris.

Bernard Labadie conducts Fauré’s Requiem & Mozart’s “Paris” Symphony

California Center for the Arts

Ring in the holiday season (literally!) at The Washington Chorus' "A Candlelight Christmas!" Featuring spirited brass, a festive chorus, and extra special guests to help you celebrate the season, this concert is among the DC region's most beloved holiday traditions—so don't miss this heartwarming seasonal delight!

The Washington Chorus: a Candlelight Christmas

Noseda brings our celebration to an epic close with George Walker’s exhilarating Sinfonia No. 3 and Beethoven’s Ninth, the symphony by which all others are measured. The cosmic drama of this masterwork—its grand, emotional melodies and tremendous final “Ode to Joy”—reminds us why Beethoven’s final symphony resounds as loudly today as it did two centuries ago.

Beethoven & American Masters: George Walker & Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony

Groton Hill Music Center

Bask in the brilliance of Beethoven with the National Symphony Orchestra, under its esteemed music director Gianandrea Noseda, and Wolf Trap Opera artists. This all-Beethoven program opens with the Handel-inspired overture to The Consecration of the House and his rarely performed Elegiac Song before concluding with Beethoven’s Ninth, the symphony by which all others are measured. The cosmic drama of this colossal masterwork—its grand, emotional melodies and the tremendous closing “Ode to Joy”—reminds us why Beethoven’s final symphony resounds as loudly today as it did two centuries ago.

Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony

Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts

NatPhil and The Washington Chorus reunite for Mozart’s monumental Requiem and the East Coast premiere of Jocelyn Hagen’s What the Soul Already Knows. Few works in classical music carry the mystique and emotional weight of Mozart’s Requiem in D minor. Left unfinished at the time of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s death, this powerful masterpiece has captivated audiences for centuries with its haunting beauty and dramatic intensity. Continuing the exploration of the sacred, What the Soul Already Knows is a 10-movement meditation on our shared humanity and the potential for beauty that arises when we live in alignment with gratitude, unity, and service. Experience the energy of these two powerhouse ensembles in the grand finale of NatPhil’s season.

The Washington Chorus

Aug 14, 2026

Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony

Aug 14, 2026

Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony

May 8, 2027

What the Soul Already Knows: Requiem & Renewal

12 - 14 Jun, 2026

Verdi's Rigoletto Conducted by Heyward

22 - 24 Jan, 2026

Songs of Destiny & Fate

Articles & News

The Washington Chorus