Arts & Entertainment
A spellbinding priestess
Angela Meade’s ‘Norma’ proves she’s up to the task
Rising operatic star Angela Meade takes on the titular role of Vincenzo Bellini’s operatic masterpiece ‘Norma.’ (Photo by Scott Suchman)
‘Norma’
Until March 24
Kennedy Center Opera House
2700 F St., NW
Tickets: $25-$300
202-467-4600
kennedy-center.org
As Angela Meade, star of Washington National Opera’s new production of “Norma,” stepped onstage Saturday night, a palpable tension hovered over the opera house. The Druid high priestess is the role of a lifetime, and Meade was standing in the historic shadow of the greats who made this character their own — Maria Callas and Joan Sutherland spring most readily to mind. Yet from Meade’s first commanding lines to a ravishing pianissimo, she quickly demonstrated that this was to be a night to remember.
DC Theater audiences are the first to see Meade in a full production of the opera, and while one can make minor quibbles (coloratura could be more fluid, a little more vocal fire would have been nice and that pianissimo was a touch overused), she just might become the next great Norma. Her acting skills, both vocal and physical, drew the audience into rapture during the most intimate moments, whether contemplating killing her own children or taking to the pyre in an act of defiant truth.
The rising star soprano was well served by an impactful production created by theater and opera director Anne Bogart (a lesbian). A raked stage was flanked by two structures — one the organic wooden temple of the Druid priestesses and the other the cold, patriarchal fortress of the invading Romans. Between them was a sunken circle, a sacred ground invoked by Norma and others as sanctuary and emotional crucible.
Norma ends up in a complicated love triangle with the Roman general Pollione (Puerto Rican tenor Rafael Davila) and a lower-level acolyte Adalgisa (legendary American mezzo-soprano Dolora Zajick). The 60-year-old Zajick confidently commanded the dramatic and vocal line of the unwitting rival, and she let fly a few delicate high notes that one didn’t think possible for a mezzo. Some of the compositional peaks of the opera include two duets for the women, whose voices were a perfect blend, alternately evoking gentle ripples of water and torrents of emotional heartbreak.
Although “Norma” relies ultimately on its women, the men are represented strongly in two principal roles and a chorus of Druid warriors (well sung by the WNO chorus). Norma’s father and chief priest Oroveso, as sung by Russian bass Dmitry Belosselskiy, was an austerely commanding presence with a deeply resonant bass possessed of heroic overtones. His spear-shaking rage, however, was touchingly softened at the opera’s end upon hearing the pleas of his ruined daughter. Belosselskiy’s acting here was none of the fist-biting nonsense that has become the stuff of opera parody; he was a man broken open by unforeseen circumstances.
The frat-boy Pollione is no easy sell, and while Davila bestowed the fickle general with human complexity, he came up short shrift vocally. Phrasing was splendidly Italianate, but his tone sounded congested, with top notes muddled as if he were singing under water. Part of what elevates the end of act one into a heart-throbbing climax is a heroic tenor who rails against Norma, yet here, he was just a whiney schoolboy.
Twenty-nine year-old Italian conductor Daniele Rustioni made his WNO debut on Saturday night and his was an exciting reading of a score many consider moldering. From the first notes, he firmly established the tension of the evening to come and the frenetic emotions of its leading characters were often reflected in the quick and crisp tempos of the orchestra. The players sounded spot-on, with a perfect balance amongst themselves and with the singers. As with Meade, Rustioni glossed over some elements that will probably iron themselves out with the passage of time (certain dramatic moments ask for a longer hold, drawing out the pathos of a confession or desperate entreaty).
The greatest benchmark for any performing artist’s work is when the piece itself becomes exalted and with this production of “Norma,” Bellini’s masterwork soared high on a wave of well-deserved adulation. One hopes that under the new artistic directorship of Francesca Zambello (who stood at the doors of the opera house on Saturday night graciously welcoming patrons) next season promises similarly thrilling nights at the opera.
Friday, March 27
Center Aging Monthly Luncheon With Yoga will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. Email Mac at [email protected] if you require ASL interpreter assistance, have any dietary restrictions, or questions about this event.
