Spring Arts Preview: Performing Arts
By • February 10, 2026 0 260
OPERA
Part of Great Performances at Mason: Virginia Opera’s production of “Intelligence,” a Civil War opera with music by Jake Heggie and a libretto by Gene Scheer (Feb. 14 and 15).
Washington Concert Opera’s productions at Lisner Auditorium, conducted by Antony Walker, Bizet’s “The Pearl Fishers” (March 14) and Mozart’s “Idomeneo” (May 9), are followed by cast parties at the Arts Club of Washington.
Opera blossoms at Lisner this spring, with Washington National Opera returning to its original home to present Scott Joplin’s “Treemonisha,” directed by Denyce Graves and conducted by Kedrick Armstrong (March 7, 8 and 15), and Robert Ward’s adaptation of Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” (March 21, 23, 25, 27 and 29), directed by Francesca Zambello and conducted by Robert Spano. To be announced: the venue for Menotti’s “The Old Maid and the Thief,” performed by Cafritz Young Artists (April 16), and the dates and venue for “West Side Story.”
National Symphony Orchestra Music Director Gianandrea Noseda conducts two concert performances in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall of Puccini’s “Il trittico” (April 29 and May 1).
THEATER
The end is near for “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors,” directed by Nick Martin for Constellation Theatre Company, now at the Atlas (through Feb. 15). Next up: “Or,” a play about Restoration playwright Aphra Behn by Liz Duffy Adams, directed by Allison Arkell Stockman (May 15 to June 7).
Also at the Atlas, as part of the Intersections Festival: “Recess,” in which fifth-graders are played by adults (March 1); “Color Me (Curly) – Detangled Stories,” about Black hair (March 6); Jaemi Theatre’s “dystopian developmental staged reading” “Baal” (March 6); and the comedy-drama “Seeing Maya,” set in Tel Aviv during the Gulf War (March 8).
Herndon’s NextStop Theatre Company presents “Drowner Renword,” a laugh-and-shrieker by Nia Akilah Robinson, directed by Heather Lanza (through Feb. 22).
The Capitol Hill Arts Workshop becomes a mead hall for Taffety Punk Theatre Company’s “Beowulf: A Retelling,” directed by Chris Curtis (through Feb. 28).
Taffety Punk’s “Beowulf: A Retelling.”
At The Keegan Theatre, Josh Sticklin directs the world premiere of Angelle Whavers “John Doe,” with two characters, one dead (through Feb. 22). Another world premiere: “Midiculous,” a play for young audiences about middle school by Drew Anderson and Dwayne Lawson-Brown (Feb. 24 to March 8). Later on, Keegan takes audiences to Big Cherry in Tracy Letts’s black comedy “The Minutes” (April 4 to May 3).
Scena Theatre unspools Samuel Beckett’s one-act “Krapp’s Last Tape” at the DC Arts Center (Feb. 12 to March 1).
José Zayas directs Federico García Lorca’s “La Casa de Bernarda Alba” at GALA Hispanic Theatre (through March 1), followed by the world premiere of Luis Salgado’s “Aguardiente: Soul of the Caribbean,” with music by Daniel Gutiérrez (April 30 to May 24).
“La Casa de Bernarda Alba” at GALA Hispanic Theatre.
Now at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, in partnership with Theater J: Ali Viterbi’s “The World to Come,” set in the SeaBreeze Hebrew Home for the Aging, directed by Woolly co-founder Howard Shalwitz (through March 1). Sasha Velour’s “Travesty” follows (March 24 to April 12). Opening mid-month at Theater J: Jonathan Spector’s “Eureka Day,” about a mumps outbreak at a day school, directed by Hayley Finn (March 11 to April 5).
Bethesda’s Round House Theatre Company is about to present “Nothing Up My Sleeve” by Aaron Posner and master illusionist Dendy. Posner directs (Feb. 11 to March 15).
Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Klein Theatre welcomes Irish Repertory Theatre’s production of “On Beckett,” starring Bill Irwin (Feb 11 to March 15). The Royal Shakespeare Company’s adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel “Hamnet” then sets up in Harman Hall (March 17 to April 12).
