Podcasts about Seattle Opera

Joshua Conyers is an Assistant Professor of Voice at the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester, and a Grammy-nominated Baritone who is known for his captivating performances and recognized as one of the leading dramatic voices of today. He has performed with The Metropolitan Opera, Seattle Opera, Washington National Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, English National Opera, New York Philharmonic, National Symphony Orchestra, Carnegie Hall, and many others. His recordings include the Grammy-nominated “X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X” his debut solo album is “A Miracle in Legacy.” He says it tells his story of his “being born into the crucible of poverty, haunted by the specter of addiction and abuse.” He says “yet, amid the shadows, I found my guiding light in the melodies of classical music.” SONG 1: “I’ll Make Love to You” by Boyz II Men from their Album II released in 1994. https://youtu.be/USR_0iImpcM?si=VDXE1s_O2toNwRkJ SONG 2: “Nessun Dorma” by Giacomo Puccini from the opera Turandot...performed here by Franco Corelli from the 1958 film of Turandot.https://youtu.be/fWokel5YxM8?si=_D9UEH6jKbz1Bo2G SONG 3: “Cleanin’ Out My Closet” by Eminem off his 2002 album The Eminem Show. https://youtu.be/4t2ETI2Lrjg?si=pgmx0aGLs4Tag6HASee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seattle Opera presents its first-ever Gilbert & Sullivan in October 2025: The Pirates of Penzance, in a charming, traditional production that has already delighted many American opera audiences. Jonathan Dean explains the difference between opera and operetta, shares a bit of the music and humor of Pirates, and attempts to explain what The Pirates of Penzance is all about. Musical examples from Seattle Opera recordings of Rigoletto and Il trovatore, plus a recording of Pirates provided by the Atlanta Opera Film Studio (with Susanne Burgess as Mabel and Santiago Ballerini as Frederic, Chorus and Orchestra of Atlanta Opera conducted by Francesco Milioto) and another recorded in 1959 by EMI, featuring George Baker as the Major-General, James Milligan as the Pirate King, Owen Brannigan as the Police Sergeant, plus the Glyndebourne Festival Chorus and the Pro Arte Orchestra conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent.

Daphne, by Richard Strauss, comes to Seattle Opera for two concert performances in January 2025. This gorgeous opera, based on Greek myth, is a splendid showcase for a fantastic orchestra. Jonathan Dean explains what Strauss learned from Wagner, tells this unfamiliar opera's story, and explores the meaning of the myth. Musical examples from the 2005 Decca recording of Daphne (West Deutscher Rundfunk Orchestra conducted by Semyon Bychkov, with Renee Fleming, Johan Botha, Michael Schade, Anna Larsson, Kwanchul Youn, Julia Kleiter, and Twyla Robinson); the 1983 EMI recording (Bayerischen Rundfunks conducted by Bernard Haitink, with Lucia Popp, Reiner Goldberg, Peter Schreier, Ortrun Wenkel, and Kurt Moll); and the 1965 Deutsche Gramophon recording (Vienna Symphony conducted by Karl Böhm, starring Hilde Gueden, James King, Fritz Wunderlich, Vera Little, and Paul Schöffler).

In February/March 2026 Seattle Opera premieres a new production of Fellow Travelers, an opera (based on the novel by Thomas Mallon) with music by Gregory Spears to a libretto by Greg Pierce that premiered at Cincinnati Opera in 2016. Jonathan Dean introduces this beautiful new American opera, a love story set against the historical backdrop of McCarthy's witch hunts and the Lavender Scare in 1950s Washington, DC. Musical examples from the world premiere recording of Fellow Travelers, conducted by Mark Gibson and featuring Aaron Blake as Tim, Joseph Lattanzi as Hawk, Devon Guthrie as Mary, Tayla Lieberman as Lucy, Marcus DeLoach, Vernon Hartman, Paul Scholten, and Christian Pursell in other roles, with the orchestra of Cincinnati Opera.

Why has Carmen been, since 1875, one of the world's most popular operas? Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean introduces this beloved masterpiece with musical examples from Seattle Opera's archival recordings of Carmen: from 1995, with Greer Grimsley as Escamillo (conducted by Steven Sloane); from 2004, with Stephanie Blythe (Carmen) and Paul Charles Clarke (Don José), conducted by George Manahan; and from 2011, with Anita Rachvelishvili (Carmen), Fernando de la Mora (Don José), and Norah Amsellem (Micaëla), conducted by Pier Giorgio Morandi.

James Robinson, new General and Artistic Director of Seattle Opera, introduces the 2025/26 season. The Pirates of Penzance promises a musically extraordinary operatic approach to Gilbert & Sullivan; come prepared to laugh and to enjoy some familiar music as you've never heard it before. Daphne In Concert offers a rare opportunity to hear a lush Romantic masterpiece by Richard Strauss, an orchestral tour de force with splendid voices. Fellow Travelers, by Gregory Spears & Greg Pierce, is one of the most successful new American operas of the past decade: a bittersweet gay romance hidden inside a political thriller. And Carmen returns in a powerful production conducted by Seattle's beloved Ludovic Morlot and starring some of our favorite singers. Musical examples include excerpts from a 1959 Glyndebourne Pirates of Penzance, conducted by Malcolm Sargent and starring George Baker, Elsie Morison, and James Milligan; the 1964 Vienna Festival Daphne conducted by Karl Böhm and starring Hilde Gueden, Fritz Wunderlich, and James King; the recording of Fellow Travelers' world premiere, 2016 at Cincinnati Opera and starring Aaron Blake, Joseph Lattanzi, and Devon Guthrie, with the Cincinnati Symphony conducted by Mark Gibson; and Seattle Opera recordings of Carmen from 2019, Les Troyens from 2025, starring J'Nai Bridges and conducted by Ludovic Morlot, and Hansel und Gretel from 2016 starring Sasha Cooke and conducted by Sebastian Lang-Lessing.

