today washington national opera wno announced that francesca zambello will extend her term as artistic director for three years through september 2018 she has served as the companys artistic director since january 2013 and as its artistic advisor since june 2011 francesca zambello extends contract with washington national opera through september 2018 i often say and youve probably heard me say it that when i started out in this business of writing songs i was twenty everyone else was twenty now im fiftysomething and everyone else is five im exaggerating about the five but you know what i mean confessions of a serial songwriter ffffifty