Bill Irwin in “On Beckett.”
Three actors play dozens of roles in a spoof of “The Hound of the Baskervilles,” directed by Brian Isaac Phillips (Feb. 26 to May 17), playing in repertory at the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton with “Twelfth Night,” directed by Nana Dakin (Feb. 19 to May 3). Opening in April: “A Bold Stroke for a Husband,” a rediscovered 1783 comedy by Hannah Cowley, directed by Emily Lyon (April 9 to May 2).
Bard help us! Synetic Theater brings Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili’s wordless adaptation of “Antony & Cleopatra” to Arlington’s Thomas Jefferson Theatre (Feb. 21 to March 8). Soon after, Folger Theatre presents Karen Ann Daniels’s D.C.-infused take on “As You Like It,” directed by Timothy Douglas (March 10 to April 12).
Out at Tysons, 1st Stage offers Stephen Adly Guirgis’s “Between Riverside and Crazy,” directed by José Carrasquillo (Feb. 19 to March 8), then Lauren Yee’s “Young Americans,” directed by Nadia Guevara (April 9 to 26).
Fictional versions of Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan face off over evolution at Arena Stage in “Inherit the Wind” by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee (not that Robert E. Lee), directed by Ryan Guzzo Purcell (Feb. 27 to April 5).
“Appropriate” by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins at Olney Theatre Center, is anything but. Jason Loewith directs (March 18 to April 19).
Studio Theatre presents “Jonah” by Rachel Bonds, “a story of rage, resilience and the radical possibilities of trust,” directed by Taylor Reynolds (March 11 to April 19), then “Purlie Victorious” by Ossie Davis, directed by Psalmayene 24 (May 6 to June 14).
At The Little Theatre of Alexandria, Adam Konowe directs Todd Kreidler’s adaptation of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” set in San Francisco in 1967 (March 28 to April 18).
Drama in Your Face at Dupont Underground (see In Series, above) continues with the Streetcar Project’s prop-less, set-less “A Streetcar Named Desire” (April 20 to May 4).
Will “Shear Madness” move to a real Georgetown hair salon when the Kennedy Center closes?
THEATER FOR KIDS
Next at Glen Echo Park’s Adventure Theatre MTC: “Freckleface Strawberry The Musical,” with a book by Gary Kupper and Rose Caiola, based on the Julianne Moore books illustrated by LeUyen Pham, with music and lyrics by Kupper. Shanara Gabrielle directs (Feb. 13 to March 29).
Imagination Stage in Bethesda presents “Balloonacy” for all ages (through Feb. 15), “Havana Hop” (Feb. 14 to March 7) and “Cat Kid Comic Club” (March 21 and 22) for ages 5 to 10 and “Good Morning, Good Night” for ages 1 to 4 (March 21 to April 19).
The Smithsonian’s Discovery Theater invites kids to “Come Rap with Mr. Root!” (Feb. 19 and 20). Science-oriented shows follow: “Walloping Weather!” (March 11 to 13), “Powerful Pollinators” (March 24 to 27), “Mother Earth & Me” (April 28 to May 1) and “Once Upon a Moon” (May 6 to 8).
Ahoy, Matey! For gourd’s sake don’t miss Captain Jack Sparetire (a trash puppet) in “Recycling Pirates” (Feb. 15) and Family Fun Day with the Great Zucchini (human, we think) at The Atlas (March 7).
MUSICALS
Regret nothing! See “Piaf! The Show” at Lisner (Feb. 17).
Now at Studio Theatre: “Octet,” Dave Malloy’s “a cappella chamber musical,” directed by David Muse (through Feb. 22). At The Little Theatre of Alexandria: “School of Rock,” directed and choreographed by Kristina Friedgen, with music direction by Aimee Faulkner (through Feb. 28). And at The National Theatre: “Stereophonic,” which “zooms in on a music studio in 1976” (through March 1).
Ford’s Theatre will zoom in on the Second Continental Congress in “1776,” directed by Peter Flynn (March 9 to May 19).