Lucidity is a new opera staging its west coast premiere at the Seattle Opera tonight.   The performance takes a deeper look at the personal impacts that a dementia diagnosis has on an individual, and their family.  The opera follows Lili, a former singer who has a bit of a diva streak. Her adopted son, Dante, pauses his career as a pianist to care for his mom. Together, they navigate Lili's declining memory, her ability to perform, and her struggle to hold onto the thing at the center of her life: music. It's a role that Lucy Shelton, the soprano portraying Lili, was gifted by her friend Laura Kaminsky, who wrote the opera for her. Shelton does not have dementia, but she has navigated the dynamic between aging and singing over a five decade career. GUEST: Lucy Shelton, portrays Lili in Lucidity. RELATED LINKS: Lucidity - Seattle Opera  Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The world premiere of Jubilee debuted at Seattle Opera with its inaugural performance over the weekend. Jubilee is a new opera honoring the Fisk Jubilee singers, a group of groundbreaking Black American singers from Fisk University, in Tennessee. Soundside's Diana Opong sat down with creator and director Tazewell Thompson, who reflected on how the seeds of the opera Jubilee were sown in his early years living in New York. It was during his formative years that he was introduced to the rich tapestry of spirituals through old recordings, a discovery that ignited a profound sense of connection in his life.  Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.  Guests: Tazewell Thompson, creator and director of the new opera, Jubilee Marlette Buchanan, Seattle vocalist and former Fisk Jubilee singer Dr. Agenia Clark, president of Fisk University Related Links: Seattle Opera - Jubilee See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trump contradicts Vance with communist and fascist remarks.  // Heather feature- spiritual debut at the Seattle Opera. // SCENARIOS - Would you buy your child a jersey if you hate the team?

Crime and Punishment with Casey McNearthney: Resentencing of a murder case from the 1990s // Sara Nelson on why over 250 tiny homes are going unused in SoDo // Heather Bosch on the new production at the Seattle Opera, "Jubilee" // Jill Schlesinger looks at how Hurricane Helene has impacted the economy // Daily Dose of Kindness: One couple is proof that a full heart can help us through the stormiest times // Dr. Gordon Cohen on what can be assessed based on your resting heart rate // Gee Scott with takeaways from yesterday's Seahawks loss

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Growing up Mexican in Eastern Washington presented a lot of challenges for Jose Iniquez, especially since he wanted to be an opera singer. But as Bloodworks 101 contributor Juan Cotto discovered, Iniguez has made overcoming challenges his life's work. 

For Summer 2024, Seattle Opera will present PAGLIACCI, by Ruggero Leoncavallo, a masterpiece of Italian opera all about lust and jealousy, passion and murder; a show about reality and artifice, comedy and tragedy, freedom and fate. (It's not about pizza.) Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean introduces PAGLIACCI with musical examples from Seattle Opera's 2008 archival recording, conducted by Dean Williamson and starring Antonello Palombi as Canio, Nuccia Focile as Nedda, Morgan Smith as Silvio, Gordon Hawkins as Tonio, and Doug Jones as Beppe. Special musical examples feature Enrico Caruso, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, and Queen, with Freddie Mercury.

Seattle Opera presents the world premiere of JUBILEE, a new opera celebrating spirituals. Created by Tazewell Thompson, librettist of BLUE, JUBILEE tells the story of how a group of African American singers toured America and Europe in the 1870s, using this wonderful music—America's first great contribution to the world of music—to raise money to build Fisk University. Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean introduces JUBILEE, whose score consists of newly orchestrated arrangements of over 40 beloved spirituals, sung by thirteen singers. Musical examples in this podcast include spirituals sung by Paul Robeson and Marian Anderson; The Long Road to Freedom: An Anthology of Black Music; The Trouble I've Seen (Moses Hogan Chorale); Negro Spirituals (Derek Lee Ragin and the Moses Hogan Chorale); Spirituals in Concert (Kathleen Battle and Jessye Norman); Gospel Songs (The Missionary Quartet); and Mary Elizabeth Williams singing La forza del destino.

In January 2025 Seattle Opera will present two concert performances of LES TROYENS À CARTHAGE, the second part (Acts 3, 4, & 5) of Berlioz's monumental masterpiece LES TROYENS. Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean introduces the music of Berlioz and this full-length program, sharing musical examples from recordings of Georges Thill singing French tenor arias; Les Troyens conducted by Colin Davis in 1969 (with the orchestra and chorus of Covent Garden and Jon Vickers); from 2000 (Davis conducting the London Symphony orchestra and chorus, Ben Heppner, Michelle DeYoung, and Sara Mingardo); and from 2017 (John Nelson conducts the Orchestre and Choeur philharmonique de Strasbourg, Joyce DiDonato, and Cyrille Dubois).

Mozart's miraculous final masterpiece returns to Seattle Opera in February/March 2025. Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean introduces the beloved music of THE MAGIC FLUTE, with musical examples from archival Seattle Opera recordings made in 1999 (Daniel Beckwith conducts Nathan Gunn, Paul Charles Clarke, John Osborne, Philip Skinner, Ana Maria Martinez, and Cyndia Sieden); 2011 (Gary Thor Wedow conducts Doug Jones, Alissa Henderson, Benjamin Richardson, and Casi Goodman); and 2017 (Julia Jones conducts Christina Poulitsi, Amanda Forsythe, Randall Bills, Jacqueline Piccolino, Nian Wang, Jenni Bank, Frederick Ballentine, Jonathan Silvia, John Moore, and Ante Jerkunica.)

Seattle Opera concludes its 24/25 season in May 2025 with TOSCA, Puccini's beloved thriller. Jonathan Dean introduces the charismatic characters, cinematic music, and wild story that have made TOSCA one of the world's favorite operas. Musical examples from Seattle Opera archival recordings of Tosca made in 2001 (Antonello Allemandi conducts Carol Vaness), 2007 (Vjekoslav Sutej conducts Lisa Daltirus, Frank Porretta, Jr., and Greer Grimsley) and 2015 (Julian Kovatchev conducts Ausrine Stundyte, Mary Elizabeth Williams, Marcy Stonikas, Stefano Secco, and Greer Grimsley. Special example featuring Korngold's score to CAPTAIN BLOOD.  

