Washington National Opera previous WNO seasons ("Das Rheingold" in 2006, "Die Walküre" in 2007, and "Siegfried" in 2009), the fourth opera, "Götterdämmerung", was given in a concert performance in November 2009. During the 2007/08 season, WNO produced three rarely staged operas: William Bolcom's "A View from the Bridge", G.F. Handel's "Tamerlano", and Richard Strauss' "Elektra". During the following season Gaetano Donizetti's "Lucrezia Borgia" and Benjamin Britten's "Peter Grimes" were given, while the 2009-2010 season featured Richard Strauss' "Ariadne auf Naxos" and Ambroise Thomas' "Hamlet". In May 2012 the Washington premiere of Verdi's "Nabucco" took place, directed by the rising star Thaddeus Strassberger. He
The Letter (opera) the publisher. On July 14, Teachout began "livetweeting" from rehearsals for "The Letter" on his Twitter page. He posted about "The Letter" there and on his blog between then and the opera's premiere. The premiere featured soprano Patricia Racette and baritone Anthony Michaels-Moore (who appeared in Santa Fe's 2008 "Falstaff"). The two appeared together in the Metropolitan Opera's new 2008 production of "Peter Grimes". The production was directed by British theatre and opera director, Jonathan Kent, whose work has been seen in Santa Fe several times (notably in the 2008 "The Marriage of Figaro") and conducted by Patrick Summers of