Olney Theatre Center is presenting Joriah Kwamé’s “Little Miss Perfect,” directed by Zhailon Levingston (through March 8), and the world premiere of “I & You: The Musical,” adapted by Lauren Gunderson from her play about a Walt Whitman homework assignment. Music and lyrics are by Ari Afsar and Sarah Rasmussen directs (April 22 to May 24).
At Signature Theatre, Oliver Butler directs “Safety Not Guaranteed,” an indie-rock musical about time travel with music and lyrics by Ryan Miller. Nick Blaemire based the book on Derek Connolly’s film (March 3 to April 12). Then, because everything has its season: “Pippin,” directed by Matthew Gardiner (May 12 to July 26).
In Series’ three world-premiere “Passion Plays,” performed at Dupont Underground, are: “Only the Air,” directed by Tim Nelson, based on Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion” (March 6 to 8); “Passio,” directed by Maribeth Diggle, with music by Lucie de Saint Vincent (March 13 to 15); and “For Women Serving Time,” by poet and scholar Fatemeh Keshavarz and jazz pianist and composer Adrienne Torf, directed by Nelson (March 20 to 22).
The National’s spring lineup continues with: “The Simon & Garfunkel Story” (March 14 and 15), “Beauty and the Beast” (March 18 to April 5), “The Wiz” (April 7 to 12) and “The Book of Mormon” (April 28 to May 3).
Good trouble comes to the Atlas in the form of Mosaic Theater Company’s “Young John Lewis,” with a book and lyrics by Psalmayene 24 and music by Kokayi, directed by Reginald Douglas (March 26 to April 26).
“Chicago” will blow into The Kennedy Center Opera House (March 31 to April 5).
CHORAL
This Sunday at Strathmore: “Living the Dream … Singing the Dream,” The Choral Arts Society of Washington’s tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., co-presented with Washington Performing Arts, conducted by Marie Bucoy-Calavan (Feb. 15).
Stanley Thurston’s Heritage Signature Chorale honors Black composers with “Our Heritage … Our Strength” at First Congregational UCC (Feb. 21). The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC celebrates Black excellence with “Heart & Soul” at the Howard Theatre (Feb. 21). Thomas Colohan leads Washington Master Chorale in “I, Too, Sing America,” a program devoted to composers of color, at St. Ann Catholic Church (March 15).
At Washington National Cathedral, Edward Maclary guest-conducts a Cathedral Choral Society program featuring Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” (March 1).
Eugene Rogers leads The Washington Chorus in “Faith, Hope and Light” at National Presbyterian Church. On the program: Dvořák’s Mass in D Major, Holst’s “Nunc Dimittis” and works by Ysaÿe Barnwell, Bernice Johnson Reagon, William Grant Still and Timothy Takach (March 14).
Under Dana Marsh’s direction, the Washington Bach Consort performs Monteverdi’s “Vespro della Beata Vergine” at National Presbyterian Church (March 22) and Bach’s Mass in B Minor at National City Christian Church (April 25) and National Presbyterian Church (April 26).
GMCW moves to National City Christian Church for “Body Beautiful” (March 25) and Choral Arts crosses the river to the Schlesinger Arts Center for “From Darkness to Light,” an interactive choral discussion featuring Vaughan Williams’s “Dona Nobis Pacem” and Holst’s “Two Psalms” (April 18). Also at the Schlesinger Center: The City Choir of Washington’s concert version of “The Music Man” (April 12).
CLASSICAL
Upcoming National Symphony Orchestra Kennedy Center concerts: David Robertson conducts Sibelius’s Symphony No. 5 and Reena Esmail’s Double Concerto with Gil (violin) and Orli (piano) Shaham (Feb. 26 to 28); Gianandrea Noseda conducts Saint-Saëns’s Piano Concerto No. 5 with Simon Trpčeski (March 6 and 7) and the world premiere of Carlos Simon’s Double Concerto Suite with Hilary Hahn (violin) and Seth Parker Woods (cello), along with Brahms’s Symphony No. 3 (March 12 to 14).