Today, Trae chats with Taylor Raven, an Opera Singer playing Rosina in Seattle Opera's upcoming production of The Barber of Seville. She shares her background in opera and what it's like to be in a operatic comedy. Next, Trae talks with Quiana Daniels, the CEO of Childress Nursing Services, CNS. She sheds light on the National Infertility Awareness Week, while diving into elements of infertility in the Black community.

Figaro! Figaro! Figaro! Rossini's cheerful comedy rounds out Seattle Opera's season in May 2024. Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean introduces THE BARBER OF SEVILLE with musical examples drawn from Seattle Opera archival recordings from 1992 (conducted by Edoardo Mueller and starring John Del Carlo and Kevin Langan); 2011 (conducted by Dean Williamson and starring José Carbo, Lawrence Brownlee, Sarah Coburn, and Kate Lindsey); and 2017 (conducted by Giacomo Sagripanti and starring Sofia Fomina, Matthew Grills, Will Liverman, Kevin Glavin, and Daniel Sumegi).

Today Trae spends time with Jay Martin Jr. He gives us some insight into the work he's doing and his take on X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X at Seattle Opera.

 My guest for this episode is Aubrey Bergauer. Aubrey is known for her results-driven, customer-centric, data-obsessed pursuit of changing the narrative for the performing arts. A “dynamic administrator” with a drive for innovation, she's held offstage roles managing millions in revenue at major institutions, including the Seattle Symphony, Seattle Opera, Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, and San Francisco Conservatory of Music. As chief executive of the California Symphony, Aubrey propelled the organization to double the size of its audience and nearly quadrupled the donor base.  Aubrey helps organizations and individuals transform from scarcity to opportunity, make money, and grow their base of fans and supporters. Her ability to cast and communicate vision moves large teams forward and brings stakeholders together, earning “a reputation for coming up with great ideas and then realizing them” (per the San Francisco Classical Voice).  With a track record for increasing revenue and relevance, leveraging digital content and technology, and prioritizing diversity and inclusion on stage and off, Aubrey sees a better way forward for classical music and knows how to achieve it.  A graduate of Rice University, her work and leadership have been covered in the Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, Thrive Global, and Southwest Airlines magazines, and she is a frequent speaker spanning TEDx, Adobe's Magento, universities, and industry conferences in the U.S. and abroad. Aubrey's first book, Run It Like A Business, was just published (February 2024).  Here's what to expect during the episode: Why is it essential for nonprofit organizations to consider running their operations with a business-like approach? How can adopting a business mindset benefit a nonprofit organization? What are some common misconceptions people might have when suggesting that nonprofits run like a business, and how can these be addressed? What practical steps can be taken to overcome workplace silos?  What aspects of business culture could a nonprofit organization potentially adopt to enhance its overall effectiveness and impact? Connect with Aubrey Bergauer! Website: https://www.aubreybergauer.com/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/aubreybergauer/ Link for 6 Steps You Must Know to Unleash the Potential of Your Nonprofit Board. You can get that by going to Mary's website:  https://www.hilandconsulting.org/ Mary's book is available on Amazon or wherever books are sold:  Love Your Board! The Executive Directors' Guide to Discovering the Sources of Nonprofit Board Troubles and What to Do About Them. Be sure to subscribe to Inspired Nonprofit Leadership so that you don't miss a single episode, and while you're at it, won't you take a moment to write a short review and rate our show? It would be greatly appreciated!    Let us know the topics or questions you would like to hear about in a future episode. You can do that and follow us on  Facebook. Connect with Mary! LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryhiland Inspired Nonprofit Leadership Facebook Group: https://tinyurl.com/inspirednonprofitleadership Company Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hilandconsulting Website: https://www.hilandconsulting.org  

Margaret Brennan on the wars in Gaza, Ukraine, and the upcoming 2024 GOP South Carolina Primary // Feliks Banel with "All Over The Map" - A gazebo in Everett is causing some controversy within the community // Mike Salk on what to expect from the Mariners heading into the 2024 Spring Training // Heather Bosch on the Seattle Opera's take on the life of Malcolm X // Daily Dose of Kindness: A boy gets a much needed gift from his school bus driver // Gee Scott on why the Seahawks don't need to attend the NFL Combine next week // Matt Markovich on all the bills being discussed this week in the state legislature

In 1990, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Les Payne embarked on a nearly thirty-year-long quest to interview anyone he could find who had actually known Malcolm X. His goal was ambitious: to transform what would become over a hundred hours of interviews into an unprecedented portrait of Malcolm X, one that would separate fact from fiction. Following Payne's unexpected death in 2018, his daughter Tamara Payne heroically completed the biography. Presented by the Seattle Opera and Town Hall Seattle, Tamara Payne returns to the Town Hall stage (following her virtual appearance in 2020) to share from the final biography, The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X. Drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews — with all living siblings of the Malcolm Little family, classmates, street friends, cellmates, Nation of Islam figures, FBI moles and cops, and political leaders around the world — she traces his life from his Nebraska birth in 1925 to his Harlem assassination in 1965. Payne explores how her father corrects the historical record and delivers extraordinary revelations with a biographer's unwavering determination. She discusses the intensive research process and introduces a riveting biography that affirms the centrality of Malcolm X to the African American freedom struggle. In a moment of renewed vigor for the struggle in Black freedom, this presentation is essential viewing. Tamara Payne is Les Payne's daughter and served as his principal researcher. Presented by Town Hall Seattle and the Seattle Opera. The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X The Elliott Bay Book Company

"X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X," premiers on the West Coast at the Seattle Opera this month. Originally staged in 1985, the production was revitalized by a new production by the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 2023. Opening night is Saturday, Feb. 24.

