DC’s Vocal Arts Society offers top opera and Broadway singers at low prices

November 11, 1:54 PMDC Art Travel ExaminerMarsha Dubrow

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Washington’s celebrated Vocal Arts Society, renowned for presenting top opera stars and major Broadway performers at minor prices, began its new season with a "Great American Songwriting Teams" program November 13.

Speaking of stars, this season (full schedule below), the Vocal Arts Society (VAS) features two who shine so brightly that they were included in last month’s “Eighth Annual Diva Issue” issue of "Opera News": Patricia Racette and Anne Schwanewilms. 

You probably saw Racette hosting the Metropolitan Opera’s Live in HD broadcast of Puccini’s “Turandot” November 7. Racette will sing all three heroines of Puccini’s “Il Trittico” at the Met beginning November 20. 

Schwanewilms, one of the world's leading lyric sopranos, will appear at the Lyric Opera of Chicago as the Countess in Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” shortly after her VAS recital.

Bass-baritone Gerald Finley, who starred as Oppenheimer in John Adams' “Doctor Atomic” at the Met, will peform via VAS soon after singing Marcello in “La Bohème”, also at the Met.

Those headliners, and six other recitals in the VAS season cost $296, or $37 per concert, for subscribers. The regular VAS individual ticket price is only $45.  

The season began with the ever-wonderful, marvelous New York Festival of Song's (NYFOS) "Great American Songwriting Teams" program. NYFOS presented classic and rarely heard songs from George & Ira Gershwin, Rodgers & Hart, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Lerner & Loewe, Comden & Green, Kander & Ebb, Leiber & Stoller, & more... "The ampersand guys," as artistic director, pianist, arranger, and fascinating commentator Steven Blier dubbed them.

“Newsday” has said NYFOS “may be the most reliably excellent musical organization in New York. What orchestra, ensemble or opera company can make every show so special or count on such meticulous research, such infallible humor and such a sure sense of style?” And “The New York Times” has said, “…this admirable group has luxuriated in the richness of the song recital.”

To luxuriate in the richness of VAS programs, here is the full schedule: