The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Massive ensembles. White hot arias. The dark recesses of the mind. Verdi’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s smoldering tragedy is a riveting exploration of power, corruption, and freedom. Meet opera’s most power-hungry couple: Macbeth and his Lady. When they’re caught in a murderous plot to claim the Scottish throne, their manic greed for control has no end. Verdi wrote this powerhouse during Italy’s independence movement, and it soars with themes of political corruption, tyrannical rule, and liberation of the people. Macbeth takes audiences through a gripping tale of ambition and scandal, from the first note to the spectacular closing chorus. As the chilling finale approaches, ghosts of the past lurk in the shadows. Power unchecked comes at a cost; what can stop its bloody path of destruction?

Cynthia Erivo, enchanting star of the stage and screen, invites you to ring in the New Year with her magnificent friends Ben Platt and Joaquina Kalukango as they bring their powerful voices and favorite songs to the Kennedy Center stage.