When music journalist Myles Clarkson visits ailing piano virtuoso Duncan Ely at his palatial California home, ostensibly to interview the man, Duncan notices something distinct about Myles:  his hands – they're beautiful, the bone structure perfect for a concert pianist.  Myles, it turns out, is a Juilliard-trained musician whose career tanked after receiving some bad reviews.  Taking an interest in Myles, Duncan introduces him to his artist daughter Roxanne. Soon Myles has entered the pianist's inner circle, much to the chagrin of Myles' wife, Paula, who feels more than a tinge of jealousy at the attention being paid to her husband.  But things are about to take a turn for the uncanny.  Roxanne casts a plaster life mask of Myles, and with Duncan on his way out, Myles donates blood to help him.  While Myles is asleep, something happens, and when he awakes, he's changed.  It's almost as if he's someone else. His urge to live, to love, to play music, is revived, leaving Paula to wonder:  just what, or who, is inhabiting the body of the man she loves? Intro, Debate Society, Hot for Teacher (spoiler-free): 00:00-28:50Honor Roll and Detention (spoiler-heavy): 28:51-1:02:54Superlatives (spoiler-heavier): 1:02:55-1:22:19 Director Paul WendkosScreenplay Ben Maddow, based on the novel by Fred Mustard StewartFeaturing Alan Alda, Jacqueline Bisset, Bradford Dillman, Pamelyn Ferdin, Curt Jurgens, Barbara Parkins, Kathleen Widdoes, William Windom David Cote is a playwright, opera librettist, and critic based in New York. His operas include Lucidity – which will be produced by On Site Opera in New York and Seattle Opera in fall 2024, Blind Injustice, which premiered at Cincinnati Opera and will be presented at Peak Performances at Montclair State University February 16 & 18. Other operas include Three Way at Nashville Opera and BAM; The Scarlet Ibis for the Prototype Festival; and 600 Square Feet with Cleveland Opera Theater. His plays include The Müch, Saint Joe, and Otherland. David wrote lyrics for Nkeiru Okoye's Black Lives Matter monodrama, Invitation to a Die-In and the dating-app song cycles In Real Life, composed by Robert Paterson. David's TV and theater coverage appears in The A.V. Club, Observer, 4 Columns, and American Theatre. He was the longest serving theater editor and chief drama critic of Time Out New York. He's also the author of popular companion books about the Broadway hits Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Spring Awakening, Jersey Boys, and Wicked. Our theme music is by Sir Cubworth, with embellishments by Edward Elgar.  Music from The Mephisto Waltz by Jerry Goldsmith. For more information on this film (including why the Professor chose it, on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our Blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), the pod, essays from your hosts, and other assorted bric-a-brac, visit our website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠scareupod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Please subscribe to this podcast via Apple or Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you like what you hear, please leave us a 5-star rating. Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ group. Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Enjoy this sample-platter of music and voices from Seattle Opera's 2024/25 season. Dramaturg Jonathan Dean and Aren Der Hacopian, Director of Artistic Administration and Planning introduce a mainstage season including Pagliacci (Aug ‘24), Jubilee (World Premiere, Oct '24), Les Troyens à Carthage in concert (Jan '25) The Magic Flute (Feb/Mar '25) and Tosca (May '25). Musical clips include tenor Diego Torre (Canio in Pagliacci at Lyric Opera Kansas City); Monica Conesa (Seattle's Nedda, here singing “Casta diva” in Jordan last year); spirituals from Jessye Norman & Kathleen Battle, Paul Robeson, and Marion Anderson; the Les Troyens Act 4 ballet played by the Strasbourg Philharmonic; J'nai Bridges (Delilah in Seattle in 2023); Russell Thomas (Otello at Canadian Opera Company in 2019); Duke Kim (La traviata's Alfredo in Seattle in 2023); Rodion Pogossov (Belcore in Elixir of Love in Seattle in 2022); Sharleen Joynt (Morgana in Alcina in Seattle in 2023); Vanessa Goikoetxea (Alcina in Seattle in 2023); and Lianna Haroutounian (Cio-Cio San in Madame Butterfly in Seattle in 2017).

Today Trae Sits down with Dennis Robison JR director of programs and partnerships for Seattle Opera

Growing up in a farmworker family in Mattawa, Washington, Jose Iñiguez became enamored with opera. He dreamed of one day becoming an opera singer in spite of his father's misgivings. Today he is living his dream and heading up Encanto Arts, a non-profit that promotes the arts in underserved rural communities. Iñiguez joins the Chino Y Chicano to talk about his unconventional approach to become an opera singer and teaching artist with the Seattle Opera as well as earning his father's praise. Learn more about Encanto Arts at encantoarts.org. Find out more about Jose Iñiguez  at joseiñiguez.com and watch his performances on YouTube at Jose Iñiguez. Video version of podcast:https://youtu.be/GdOFoxR2-o8?feature=sharedRead: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/08/us/lahaina-fire-families.html#:~:text=The%20F.B.I.,survivors%20wonder%20what%20comes%20next.: Read:https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/apr/15/fentanyl-involved-in-more-than-half-of-overdose-de/Read: https://pharmacy.wsu.edu/2021/08/23/how-one-professor-is-combating-a-silent-epidemic-in-eastern-washington/Read:https://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/bios/?fa=scbios.display_file&fileID=gonzalezRead: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/mental-health/seattle-libraries-transit-branch-into-social-work-to-take-on-mental-health-drug-use/: Read:https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/buoyed-by-poll-seattle-mayor-harrell-should-go-big-on-public-safety/Read: https://crosscut.com/news/2023/01/two-seattle-asian-american-community-newspapers-go-out-printRead: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/leesa-manion-sworn-in-as-king-county-prosecuting-attorney/Read: The Best & Worst Awards for 2022https://i0.wp.com/nwasianweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/04-05-Matt-and-Gei-1.jpgRead Marcus Harrison Green's Seattle's Times column about Black Youth suicide. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/mental-health/more-black-kids-are-dying-by-suicide-the-reasons-unfortunately-arent-surprising/

