Associate United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a longtime opera fan, and she finally made her proper stage debut at the Kennedy Center Opera House with the Washington National Opera Saturday. (She has appeared as a supernumerary on two other occasions.)

The WNO is presenting Gaetano Donizetti’s The Daughter of the Regiment until November 20, featuring Lawrence Brownlee as Tonio and Lisette Oropesa as Marie for many of the performances. If you’ve always yearned to hear Ginsburg croon, sorry–she was there for the opening night only, in the non-singing role of the Duchess of Krakenthorp. In one scene below she says, to great audience enthusiasm, “Dropping traditions that have worked and continue to work is like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.”

In another she proclaims: “Quel scandale!”

Here are some photos and videos, all courtesy Washington National Opera.







Washington National Opera’s production of The Daughter of the Regiment runs through November 20 at the Kennedy Center Opera House. Find tickets here.