Frequently Asked Questions

The Washington National Opera (WNO), after extensive efforts to resolve without litigation, has reluctantly, given no other option, filed a lawsuit to recover more than $17 million in donated funds that belong to WNO and are currently being withheld by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

For roughly 15 years, WNO and the Kennedy Center maintained a formal affiliation under which WNO produced its world-class operas at the Center, and the Center managed donations made for WNO's benefit. Throughout that relationship, WNO remained a separate nonprofit organization, and the funds raised for WNO always belonged to WNO.

That affiliation ended in January 2026, at the Kennedy Center's own suggestion. Since then, WNO has repeatedly and in good faith asked the Center to return the donor funds it holds on WNO's behalf and to provide a basic accounting. Five months later, the Center has not returned the funds, has refused to say whether it intends to return the money at all, and according to the Kennedy Center, it has put a significant portion of these funds at risk by using them to collateralize the Center's line of credit.

These funds represent years of gifts from loyal supporters who gave specifically to advance WNO's mission, its performances, its artists, and its education and community programs. WNO has a fiduciary responsibility to its donors to ensure their contributions are honored and used as intended to support the work of WNO’s artists and its programs.  

WNO spent months attempting to resolve this matter privately, including repeated meetings and a formal request for mediation. Having exhausted those efforts, WNO now turns to the courts to recover what belongs to it and to protect the donors and artists who depend on WNO to uphold its mission. 

Thank you for your support! 

You can make a gift directly to WNO through our giving page. 

Additionally, if you have questions or would like to discuss having your gift assigned to a specific purpose (such as for the Cafritz Young Artists, a specific production or project), or for information on setting up an estate gift, please contact us at giving@washnatopera.org and we will get back to you by email or to set a mutual time for a conversation. Very soon, the WNO Development office will be reachable by phone and staff will have direct emails; in the meantime, please contact us through this link and we will get back to you in short order.  

We are moving our performances to new venues! Our 2026/27 season will take place at:

• DAR Constitution Hall (DC)
• Kreeger Theater at the Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater
• WNO Studio
• Harman Hall at Shakespeare Theatre Company
• the Music Center at Strathmore

For more information, visit our Subscriptions page.

You can access tickets for Washington National Opera productions from our Tickets page. 

WNO performances are for everyone, and there’s no required dress code. You’ll see attendees wearing everything from jeans to black tie. Wear what feels right to you and enjoy the experience. 

Some operas are performed in English; others are sung in their original language. All WNO performances include projected English titles so you can easily follow the story. 

You can buy tickets for all of our performances via the venue box offices. To protect yourself from fraudulent sites, we have created direct links to official ticketing sites from this page and each of our show pages. 

We strongly advise against purchasing tickets from third-party sellers. 

• The Lisner box office is open on Tuesdays from 11am-3pm. It is located inside Lisner Auditorium at 730 21st St NW (corner of H and 21st), Washington, DC20037. 
• Lyric Box Office, Tues-Fri, 10am-4pm: 140 W Mt Royal Ave, Baltimore, MD 21201 
• The Music Center at Strathmore Box Office, Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm:  5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD 20852  

• Lisner Box Office: Unfortunately this option is not available for Treemonisha and The Crucible. 
• Lyric Box Office:  1-800-514-3849, Monday-Saturday: 9am to 8pm EST & Sunday: 12pm to 8pm EST
• The Music Center at Strathmore Box Office:  301.581.5100, Monday-Friday: 10am-5pm. 

Wheelchair accessible and companion seats are available for purchase via a variety of methods, depending on the venue. Please email us at info@washnatopera.org for assistance.

Yes! WNO is lucky to enjoy the loyal support of our Women Who Opera (WHO) and BravO Young Professionals (between the ages of 18 and 40 years) groups. They host special nights during a production, along with other fun events. If you are interested in joining, please email info@washnatopera.org.

Yes! Students may access a 20% discount by emailing info@washnatopera.org from their school address. We also encourage students to consider joining Bravo Young Professionals group for further discounts and opportunities to connect with opera lovers and and the opera-curious at our performances and beyond.