In the thirty-fifth year of his career, Daniel Sumegi has sung over one hundred operatic roles on many of the world's major stages – including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Washington National Opera, Seattle Opera, as well as at Opera Australia.  He has also appeared in the opera houses of Bonn, Cologne, Frankfurt and Hamburg, as well as Paris, Barcelona, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Los Angeles and Houston among many others. Regarded also for his dynamic acting, his broad repertoire encompasses all periods of music – from Monteverdi and Mozart to Britten, Tippett and Puts.  Equally comfortable as Strauss' Baron Ochs, Mozart's Sarastro and Commendatore, Verdi's Grand Inquisitor and Sparafucile, Offenbach's Four Villains or Puccini's Scarpia, he has participated in Ring Cycles in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Strasbourg, Cologne, Tokyo, Buenos Aires, Seattle, Melbourne and Adelaide, most notably as Hagen.  He has additionally performed Hunding in concert for the Hong Kong, Atlanta, Stuttgart and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras. Daniel's 2021/2022 engagements included Die Walküre (Singapore), Salome (Victorian Opera), Fidelio (Dublin) and Bluebeard's Castle, Aida and Lohengrin (Opera Australia). Among other roles, he has sung Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Pogner) for Opera Australia, Salome (Jochanaan) for New Israeli Opera, Der fliegende Holländer (title role) for Malmö Opera in Sweden and Carmen (Zuniga) for Seattle Opera.  He also undertook his music theatre debut, as Judge Turpin in Sondheim's Sweeney Todd, seen in Sydney and Melbourne.   Past highlights include Don Carlo and Madama Butterfly (Metropolitan Opera), Der Rosenkavalier (Scottish and Welsh National Opera), Luisa Miller (San Francisco), Billy Budd and Rigoletto (Los Angeles), Parsifal (Hamburg, Barcelona, Adelaide), Salome (Washington, Hamburg, Leeds, Hong Kong), Der fliegende Holländer, Aida, Beatrice and Benedict and Barbiere (Seattle), Manchurian Candidate (Minnesota, Austin), and more than 25 principal roles for Opera Australia. He has collaborated with noted conductors such as James Conlon, Sir Andrew Davis, Charles Dutoit, Dan Ettinger, Asher Fisch, Valery Gergiev, Nicola Luisotti, Sir Charles Mackerras, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Renato Palumbo, Sir Simon Rattle, Carlo Rizzi, Donald Runnicles, Nello Santi, Sir Jeffrey Tate, Edo de Waart, Sebastian Weigle, and Simone Young. Daniel Sumegi appears on CD in Beatrice di Tenda and Seattle Opera's acclaimed Ring Cycle, and on DVD in the San Francisco Opera Production of Capriccio, Opera Australia's Don Giovanni, and the historic condensed Ring Cycle from Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires. In December, he makes his role début as Wotan/The Wanderer in OA's new production of Der Ring des Nibelungen. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).www.stagespodcast.com.au

Richard Roberts is an award-winning designer and educator. His body of work spans theatre, ballet, opera, musical theatre, and film, across Australia and internationally. Richard is currently Head of Design and Production at the Victorian College of the Arts.  He has held positions as Head of Design at The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Head of Production at The Victorian College of the Arts and Head of Design at The Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts. Richard's designs for opera include: for Opera Australia, Rigoletto, Don Pasquale, The Magic Flute and Die Fledermaus (with West Australian Opera); for Victorian Opera, Parsifal, Cunning Little Vixen; Nixon In China, The Magic Flute, Baroque Triple Bill, The Marriage Of Figaro; The Corronation Of Poppea and Don Giovanni; for Opera Queensland, Ruddigore; and for New Zealand Opera, Seattle Opera, and Philadelphia Opera Rigoletto. For dance, Richard's designs include: for Australian Ballet, Don Quixote, Requiem, Molto Vivace and Raymonda; La Sylphide and La Fille Mal Gardee for West Australian Ballet and Queensland Ballet. For theatre, Richard's designs include: for Queensland Theatre, Othello, The Sunshine Club, Death Of A Salesman, Noises Off (with MTC), Much Ado About Nothing, Tartuffe and Managing Carmen (with Black Swan); for Ensemble Theatre, Black Cockatoo; for TML, Fiddler On The Roof; for Melbourne and Sydney Festivals, The Season national tour; for Melbourne Theatre Company, Last Man Standing, Solomon And Marion, Next To Normal, The Gift and Frost/Nixon, Macbeth, Dreams in an Empty City, As You Like It, Hedda Gabler, The Sapphires, All My Sons; for Sydney Theatre Company, Australia Day(with MTC), True West, Riflemind; for Black Swan, The Caucasian Chalk Circle and Glengarry Glen Ross; for Belvoir, The Sapphires (with Black Swan). For screen, Richard's work includes production design for George Ogilvie's The Battlers for the Seven Network, the 12-part series Five Times Dizzy for SBS and I Own The Racecourse for Barron Films. Richard has designed the Operatic adaptation of Jane Harrison's The Visitors for Victorian Opera, currently playing The Arts Centre in Melbourne. For Opera Australia's Summer season he is Design Consultant for the Mozart Opera's Idomeneo and The Magic Flute. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).www.stagespodcast.com.au

