httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsaHGFQjp0w
Suddenly, she swiveled around – and t was Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Cheers and prolonged applause rang out from the crowd at the Kennedy Center on Saturday night even before Ginsburg, a life-long opera lover who was making her official operatic debut, opened her mouth to speak as the imperious Duchess of Krakenthorp.
Ginsburg herself wrote her dialogue, in collaboration with Kelley Rourke, dramaturge for the Washington National Opera, which is presenting a new production of the opera.
Francesca Zambello, the WNO’s artistic director, had asked Ginsburg to appear in all eight performances, but she declined to do more than opening night, citing her “Day job.” Actress Cindy Gold takes over for the remainder of the run.
It wasn’t Ginsburg’s first time on an opera stage.
After Ginsburg’s first scene she was escorted off stage, while many in the house gave her a standing ovation.
She would appear one final time, led on during the curtain calls by Brownlee.
Leaning on him for a bit of support, one of the most influential and revered women in American life smiled and curtsied three times to the audience.