a&e features

Virginia Opera conductor enjoys musical challenge

Adam Turner preps 2 performances of ‘La Boheme’

Published

10 years ago

November 4, 2015

Adam Turner says traditional arts companies must be willing to try new things if they hope to appeal to millennials. (Photo by Keitaro Harada; courtesy Virginia Opera)

‘La Boheme’

Giacomo Puccini

Virginia Opera

Saturday, Nov. 14 at 8 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 15 at 2 p.m.

George Mason University

Center for the Arts

4400 University Dr.

Fairfax, VA

Tickets: $98, $80 and $48

cfa.gum.edu or vaopera.org

Adam Turner, principal conductor and artistic adviser of Virginia Opera, moved to Norfolk, Va., four-and-a-half years ago after attending college at D.C.’s Catholic University.

Next weekend, he’ll return to the Washington area to give two performances of Puccini’s “La Boheme” at George Mason University in a production the company is also doing this weekend (Nov. 6, 8 and 10) in Norfolk and in Richmond on Nov. 20 and 22.

Turner will be in the pit directing a 50-piece orchestra (the Virginia Symphony) with seven leads, a chorus of 24 and a 12-voice children’s choir.

“It’s like a huge old circus up there,” the 33-year-old Louisville, Ky., native says. “It’s a lot of people to manage and keep on the same track.”

We spoke with him during a break in rehearsals last week.

WASHINGTON BLADE: Was it a big adjustment moving to Norfolk from Washington?

ADAM TURNER: The short answer is yes. It was a pretty big adjustment because it’s just a different pace of life, I think, down here. But I enjoy it, being this close to the water. The Hampton Roads community when you put it all together is over a million people spread out over Virginia Beach, Hampton and Newport News yet it still feels kind of like a small town where everybody knows everybody. But there’s a good restaurant scene and the arts are extremely valued here so that’s what drew me.

BLADE: Tell us about “La Boheme.”

TURNER: It’s very romantic and super relevant and a familiar story to anyone who has ever been in love or who has an artistic side to them. It’s just one of those pieces that really resonates with just about anyone. … There’s an episode of “The Simpsons” where Homer wakes up from a coma and suddenly he’s an opera singer and he sings “La Boheme.” I remember thinking, “Wow, opera is everywhere … even ‘The Simpsons.’” It’s one of the classics.

BLADE: Was there opera in Louisville when you were growing up?

TURNER: My grandmother took me to “The Nutcracker” every year and later I saw Broadway musicals like “Phantom of the Opera” and “Starlight Express.” … Then when I was a little older, I saw my first opera in Louisville, which was “The Magic Flute.” I think just basically the vocal acrobatics of it and the stamina and the talent you need to sing those roles was just overwhelming. It really left an imprint on me.

BLADE: Is there overlap between the worlds of opera conducting and symphonic conducting? Do some conductors do both?

TURNER: I think the old-school conductors trained in Europe did both and always started in the opera house and then went to symphony conducting or ballet conducting or whatever. It was something that was just included and considered part of your job, but opera conducting is probably the most challenging work there is in classical music performance and I think that’s why I probably am drawn to it because it is such a challenge. There’s a lot more to manage and not only are you leading the orchestra and influencing the music and all of that, but you’re also keeping all these forces together, you know, uniting them with the same vision and the same precision. … Anytime I’ve done anything orchestral or with soloists, I love it, but I always kind of am wondering, “OK, where are the singers?”

BLADE: Why?

TURNER: I think singers give so much more drama to the process and they need attention and a lot of care and tenderness, care and attention. I just work really well with them. … It’s a real challenge but a fun challenge.

BLADE: Is opera your first love or conducting or did you sort of discover them simultaneously?

TURNER: I think I discovered them simultaneously. The first time I ever saw conducting was when I was 5 or 6 and I was immediately taken by the conductor and all he was doing and thinking, “Oh, I want to do that someday.” … I grew up listening to Elton John and Ben Folds and Billy Joel, you know, piano men, and then somewhere along the way I found out about Pavarotti and Domingo and all these famous opera singers and I was really attracted to that sound and just the romanticism of the music and I kind of float both sides. I really like pop music and old-school rock but then I’m just as happy working in opera which I think is just one of the more challenging things because it pulls all these great art forms together.

BLADE: There’s lots of handwringing in classical music. How are things overall at Virginia Opera?

