HAYDN ARMIDA

Washington Concert Opera presents Joseph Haydn’s *Armida*, an opera seria set during the Crusades. The story follows Rinaldo, a crusading knight who is drawn away from his duties by Armida, a powerful sorceress who falls in love with him. Through their relationship, the opera examines the struggle between romantic love and obligation in wartime, adapting material from Torquato Tasso’s Renaissance epic *Jerusalem Delivered*.

Composed in 1783 and first performed at the Eszterháza Court Theatre in 1784, *Armida* was regarded by Haydn as his finest opera and received 54 performances there over six years. The Washington Concert Opera production features Lauren Snouffer in her company debut as Armida, alongside several other WCO debuts.

When: Saturday, October 24, 2026

Showtimes: The performance begins at 6:00 PM and is scheduled to end at approximately 9:00 PM. A pre-performance talk begins at 5:00 PM inside Lisner Auditorium.

Tickets: Single tickets start at $51. Subscriptions start at $89.

Pre-performance talk: WCO co-founder Peter Russell will lead a talk at 5:00 PM. It is included with the performance ticket and takes place inside Lisner Auditorium.

Lineup: Lauren Snouffer as Armida; Shannon Crowley as Zelmira; Andrew Wilkowske as King Idreno; Fran Daniel Laucerica as Rinaldo; Jonathan Pierce Rhodes as Ubaldo; and Jason Gonzalez as Clotarco.

Run time: Approximately 2 hours 50 minutes, including one 20-minute intermission.

Venue: Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20052.

Cast party: An after-performance gathering offers the opportunity to meet the opera stars while enjoying cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Separate ticket-order information is provided for the cast party.

Online lecture: Peter Russell will also present a free online lecture in the Opera Gems series. Further information is to be announced closer to the performance date.