ALCINA, opening October 14th, will be only the fourth-ever Handel opera given at Seattle Opera. General Director Christina Scheppelmann, stage director Tim Albery, and conductor Christine Brandes discuss this great opera composer, and the rebirth of interest in his work, with Dramaturg Jonathan Dean. Starting about 19 minutes in, all three share favorite music from Handel operas. Musical excerpts include singing “Va, tacito” from Giulio Cesare (Marijana Mijanovic and Les Musiciens du Louvre conducted by Mark Minkowski); “Vivo in te” from Tamerlano (Karina Gauvin and Max Emanuel Cenčić, with Il pomo d'oro conducted by Ricardo Minasi); “Piangerò” from Giulio Cesare (Sabine Devieilhe and Pygmalion, conducted by Raphael Pichon); “Cara speme” from Giulio Cesare (Anne Sofie von Otter and Les Musiciens du Louvre conducted by Mark Minkowski); “Se pietà” from Giulio Cesare (Sabine Devieilhe and Pygmalion, conducted by Raphael Pichon);  “L'empio, sleale, indegno” from Giulio Cesare (Brian Asawa, the Seattle Opera orchestra conducted by Gary Thor Wedow); “Dopo notte” from Ariodante (Lorraine Hunt and the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra conducted by Nicholas McGegan); “Son nata a lagrimar” from Giulio Cesare (Bernarda Fink and Marianne Rørholm, with Concerto Köln conducted by René Jacobs); and a passage from “L'Allegro, il Penseroso, ed il Moderato” (Paul McCreesh conducted the Gabrieli Consort and Players).

Welcome to the Green Room Meditations Podcast, presented by the Indiana Repertory Theatre and hosted by Devon Ginn.  Today, we are in conversation with: Carey Wong. He is currently serving as Senic Designer for IRT's season opener, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Carey has worked for over 45 years as a stage designer and arts administrator in the United States, Canada, and abroad.  He has designed sets and/or costumes for over 300 productions of operas, plays, musicals, and ballets, as well as art installations and themed environments.  Currently a freelance designer and theatre consultant based in Gig Harbor, Washington, he began his career as General Production Manger and Resident Designer of Portland Opera for eight seasons.  This was followed by two seasons as Artistic Administrator and Resident Designer at Opera Memphis.  While at Portland Opera, Mr. Wong designed sets and costumes for 12 new productions including the American premiere of Ernst Krenek's LIFE OF ORESTES (in an English translation by the composer commissioned for the premiere), the world premiere of Bernard Herrmann's WUTHERING HEIGHTS, and a rare staging of Carl Maria von Weber's DER FREISCHÜTZ.  Three of his Portland productions were shared by Seattle Opera.   https://www.careywong.com/    About the Indiana Repertory Theatre: Founded in 1971, the Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT) is the largest professional not-for-profit theatre in the state and one of the leading regional theatres in the country. The mission of the Indiana Repertory Theatre is to produce top-quality, professional theatre and related activities, providing experiences that will engage, surprise, challenge, and entertain people throughout their lifetimes, helping us build a vital and vibrant community. Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA): The IRT strives to celebrate and serve the diverse people and cultures that make up our whole community. The IRT is committed to providing access for all; to creating and maintaining an antiracist theatre that is inclusive, safe, and respectful. https://www.irtlive.com/ 

Today Trae is back in the studio for a #BlackStarPower episode with Kenneth Kellogg! He's an amazing Opera Singer who will tell us about his journey in the world of opera and give us some insight into his role in Das Rheingold, a show on stage now at Seattle Opera.

Meet the characters and explore the rich vocal history of DAS RHEINGOLD with Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean. With recorded music examples ranging from 1904 to 2015, Dean considers how DAS RHEINGOLD challenges its singers to feats of lyrical and heroic singing—and even listens for the dreaded “Bayreuth Bark.” Includes special examples from Seattle Opera's 1976 English-language RING, plus “tag-team” musical examples—where switching singers mid-aria offers an opportunity to hear even more amazing voices. Musical credits: 100 Jahre Bayreuth als Schallplate, the Early Festival Singers: Anton von Rooy (Wotan), 1908; Hans Breuer (Mime), (1904); Ernestine Schumann-Heink (Erda), 1907. Les Introuvables du Chant Wagnerien: Friedrich Schorr (Wotan), 1929. 1953 Bayreuth; Clemens Krauss conducts Ludwig Weber (Fasolt), Josef Greindl (Fafner), Erich Witte (Loge), Hermann Uhde (Donner), Paul Kuen (Mime). 1953, RAI Roma; Wilhelm Furtwängler conducts Lorenz Fehenberger (Froh). 1976, Seattle Opera; Henry Holt conducts Malcolm Rivers (Alberich) and Noel Tyl (Wotan) singing Andrew Porter's English translation. 1978, Covent Garden; Colin Davis conducts George Shirley (Loge). 1989, Bayerische Staatsoper; Wolfgang Sawallisch conducts Nancy Gustafson (Freia), Kurt Moll (Fafner), Marjana Lipovsek (Fricka), Julie Kaufmann (Woglinde), Angela Maria Blasi (Wellgunde), and Birgit Calm (Flosshilde). 1991, Bayreuth; Daniel Barenboim conducts John Tomlinson (Wotan), Matthias Hölle (Fasolt), and Helmut Pampuch (Mime). 1995, Seattle Opera; Hermann Michael conducts Monte Pederson (Wotan). 2013, Seattle Opera; Asher Fisch conducts Greer Grimsley (Wotan), Stephanie Blythe (Fricka), and Dennis Peterson (Mime). 2015, Hong Kong Philharmonic; Jaap van Zweden conducts Kwangchul Youn (Fasolt), Stephen Milling (Fafner), and Kim Begley (Loge).

In this conversation Briq House and Moonyeka share their perspective on Seattle Opera's La traviata. Speaking with Gabrielle Nomura Gainor, the two sex-positive artists and community leaders discuss the "fallen woman" archetype in Verdi's opera, the joy and challenges surrounding sex work—and other politics of pleasure for women and femmes–particularly QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous People of Color). Briq House has been featured in The Seattle Times, Time Magazine, and on the cover of The Stranger. She was honored in the Top 50 Most Influential Burlesque Performers in the World List (21st Century Burlesque Magazine). Moonyeka is a nonbinary Filipinx interdisciplinary artist who provides sacred, erotic, healing spaces. With roots in street-styles dance (including Tutting and Popping), you may have seen them on the award-winning film series, If Cities Could Dance. Learn more at msbriqhouse.com and instagram.com/m00nyeka.   Notes: This conversation includes a candid discussion of human sexuality, sex work, and pleasure. 