TURNER: When I first came here there had been some major upheavals with the artistic director. He had been fired so there was a lot of instability and uncertainty about what the future direction was going to be. So I was hired to provide artistic stability and also some new fresh energy to the company and along with that, my goal was really for us to find new audiences, people my age. I would love to see more 20- and 30-somethings in the opera house and how do we do that? So for me the main goal was just getting people into the theater to experience it for themselves and let them know it’s not this scary, sacred institution. … Once they do that, they’re just overcome with the emotion and raw passion of live performance and live playing. … We try to find repertoire that will appeal to our seasoned opera goers … and also find a way to get new folks in. … Last year we did “Sweeney Todd” and it was thrilling to see so many young and new faces. … And then they come back and now they’re giving Puccini a run or maybe even Verdi or Mozart.

BLADE: There’s so much worry and prognosticating on this topic. Do you think when millennials get a little older, they will do a better job of picking up these batons or will our traditional arts companies continue facing challenges?

TURNER: I think they will face challenges if they don’t adapt and try new things and that’s the thing I keep harping on. We have to keep trying different approaches to find out what works best. People are all craving this kind of live experience. It’s not something you can get on Netflix sitting at home by yourself. Live acoustic performance is unlike any other form of entertainment and companies all over the world are trying new approaches. … We started an initiative where for the past five years, we’ve been doing one new production each season we’ve never done before in our 40-year history. … You have to do new things that will entice people to come to the theater and try a new piece they’ve never heard before.

BLADE: You’re running a marathon next Saturday the same day you’ll conduct in Fairfax. Why?

TURNER: I’m just crazy, that’s why. … I run all the time, sometimes up to 50 miles a week. It gives me so much more energy and really kind of sets the tone for my day and gives me a lot of focus and drive. … I just wanted to find a marathon that fit my schedule and this was the one that fit and that I thought I could handle.

BLADE: How long have you been out?

TURNER: Since I was 20. Basically in college in D.C., I blossomed, so to speak.

BLADE: Has opera been as gay as we typically think of it in your experience?

TURNER: People who like prissy things are attracted to opera and I think a lot of gay men appreciate beautiful singing and beautiful sets and costumes and the grandiosity of all that. I can certainly see why it would attract the gay culture. … All over the country there are gay men running opera companies … because they’re so passionate about the art form. I have no explanation for it or anecdote, but it’s refreshing to know we have all found our niche.

BLADE: Is there much gay life in Norfolk?

TURNER: Oh yeah, I have a great circle of friends here but it’s different than the gay community in D.C. or even in Richmond. It’s more laid back. I just found out last week that Norfolk has the highest gay marriage rate in the state. … I’m not getting married anytime soon, but I certainly enjoy dating and going out with my friends.

BLADE: You’re working on a production with the Washington National Opera next year. Does that have any connection to your work with Virginia Opera is that a separate thing altogether?

TURNER: That’s completely separate and I’ll be on staff for one of their productions as part of a fellowship I was awarded earlier this year. We strive to do different repertoire, like last year they did “La Boheme” and this year we’re doing it. Even though they’re totally separate productions and a completely different market … we strive to do our own thing.

BLADE: Who’s your favorite classic opera diva?

TURNER: I’m a huge fan of Marilyn Horne, a great mezzo-soprano. I tend to like the lower-voiced women.

BLADE: You were awarded a $10,000 stipend with the Julius Rudel/Kurt Weill Conducting Fellowship this year. What did you do with the money?

TURNER: It’s in savings, I haven’t done anything with it yet. I’ll probably use it for career-development stuff. Travel and networking stuff.

Adam Turner in action. Turner discovered opera growing up in Kentucky. (Photo courtesy Virginia Opera)

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Award-winning D.C. chef reaching new culinary heights

Anthony Jones of Marcus DC competing on ‘Top Chef’

Published

2 days ago

April 2, 2026

Evan Caplan

Anthony Jones (Photo by Joshua Foo)

In Anthony Jones’s kitchen, all sorts of flags fly, including his own. Executive chef at award-winning restaurant Marcus DC, Jones has reached culinary heights (James Beard Award semifinalist for Emerging Chef, anyone?), yet he’s just getting started.

Briefly stepping away from his award-winning station, Jones took a moment under a different set of lights. Recently, he temporarily gave up his post at the restaurant for a starring small-screen slot on the latest season of “Top Chef,” which debuted in March. (The show airs weekly on Bravo and Peacock).

Before his strategic slice-and-dice competition, however, Jones, who identifies as gay, draws from his deep DMV roots. In the years before “Top Chef” and the top chef spot at Marcus, he was born and raised in Sunderland, Md., in southern Maryland, near the Chesapeake.

