Scott Joplin completed Treemonisha in 1911. In the more than 100 years since, it has been fully produced only eight times. For most of its existence, it sat largely unperformed, waiting for the audience it deserved.
Washington National Opera’s 2026 production arrives at its own pivotal moment. After severing its relationship with the Kennedy Center in January 2026, WNO returned to Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University, the same stage where the company gave its first performances 70 years ago. That homecoming gave Treemonisha an added resonance. A story about perseverance, education, and community finding its audience in a room tied to the company’s origins.
The Washington Informer sat down with four members of the cast during rehearsals in Takoma to talk about the production, the singular place Treemonisha holds in American opera, and what it means to be part of it.
Viviana Goodwin
Soprano Viviana Goodwin takes on the title role of Treemonisha, an educated young woman whose belief in community and knowledge puts her at odds with the forces around her. Goodwin reflects on the weight of carrying a character whose story feels as urgent now as it did when Joplin wrote it.
Justin Austin
Baritone Justin Austin brings both technical command and personal investment to his role in the production. He speaks here about what it means to perform a work produced just eight times in over a century, and why that rarity matters.
Angeli Jemilda Ferrette
Soprano Angeli Jemilda Ferrette is a native Washingtonian whose path to opera began at Duke Ellington School of the Arts and led her to a decade singing with the WNO chorus. Playing the role of Ella marks her first solo role with the company, and it brings a full circle moment: she first sang with director Denyce Graves as a high school student. Ferrette reflects on what it means to finally be here.
Johnathan Pierce Rhodes
Bass-baritone Johnathan Pierce Rhodes plays Zodzetrick, the conjurer whose grip on the community Treemonisha sets out to break. He makes his pitch for the production in two words: Black Excellence. Rhodes talks about the world-class creative talent assembled for this production, the new orchestrations by Damien Sneed, and why a story about education and community feels especially urgent right now.
Watch the full Washington National Opera playlist, including rehearsal coverage, the Busboys and Poets performance, and upcoming content from The Crucible on The Washington Informer’s YouTube channel: Watch the playlist
Washington National Opera continues its spring 2026 season with Robert Ward’s Pulitzer Prize-winning The Crucible, running March 21 through March 29 at Lisner Auditorium, George Washington University. Get tickets at washnatopera.org