By Terry Ponick [Washington Times, 12 September 2010]

Washington — The Washington National Opera launched its budget-shortened 2010-2011 season last night with a decent new production of Giuseppe Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera (A Masked Ball) and the Kennedy Center’s Opera House. The singing, costuming, and orchestral playing were generally good, but the production’s five-and-dime sets left much to be desired.