Early memories were steeped in afternoons on boats with his dad bonding over fishing, and wandering the garden of his great-grandparents spread with fresh vegetables and a few hogs. “It was Southern, old-school ethics and upbringing,” he said. “Family and food went hand in hand.” Weekends meant grabbing bushels of crabs, dad and grandma would cook and crack them. Family members would host fish fries for extra cash. In this seafood-heavy youth, Jones managed time to sneak in episodes of the “OG” Japanese “Iron Chef” show, which helped inspire him to pursue a career in the kitchen.

Jones moved to D.C. after graduating from college, ending up at lauded Restaurant Eve, and met famed chef Marcus Samuelson, who brought him to Miami to be part of the opening team for Red Rooster Overtown. After three years, Jones moved back to D.C., where he ran Dirty Habit, reinventing and reimagining the menu, integrating West African flavors and ingredients.

Samuelson, however, wouldn’t let a talent like Jones stay away for too long. Pulling Jones back into his orbit, Samuelson elevated Jones to help him open his namesake restaurant Marcus DC, which has been named a top-five restaurant by the Washington Post. Since then, Jones has been nominated as a semifinalist for the RAMMYs Rising Culinary Star in 2026 and won the Eater DC’s Rising Chef award in 2025.

Samuelson’s Marcus is a tour de force interpreting the Black Diaspora on the plate, from the American South to West Africa, along with his signature “Swedopian” touches. Yet it’s Jones who has deeply informed the plate, elevating his own story to date. Marcus DC is primarily a seafood restaurant, which serves Jones well.

“Where I’m from is seafood heavy, and as I’ve progressed in my career, I’ve moved away from meat.” Veggies and fish are hero dishes. His own dish, Mel’s Crab Rice, was not only lauded by the Washington Post, but is framed by his youth carrying home the crustaceans from Mel’s crab truck. It’s a bowl of Carolina rice, layered with pickled okra, uni béarnaise, and crab. Jones also points to a dish on the opening menu, rockfish and brassica, paying respect to a landmark D.C. institution, Ben’s Chili Bowl. Jones reverse engineered a favorite bowl of chili that’s seafood instead of meat forward, leveraging octopus and rockfish along with different riffs of cauliflower: showing his intellectual, creative, and cultural sides.

While “Top Chef” is showing Jones’s spotlight side, he also lets his identity show at work. “In the kitchen, I make sure we’re inclusive. We don’t tolerate discrimination. Everyone that’s here should feel confident to express themselves. There are so many different flags in the kitchen.”

Jones says that he didn’t fully express his gay identity until fairly recently. He felt reluctant coming out to certain family members, “you’re scared to tell them about being different,” he says, and while that anxiety ate at him, “I’m lucky and fortunate to have unconditional love and that weight off my shoulders.”

Today, “I’m me all the time, Monday to Sunday. I’m honest with people, and my staff is honest with me.”

“Being a chef is hard,” he says, “and being a chef of color is even more difficult.”

Yet his LGBTQ identity is a juggling act, he says. “I need to keep that balance, because once someone finds out something about you, their opinion can change, whether you want it or not.”

Being on a whole season of TV cooking competition, however, might mean millions more might have an opinion of him (Jones has appeared on TV already, on an episode of “Chopped”). To prepare, he says, “I’ve just kept a level head. It’s just an honor to be on top chef with amazing people happy to be there.”

Plus, this season is set in the Carolinas, and Jones attended Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, N.C. “It’s a full story of my life, now a monumental moment for me.”

Jones also recently was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award. “JBF has been a north star, a dream for so long. I always had this goal on my wall.”

Being at the top spot at Marcus DC, making waves through his accolades, and cooking on Bravo means that Jones is highly visible. “I think that if someone has a similar background to me, and can see our story, trajectory, and success, they can have more ability to be themselves. This is my goal.”

Back at Marcus, Jones has plenty up his chef’s white’s sleeves. A new spring menu is in the works. He’ll be launching a new tasting menu “dining experience,” he says, and has plans to work on more events and collaborations with chefs and friends to bring in new talent and share the culinary wealth.

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Introducing the Torchbearers Awards honoring queer, trans women and nonbinary people

Meet the Legends and Illuminators lighting new paths

Published

1 week ago

March 26, 2026

Staff reports

The Torchbearers Awards are more than recognition—they are a continuation of legacy. They honor the quiet architects of progress in our community: those who organize, advocate, build, and protect, often without fanfare but always with purpose. Rooted in a belief in intentional recognition, this honor names those who carry our movements forward—those who make room for others, who remind us that change is both generational and generative. In a time marked by uncertainty and challenge, these leaders push forward with courage, clarity, and an unwavering commitment to expanding opportunity and equity.

