Love divided by a turf war… chemistry that sizzles… tragedy that looms. When four of the greatest American icons of the 20th century took on Shakespeare’s story of star-crossed lovers, it became a Broadway blockbuster. Now, the story and spectacle of West Side Story meets the scale and power of opera for a retelling you won’t forget!

Artistic Director Francesca Zambello’s “expansive” (Chicago Tribune) production follows young lovers Maria and Tony as tensions rise between the Sharks and the Jets. Your favorite musical moments are here—from the tender “Tonight” to the enduring “Somewhere”—performed by a world-class cast, WNO Chorus and the Washington National Opera Orchestra, and conducted by Bernstein protégé Marin Alsop  (May 8, 9, 15) and Grammy Award®-nominated conductor James Lowe (May 10, 14).  

Ryan McCartan, whose star turns on Broadway include Hans in Disney's Frozen, Fiyero in the long-running  Wicked, and most recently playing Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby, is Tony. Shereen Pimentel performs the role of  Maria—a role she performed both in the 2020 Broadway revival of West Side Story, earning an Outer Critics  Circle nomination for Best Actress in a Musical, and last season in Houston Grand Opera’s production. 

With dazzling dance set on the streets of New York and “thrilling injections of dynamism and adrenaline” (Chicago Sun-Times), this West Side Story gets the starry treatment that only an opera house can offer.

WNO will present fully-staged performances at the Lyric Baltimore and semi-staged productions at The Music Center at Strathmore.