Visiting orchestras: Washington Performing Arts presents the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Klaus Mäkelä, at Strathmore (Feb. 27) and Andris Nelsons conducts the Vienna Philharmonic at The Kennedy Center (March 4).
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s spring “Earth|Songs” programs at Strathmore include: Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring,” Lili Boulanger’s “D’un matin de printemps” and Tan Dun’s “The Tears of Nature” with percussionist Edouard Beyens (Feb. 28); Mahler’s “Das lied von der Erde,” Dvořák’s “In Nature’s Realm” and a world premiere by Grace-Evangeline Mason (March 8); and Copland’s Suite from “Appalachian Spring,” Brett Dean’s “Fire Music” and Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony (April 16). Jonathon Heyward conducts the first two and Marin Alsop the third.
Chez Strathmore, Andrew Grams leads National Philharmonic in “French Masters: Ravel, Debussy & Tailleferre,” with harpist Bridget Kibbey (March 7). In May, Deanna Tham conducts “The Blue Hour,” a song cycle by five women composers, sung by soprano Shara Nova (May 9).
José-Luis Novo mounts Strathmore’s podium for an Annapolis Symphony Orchestra performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with Olga Kern and works by Silvestre Revueltas and William Dawson, (March 1).
At the Atlas, Johannes Visser conducts the Capital City Symphony concert “Hope!” (Feb. 21) and Victoria Gau conducts “Shout!” (March 22).
The formidable list of string quartets (and one quintet) stopping in D.C.: at The Phillips Collection, Cuarteto Casals (Feb. 15) and the Toomai String Quintet (Feb. 22); at the Library of Congress, the Leonkoro Quartet (Feb. 20) and the Catalyst Quartet with mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges and pianist Terrence Wilson (April 1); at Dumbarton Oaks, the Thalea String Quartet (Feb. 22 and 23); at Strathmore, the Overlook Quartet (March 12); at St. John’s, Georgetown, the Goldmund Quartet (March 22); at the National Museum of Asian Art, the Shanghai Quartet (April 9); at Sixth & I, the Pacifica Quartet with Sigourney Weaver (April 12); and at the Church of the Epiphany, the Danish String Quartet with the Danish National Girls’ Choir (April 18). The last two are presented by Washington Performing Arts.
Coming to St. John’s, Georgetown: The Sinta Quartet.
Concerts by the consorts: Folger Consort reanimates “Love Songs of the 15th Century” (Feb. 13 to 15); 21st Century Consort bends ears at the Hirshhorn Museum (Feb. 21 and April 18 and 19); and the Washington Bach Consort gets bowing at Live! at 10th & G (March 6) and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (March 7).
The Smithsonian Chamber Music Society’s Masterworks of Three Centuries Series plays on at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church (Feb. 21) and the National Museum of American History (March 15).
Here in Georgetown, Dumbarton Concerts presents violinist Anne Akiko Meyers and guitarist Jason Vieaux (Feb. 28), violinist Randall Goosby (April 10) and the Royal Concertgebouw’s Camerata RCO (May 2). Sandbox Percussion, Matthew Aucoin and Conor Hanick are coming to Dumbarton Oaks (April 19 and 20) and the Sinta Saxophone Quartet to St. John’s (May 3).
Strathmore hosts the Academy of St Martin in the Fields with Joshua Bell (March 6).
PostClassical Ensemble returns to the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater with “Berlin in Lights: Cabaret, Jazz and Radical Theater in Weimar Germany” (March 11). Also in the Terrace: the Kennedy Center Chamber Players (March 15).
Performing at the Library of Congress: violinist Benjamin Beilman and pianist Steven Osborne (Feb. 18), violist Tabea Zimermann and pianist Javier Perianes (March 13) and Isata (piano) and Sheku (cello) Kanneh-Mason (March 16).
Also of note: Wolf Trap’s Chamber Music at the Barns series (March 1, 8 and 27 and April 24) and two groups visiting GMU, Irish ensemble Danú (March 20) and Silkroad with Rhiannon Giddens (March 22).