This year’s honorees reflect the full breadth of our community, spanning generations, backgrounds, identities, and industries. From Legends, with decades of leadership and having created pathways for others, to Illuminators, who are lighting new paths with creativity and innovation, each Torchbearer represents the power of intergenerational leadership and the strength found in our diversity. They are organizers, advocates, artists, policy leaders, healers, and changemakers whose lived experiences shape a shared vision for equity and liberation.

This award is our love letter to queer and trans women and nonbinary people who carry the flame when it would be easier to let it dim. To those who consistently show up, who use their voice and visibility and stand firm, often without recognition, so that others may live more freely and fully. The Torchbearers Awards celebrates not just what has been done, but the enduring spirit, responsibility, and collective care that ensure the work continues, and that the flame is always passed forward.

Co-Creators of the Torchbearers Awards: Shannon Alston, June Crenshaw, Heidi Ellis

Torchbearers Awards Advisory Board: Aditi Hardikar, Lesley Bryant, Jasmine Wilson-Bryant, Stephen Rutgers

ILLUMINATOR AWARDEES

Representative Sharice Davids (she/her), (D, KS-03)
— U.S. House of Representatives
Greisa Martinez Rosas (she/her/ella)
— Executive Director, United We Dream
Paola Ramos (she/her)
— Journalist & Correspondent
Meagan A. Fitzgerald (she/her)
— Journalist & Correspondent
Jessica L. Lewis (she/her)
— Founder / Producer, Play Play DC
Savannah Wade (she/her)
— Founder, OAR Agency
Suhad Babaa (she/her)
— Filmmaker/ Former Executive Director of Just Vision
Ashlee Davis (she/her)
— Global Head of Inclusive Outcomes, Ancestry
Jazmine Hughes (she/her)
— Journalist and Former Editor at New York Times Magazine
Queen Adesuyi (they/she)
— Policy Advisor & Organizer, ReFrame Health & Justice
Michele Rayner, Esq. (she/her)
— Civil Rights Attorney, State Representative (Florida House of Representatives)
Gaby Vincent (she/her)
— Sports/Cultural Commentator and Community Leader
Jenny Nguyen (she/her)
— Founder & Owner, The Sports Bra
Denice Frohman (she/her)
— Independent Artist, Poet / Performer
Vida Rangel (she/her)
— Founder, Our Trans Capital
Roxanne Anderson (they/them)
— Executive Director, Our Space
Ann Marie Gothard (she/her)
— Co-Founder & President, Pride Live (Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center)
Diana Rodriquez (she/her)
— Co-Founder & CEO, Pride Live (Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center)
Wendi Cooper (she/her)
— Founder / Executive Director, Transcending Women
Toya Matthews (she/her)
— City of San Antonio, Texas
Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones (she/her)
— Sports/Cultural Commentator and Community Leader
Charity Blackwell (she/her)
— Poet, LGBTQ Advocate & Community Leader
Wilhelmina Indermaur (she/her)
— Director of Communications, Tyler Clementi Foundation
Em Chadwick (she/her)
— CMO, For Them & Autostraddle
Kylo Freeman (they/he)
— CEO, For Them & Autostraddle

LEGEND AWARDEES

Sheila Alexander-Reid (she/her)
— Executive Director, PHL Diversity, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau
Cassandra Cantave Burton (she/her)
— Interim Director of Thought Leadership & Senior Research Advisor, AARP
leigh h. mosley (she/her)
— Photographer / Educator, PhotoFlo Photography
Jenn M. Jackson, PhD (they/them)
— Assistant Professor of Political Science; Author & Columnist, Syracuse University
Jordyn White (she/her)
— COO, Washington Prodigy / VP of Leadership Development & Research, HRC Foundation
AJ Hikes (they/them)
— Deputy Executive Director, ACLU
RaeShanda Lias (she/her)
— Digital Creator, RL Lockhart
Donna Payne-Hardy (she/her)
— Educator, EEO Specialist, Founder of NBJC, Former Leader at the Human Rights Campaign
Courtney R. Snowden (she/her)
— Principal, Blueprint Strategy Group
Gaye Adegbalola (she/her)
— Musician & Activist, Musician / Inductee of the Blues Hall of Fame
Cheryl A. Head (she/her)
— Independent Author, Novelist (Crime Fiction)
Letitia Gomez (she/her)
— The American LGBTQ+ Museum, Board Chair
Lynne Brown (she/her)
— Publisher, Washington Blade
Shay Franco-Clausen (She/Her/Ella/Queen)
— Political Strategist and Organizer
Melissa L. Bradley (she/her)
— Founder & Managing Partner, New Majority Ventures
Meghann Burke (she/her)
— Executive Director, NWSL Players Association
Victoria Kirby York, MPA (she/they)
— Director of Public Policy & Programs, National Black Justice Collective
Joli Angel Robinson (she/her)
— CEO, Center on Halsted
Jeannine Frisby LaRue (she/her)
— CEO, Moxie Strategies
Alice Wu (she/her)
— Film Director (Saving Face, The Half of It) / Screenwriter
Storme Webber (she/her)
— Interdisciplinary Artist / Educator, University of Washington
Kim Stone
— CEO of the Washington Spirit, Washington Spirit
Mickalene Thomas
— American Visual Artist, Mickalene Thomas Studio
Erika Lorshbough (any/they/she)
— Executive Director, interACT
J. Gia Loving (she/ella)
— Co-Executive Director, GSA Network