It's first Friday so Rasheda Hatchett is back in the building! She shares with us some steps we can take to deal with loss and stay productive. Trae also sits with Naomi André, Seattle Opera's Scholar in Residence who gives us some insight on opera history and how Seattle Opera is moving differently and leading the industry regarding diversity on and off the stage.

Jenni Bank was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, grew up in Binghamton, New York, & studied at Peabody Conservatory. She has worked with Seattle Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Chicago Lyric Opera, New York City Opera, Anchorage Opera, Opera Delaware, Des Moines Metro Opera, Florentine Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Tri-Cities Opera, Knoxville Opera, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Bard Summer Music Festival, Ash Lawn Opera, Amarillo Opera, Baltimore Concert Opera, Annapolis Opera, Mid-America Productions at Carnegie Hall, Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester, Seoul Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, & the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Performances include Marcellina (Marriage of Figaro), Samira (Ghosts of Versailles), Mrs. De Rocher (Dead Man Walking), The Mother (The Consul), 3rd Lady (Magic Flute), Ruth (Pirates of Penzance), Buttercup (H.M.S. Pinafore), Mrs. Twist (Brokeback Mountain), Emilia (Otello), Mrs. Lovett (Sweeney Todd), Mary (Flying Dutchman), Old Lady (Candide), Mrs. Peachum (Threepenny Opera), Golde (Fiddler on the Roof), Azucena (Il Trovatore), Witch (Hänsel und Gretel), Quickly (Falstaff), Dryad (Ariadne auf Naxos), Frugola (Il Tabarro), Principessa (Suor Angelica), Zita (Gianni Schicchi), Martha (Faust), Giulietta (Hoffmann), Marquise (Daughter of the Regiment), Petra (A Little Night Music), Fairy Queen (Iolanthe), Katisha (The Mikado), Filipyevna (Eugene Onegin), Verdi Requiem, Mozart Requiem, Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass, & Beethoven's 9th Symphony. She is the leading interpreter of the Duchess in Unsuk Chin's Alice in Wonderland, created the role of Firdaus Noman in Shalimar The Clown & is featured on the Cast Recording, won the Sullivan Foundation Award, is a Metropolitan Opera Competition semi-finalist, & is the Artistic Advisor for Tri-Cities Opera. Jenni is also the Analysis Operations Team Lead at the fast-growing tech startup DoWhatWorks and lives in Upstate New York with her husband and two adorable dogs (@theharleyandeo on instagram). Find Jenni at www.JenniBank.com & @jenni_bank My gratitude goes out to Hannah Boissonneault who edits our Masterclass episodes and to Juanitos and Scott Holmes for the music featured in this episode. You can help support the creation of these episodes when you join the Sybaritic Camerata on Patreon. Get started at patreon.com/mezzoihnen. Be on the Studio Class Podcast Megan Ihnen is a professional mezzo-soprano, teacher, writer, and arts entrepreneur who is passionate about helping other musicians and creative professionals live their best lives. Studio Class is an outgrowth of her popular #29DaystoDiva series from The Sybaritic Singer. Let your emerging professionals be part of the podcast! Invite Megan to your studio class for a taping of an episode. Your students ask questions and informative, fun conversation ensues. Special Guest: Jenni Bank.

The excitement is brewing!  Opera Omaha is ending this season with The Marriage of Figaro, and we had a lovely conversation with Michael Adams and Mary Feminear, who play the Count and the Countess in this beloved opera.  Mary and Michael are married in real life as well as their characters onstage, and it made for a great interview.  Our conversation was cut short because of technical problems, and we hope to talk with them again in the future. Both of these Creatives are immensely experienced and talented and it was an honor to talk with them.  Don't miss this famous and timeless opera, which is Directed by Dean Anthony and Conducted by Steven White.   Performances are March 31st and April 2nd and ticket prices begin at $19. You can get your tickets to this beloved opera, The Marriage of Figaro at ticketomaha.com.    Opera Omaha also offers their Opera in Conversation, The Art of Comedy: "Comedic Tropes at Types" which will be held at the Blackstone Theatre March 21st at 6PM.  And for a talkback after the opera, Opera in Conversation:  "After The Curtain Call" on April 4th at the Benson Theatre at 6PM.  These events are free of charge. OPERA OMAHA CONTACT INFO: For Tickets:  ticketomaha.com Website: www.operaomaha.org  Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/operaomaha/ Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/operaomaha/ Twitter:https://twitter.com/operaomaha You Tube:  https://www.youtube.com/user/operaomaha Soprano Mary Feminear returns to Opera Omaha after last performing in Opera Under the Stars. This season Ms. Feminear will also perform the title role of Carlisle Floyd's Susannah with Wichita Grand Opera and Alice Ford in Verdi's Falstaff with Maryland Lyric Opera. Her previous performances include the Countess Almaviva with Maryland Lyric Opera, Micaëla in Bizet's Carmen and Zerlina in Mozart's Don Giovanni at the Grand Théâtre de Genève, where she was also a member of the Troupe des Jeunes Solistes, Ginevra in a workshop of Handel's Ariodante at the Opera Omaha One Festival, the soprano soloist in Mariana Sadovska's The Wreck at the Opera Omaha ONE Festival, and Amore in Cavalli's Il Giasone at the Château de Versailles. Other opera credits include the title role in Handel's Semele at Opera Omaha and Seattle Opera, Pamina in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte with Pacific MusicWorks, Proserpine in Charpentier's La Descente d'Orphee aux Enfers with Gotham Chamber Opera, and Polissena in Handel's Radamisto at Juilliard.   Baritone Michael Adams returns to Opera Omaha after last performing in Opera Under the Stars. This season, Mr. Adams will also sing the Count in Le nozze di Figaro with Madison Opera, Castro in La fanciulla del West with the Cleveland Orchestra, Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Opera Idaho, and Eugene Onegin with Vallejo Festival Orchestra. Last season, he made two company and role debuts: Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with Dallas Opera and Count in Le nozze di Figaro with Austin Opera. He also returned to the Deutsche Oper Berlin as the Count and Herald in Der Schatzgräber and Utah Opera for Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia. Other recent performances include Les pêcheurs de perles with Gran Teatre del Liceu; Eugene Onegin, Così fan tutte, and L'elisir d'amore with Seattle Opera; La bohème, Alcina, and Don Giovanni with Grand Théâtre de Genève; Die Zauberflöte, Silent Night, Alcina and The Little Prince with Washington National Opera; Manon with Des Moines Metro Opera, Pagliacci, Il barbiere di Siviglia, and La bohème with Utah Opera; and Show Boat at Glimmerglass Festival. ***** HOW TO LISTEN TO THE PLATTE RIVER BARD PODCAST Listen at https://platteriverbard.podbean.com or anywhere you get your podcasts. We are on Apple, Google, Pandora, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Podbean, Overcast, Listen Now, Castbox and anywhere you get your podcasts. You may also find us by just asking Alexa. Listen on your computer or any device on our website: https://www.platteriverbard.com. Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCPDzMz8kHvsLcJRV-myurvA. Please find us and Subscribe!   Music provided by musopen.com: Public Domain Mark 1.0 Le Nozze di Figaro - No. 11 Cavatina 'Porgi, Amor' Overture to The marriage of Figaro, K. 492 https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

