On January 30 and February 1, the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) presents two concert performances of Vanessa, the Pulitzer Prize–winning opera from composer Samuel Barber and librettist Gian Carlo Menotti. These performances feature NSO Music Director Gianandrea Noseda on the podium, with a star-studded cast including Nicole Heaston, J’Nai Bridges, Matthew Polenzani, Susan Graham, and Thomas Hampson.
Vanessa tells the story of three generations of women whose lives are upended by the arrival of a mysterious stranger. As passions flare and long-held secrets unravel, Barber’s score captures the intensity of desire, regret, and the enduring hope for redemption.
“Vanessa is a mirror of our society, one we often refuse to look into—much like the protagonist who covers the mirrors in her villa to avoid seeing the marks of time on her face,” writes Gianandrea Noseda. “It’s an extraordinary opera following the 20th-century tradition of Puccini and Strauss, uniquely and profoundly combining European and American style.”
For more information, please contact your local Wise Music Promotion Team; Contact Us.