a&e features

D.C. springs back to life with new, returning events

Cherry blossoms, Rehoboth season kickoff, and more on tap

Published

3 weeks ago

March 12, 2026

Tinashe Chingarande

D.C.’s annual Cherry Blossom Festival kicks off later this month. (Blade file photo by Marvin Bowser)

Longer and warmer days are back meaning: It’s time to get out of the house and enjoy Washington D.C.’s many events. Below are a few to check out this spring.

The National Museum of Women in the Arts will host “Making their Mark: Works from the Shah Garg Collection” until Sunday, July 26. This exhibition illustrates women artists’ vital role in abstraction, considers historical contributions, formal and material breakthroughs and intergenerational relationships among women artists over the last eight decades. For more details, visit. NMWA’s website.

Art in the Attic will host a pop-up on Saturday, March 14 at 6 p.m. at 1012 Madison St., Alexandria, Va. There will be a variety of vendors selling products across different modes of art. For more details, visit Eventbrite.

Play Play will host “Indoor Recess – The art of play” on Sunday, March 15 at 2 p.m. This event will embody classic recess energy, including opportunities to build and experience community and connections through games, movement, art stations, and creative freedom. Tickets are $12.51 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Spark Social will host “Gay Bar Crawl on U Street” on Friday, March 20 at 7:30 p.m. This will be a fun night out in gay D.C. with other gay people, whether you’re visiting D.C., new to the area, or just looking to expand your social circle. Many crawlers have formed lasting friendships and even romantic relationships after just one night out. Tickets are $35.88 and are available on Eventbrite.

Creative Suitland Arts Center will host “EFFERVESCENT: House of Swann” on Saturday, May 30 at 7 p.m. This will be a gay, good time where we will celebrate love, joy, wellness, and visibility for the LGBTQIA+ community. Tickets start at $17.85 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

SWAG Works DC will host “Unapologetically Her” on Saturday, March 14 at 2 p.m. at 701 E St., S.E. This event is a powerful celebration of womanhood, resilience, creativity, and self-expression in honor of Women’s History Month. This all-women exhibition highlights the diverse voices, stories, and artistic perspectives of women who create boldly, live authentically, and stand confidently in their truth. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

9:30 Club will host “Gimme Gimme Disco: A Dance Party Inspired by ABBA” on Saturday, March 14 at 6 p.m. There will also be a “Donna Summer Power Hour – The Queen of Disco” segment during this event. It’ll be one hour of music with no skips. Tickets are available on 9:30 Club’s website.

Harder Better Faster Stronger will host “Heated Rivalry Rave” on Friday, March 20 at 9 p.m. at Howard Theatre. This event is open to all ages. Tickets are available on the theater’s website.

CAMP Rehoboth hosts its 25th annual Women’s+ FEST, April 9-12 in Rehoboth Beach, Del. Entertainers include headliner Mina Hartong, a comedian, storyteller, and founder of Lez Out Loud; and singer Yoli Mayor. There are dances, dinners, pickleball, and much more. Details and tickets at camprehoboth.org.

Also in Rehoboth Beach, the Washington Blade’s 19th annual Summer Kickoff Party is set for Friday, May 15 featuring Ashley Biden, who will accept an award on behalf of her brother Beau. State Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall will also speak. More speakers and the venue to be announced soon.

The annual D.C. Cherry Blossom Festival kicks off March 21 at DAR Constitution Hall and culminates with Petalpalooza on April 4, the day-long, outdoor street party with music and art, stretching across Navy Yard, and ending with fireworks over the Anacostia River.