The powerhouse Russian bass Ildar Abdrazakov is a fervent fan of the Kennedy Center Opera House, which he regards as one of the finest in the world. In his return to the Washington National Opera for the sixth time since his company debut, he is once again the wily “Don Giovanni.”

After portraying Leporello on the opening night of the 2007 production, he switched to the role of protagonist while his older brother, Askar, sang Leporello. In 2009, he was Mustafa in Rossini’s “L’italiana in Algeri.”