Pianist Khatia Buniatishvili.
Keyboard Lightning Round (all pianists unless otherwise indicated): The Washington Bach Consort presents organist James O’Donnell at St. George’s Episcopal Church (Feb. 27) and harpsichordist Adam Pearl at Live! at 10th & G (April 10) and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (April 11). Dumbarton Oaks presents Dénes Várjon (March 8 and 9). Washington Performing Arts presents Mishka Rushdie Momen at Hopkins Bloomberg Center (March 14), Jean-Yves Thibaudet at Strathmore (April 23) and Vadym Kholodenko at Sixth & I (May 5). GMU presents a Jeffrey Siegel Keyboard Conversation (March 15). Strathmore presents Charlotte Hu (April 2); National Philharmonic presents Brian Ganz in “Extreme Chopin: The Finale” (April 11); the Library of Congress presents Zlata Chochieva (April 15); and the NSO presents Alexandra Dovgan (March 14) and Khatia Buniatishvili (April 24).
VOCAL
Act fast to catch Opera Lafayette’s “Queen of Hearts: A Valentine’s Day Revel” at St. Francis Hall (Feb. 12). Later this spring, soprano Lauren Snouffer sings 18th-century arias in a program titled “New Woman” at Sixth & I (April 30).
Vocal Arts DC’s 35th anniversary season continues with baritone Quinn Kelsey and pianist Craig Ketter (March 1), then “songSLAM DC,” hosted by composer Lori Laitman, both at Live! at 10th and G (April 11).
Baritone Quinn Kelsey.
The Washington Bach Consort’s free Noontime Cantatas ring out at St. Mark’s Capitol Hill on Mondays and the Church of the Epiphany on Tuesdays (March 2 and 3; April 13 and 14); countertenor Reginald Mobley sings 17th-century English works at the Library of Congress (April 21); and the Russian Chamber Art Society closes its 20th anniversary season with “Songs of Passion & Love” at the French Embassy (April 17).
DANCE
Following “Dance For All” at the National Portrait Gallery (Feb. 14), The Washington Ballet presents Artistic Director Edwaard Liang’s “Giselle” in Sidney Harman Hall (Feb. 27 to March 8) and his “Cinderella” in the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater (May 14 to 17).
More at The Kennedy Center: American Ballet Theatre’s “The Winter’s Tale,” choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon, in the Opera House (Feb. 11 to 15); Le Patin Libre’s “Murmuration,” outdoors on ice (Feb. 17 to 22); and two avant-garde projects from Hiroaki Umeda in the Terrace Theater (March 17 and 18).
Moveius Contemporary Ballet’s 10th anniversary season includes “Love Language,” curated by Alvaro Palau (Feb. 14 and 15) and a performance at the National Portrait Gallery (March 14). In the Dance Loft Presents series, also at Dance Loft on 14: Compañía Medusa (Feb. 21 and 22), DMV Adavus (April 3 and 4), Brandon Marcelas (April 18 and 19) and Gabriel Mata (May 2 and 3).
Companies performing at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts: Les Ballets Africains (Feb. 20) and Doug Varone and Dancers (April 25).
The Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company celebrates choreographer Michio Itō at the Library of Congress (March 26) and presents “An Asian American Dance Journey” in two parts at Woolly Mammoth (April 24 and May 1).
Atlas Intersections showcases more than a dozen dance groups, for instance: Glade Dance Collective (Feb. 15); Galax Movement Duo, Capitol Movement Inc. and Carter Williams Dance Theatre (Feb. 27); Percussion Discussion (March 7); Furia Flamenca Dance Company (March 8); and Aerial Ignition (March 13).
On Strathmore’s calendar: Pilobolus (March 5). Appearing at Dance Place: Prime (March 6 to 8), Effervescence Collective (March 13 to 15) and VTDance (March 21 and 22). DC (District Choreographers) Dance Festival arrives in April (April 17 to 19).
Step Afrika! makes a not-far-from-home stop on “The Evolution Tour” at Maryland Hall in Annapolis (April 17).
