The Wood Brothers perform at Wolf Trap on June 8, 2019. (Photo by Ari Strauss)

Today in a public statement, Wolf Trap Foundation President and CEO Arvind Manocha announced the cancellation of all 2020 summer performances due to the ongoing effects of the coronavirus throughout the DC metro area.

“It is with profound sadness that I announce that we are cancelling the Summer 2020 concert season. For the first time in nearly 50 years, the Filene Center and Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods at Wolf Trap National Park and The Barns at Wolf Trap will not host live performances from May through September. The continued health and well-being of the Wolf Trap community of patrons, artists, and staff are of paramount importance to us. Concern for the welfare of all makes summer gatherings for performances unfeasible,” Manocha said.

Wolf Trap leadership worked with many stakeholders, including local government and health officials, industry peers, artists and their management teams, and its partners at the National Park Service to make the final decision. The Foundation is thankful for the patience and creative cooperation of its partners as it navigated the challenging waters of the past few months.

George Liffert, Superintendent for Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, said, “We are so grateful to have such thoughtful partners in the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts leadership. The enjoyment of live concerts at the only National Park dedicated to the performing arts has been a summer tradition for thousands of people for nearly fifty- years, and I am greatly disappointed the 2020 summer season has been impacted by the pandemic.”

Wolf Trap is a beloved summer destination and tradition, bringing generations of families and friends together for memorable and meaningful performing arts experiences in a setting unlike any other. While performances may no longer be taking place, the work of the Foundation continues to strive to fulfill its core mission of being a valuable resource to the community.

The Foundation will be developing and distributing new content this summer from the Barns and the National Park, bringing music from its iconic locations to audiences and reminding all of the grandeur of its performance spaces. Wolf Trap Opera’s 2020 residency program has been refashioned to continue to provide training and digital performance opportunities for the very best emerging talent in the field; more information about the re-tooled program can be found here. Wolf Trap’s Education programs also continue to be a valued resource for teachers, parents, caregivers, and children in the DC metro area and throughout the country by providing a variety of services through digital and virtual platforms.

Wolf Trap Foundation sustains this important work with charitable support from the community. To help mitigate the painful financial impact of the season cancellation, the Foundation has launched its new Music Moves Us Fund. 100% tax-deductible donations will support groundbreaking education and community initiatives, promote next-generation artists, and sustain Wolf Trap Foundation’s operations to ensure a future of music for all.

Regarding tickets, 2020 summer season ticket holders have multiple options to consider:

• Donate all or a portion of the total value of your tickets to Wolf Trap Foundation’s Music Moves Us Fund as a tax-deductible contribution.
• Exchange tickets for a Wolf Trap gift card, to be used for future ticket or concessions purchases.
• Full refunds.

The suspension of concerts this summer is a pause in the long arc of Wolf Trap. While the current summer season is on hold, the Foundation is looking forward to resuming concert activity at the Barns at Wolf Trap later in the year, and is busy planning the 50th Anniversary season at the Filene Center in 2021. Updated information can be found via the Foundation’s weekly emails, and on its Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts.