Delightfully effervescent, Donizetti's comic opera Daughter of the Regiment is a rollicking combination of esprit de corps, comic antics, sweet romance and beautiful music. The story centers on young Marie, who was orphaned as child, then adopted and raised by a squadron of French soldiers who love her like she's their daughter. She and a peasant fall in love, but their marriage plans go awry when Marie is whisked away by a rich relative determined to have her marry into nobility. Impressive vocal acrobatics abound, including the famous "Ah, mes amis," which requires a tenor to sing nine high Cs. This Washington National Opera production is presented in French with English supertitles. See this comic gem, rife with hummable melodies and stirring anthems, at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.