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Dupont Italian Kitchen. This is a chance to relax, make new friends, and enjoy happy hour specials at this classic retro venue. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Trans and Genderqueer Game Night will be at 7 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a relaxing, laid-back evening of games and fun. All are welcome and there’ll be card and board games on hand. Feel free to bring your own games to share. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Trans Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This event is intended to provide an emotionally and physically safe space for trans people and those who may be questioning their gender identity/expression to join together in community and learn from one another. For more details, email [email protected].
Saturday, March 28
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Sunday Supper on Saturday” at 2 p.m. It’s more than just an event; it’s an opportunity to step away from the busyness of life and invest in something meaningful, and enjoy delicious food, genuine laughter, and conversations that spark connection and inspiration. For more details, visit the Center’s website.
Black Lesbian Support Group will be at 1 p.m. on Zoom. This is a peer-led support group devoted to the joys and challenges of being a Black Lesbian. For more details, email [email protected].
Monday, March 30
“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam ([email protected]).
“Tea Time! A Local DC Drag Comedy Show” will be at 3 p.m. at Spark Social. This is a live drag comedy show where drag legends TrevHER & Tiara Missou Sidora host spill all the tea in the DMV. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Tuesday, March 31
Visibili-TEA Party will be at 6 p.m. at Restoration Station. Guests are encouraged to come sip, celebrate, and shine together. This event is a Trans Day of Visibility celebration and a special collaboration between Auntie’s Home and Damien Ministries. This is a boozy tea party with intention and the dress code reflects the vibe. More details are available on Eventbrite.
Wednesday, March 1
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
Thursday, April 2
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breathwork and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Unconventional Diner will host “Cherry Blossom Drag Bingo Party” on Friday, April 3, at 6:30 p.m.
Guests will be treated to an unforgettable night of drag performances, bingo, food and drink and prizes. Highlights of the evening include themed cocktails, drag performances and bingo prizes.
Tickets can be secured via Resy.
Sports
New IOC policy bans trans women from Olympics
New regulation to be in effect at 2028 summer games in Los Angeles
The International Olympic Committee on Thursday announced it will not allow transgender women from competing in female events at the Olympics.
“For all disciplines on the Sports Program of an IOC event, including individual and team sports, eligibility for any Female Category is limited to biological females,” reads the new policy.
The policy states “eligibility for the Female Category is to be determined in the first instance by SRY Gene screening to detect the absence or presence of the SRY Gene.”
“On the basis of the scientific evidence, the IOC considers that the SRY (sex-determining Region Y) Gene is fixed throughout life and represents highly accurate evidence that an athlete has experienced or will experience male sex development,” it reads. “Furthermore, the IOC considers that SRY Gene screening via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample is unintrusive compared to other possible methods. Athletes who screen negative for the SRY gene permanently satisfy this policy’s eligibility criteria for competition in the Female Category.”
The policy states the test “will be a once-in-a-lifetime test” unless “there is reason to believe a negative reading is in error.”
The new regulation will be in place for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
“I understand that this a very sensitive topic,” said IOC President Kirsty Coventry on Thursday in a video. “As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition.”
“The policy that we have announced is based on science and it has been led by medical experts with the best interests of athletes at its heart. The scientific evidence is very clear: male chromosomes give performance advances in sport that rely on strength, power, or endurance,” she added. “At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat. So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category. In addition, in some sports it would simply not be safe.”
(Video courtesy of the IOC)
Laurel Hubbard, a weightlifter from New Zealand, in 2021 became the first trans woman to compete at the Olympics.
Imane Khelif, an Algerian boxer, won a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Khelif later sued JK Rowling and Elon Musk for cyberstalking after they questioned her gender identity.
Ellis Lundholm, a mogul skier from Sweden, this year became the first openly trans athlete to compete in any Winter Olympics when he participated in Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy.
President Donald Trump in February 2025 issued an executive order that bans trans women and girls from female sports teams in the U.S.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee last July banned trans women from competing in female sporting events. Republican lawmakers have demanded the IOC ban trans athletes from women’s athletic competitions.
“I’m grateful the Olympics finally embraced the common sense policy that women’s sports are for women, not for men,” said U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) on X.
An IOC spokesperson on Thursday referred the Washington Blade to the press release that announced the new policy.
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