Last month, the Seattle Opera hosted “Jashin: a celebration of Afghan arts," highlighting Afghan history, culture, and arts — topics that can be lost between constant news stories of war and violence. That show led to the opera's current production — the world premiere of "A Thousand Splendid Suns."

Set against Afghanistan's volatile history, A Thousand Splendid Suns tells the breathtaking story of Mariam and Laila, two Afghan women. Brought together under the brutal Taliban rule, the bond between Laila and Mariam leads to unthinkable sacrifices, and ultimately, one family's survival. Based on Khaled Hosseini's best-selling novel, this story has captured the hearts of millions including American composer Sheila Silver and librettist Stephen Kitsakos who adapted the novel for the opera stage. Host Stephen Anthony Rawson sits down to talk with Sheila Silver about her opera, its journey to the Seattle stage, and her musical studies in India with vocalist Pandit Kedar Bodas.

Today is another art filled episode! First we'll hear from Brian Callanan about tonight's episode of Seattle News, Views, & Brews. Then Trae is joined by Micaela Lamas and Jeffrey Cornelius, cast members from Dear Evan Hansen, an acclaimed musical coming to Paramount Theatre next week. Next, Trae sits with Martin Bakari from Seattle Opera. They'll talk about the show A Thousand Splendid Suns and his upcoming recital. It's set to be an amazingly artistic episode indeed. Tune in y'all!

If you are looking for some tips on how to experience art in the Seattle area, you are in the right place. In this weekly post, KUOW Arts Reporter Mike Davis gives you tips on what to do around Seattle over the weekend so you can have your own adventures in arts and culture.

Seattle Opera scholar-in-residence Dr. Naomi André, explores issues of orientalism, cultural representation, and musical exoticism in opera. French composer Camille Saint-Saëns wrote his biblical epic Samson and Delilah (1877) at a time when European powers were aggressively pursuing imperial expansion. As part of the cultural project of colonialism, Europe's artists became fascinated with the representation of non-European peoples, frequently turning to caricatures and stereotypes to justify European incursions. Such orientalist portrayals present numerous challenges when presenting these works in the 21st century. When does inspiration become exploitation? Who gets to tell stories about whom? And what happens when issues of gender, religious belief, and nation intersect with the power dynamics that underlie these works?

Today is marked with greatness! Trae has Grammy Award Winning J'Nai Bridges in the studio. She'll tell us all about her opera career and what it's like to come home to star in Sampson and Delilah at Seattle Opera. Then Trae sits with Marc Handsome, a Vamp Life Recording Artist as he shares his journey into music and his current release with Jim Jones. It'll be music to your ears y'all...you won't want to miss this!

The introductory first opera of Wagner's RING cycle is a unique and fascinating work in its own right: both a lively fantasy and a trenchant satirical allegory. Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean introduces DAS RHEINGOLD, with musical examples from previous Seattle Opera productions including 1977 (conducted by Henry Holt and starring Malcolm Rivers), 1995 (conducted by Hermann Michael and starring Julian Patrick), 2005 (conducted by by Robert Spano and starring Ewa Podles), and 2013 (conducted by Asher Fisch and starring Mark Schowalter). Special thanks to Alex Minami.

In Fall 2023 Seattle Opera will present Handel's ALCINA, a magical opera seria about the vagaries of love, attraction, and gender. Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean introduces Handel operas and ALCINA, with musical examples from recital albums by Andreas Scholl and Sarah Connolly as well as recordings of ALCINA dating from 1959 (conducted by Ferdinand Leitner and starring Joan Sutherland); from 1962 (conducted by Richard Bonynge and starring Sutherland, Teresa Berganza, Monica Sinclair, and Luigi Alva); and 1999 (conducted by William Christie and starring Renee Fleming, Susan Graham, Kathleen Kuhlmann, Timothy Robinson, and Natalie Dessay).

Figaro! Figaro! Figaro! Rossini's cheerful comedy rounds out Seattle Opera's season in May 2024. Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean introduces THE BARBER OF SEVILLE with musical examples drawn from Seattle Opera archival recordings from 1992 (conducted by Edoardo Mueller and starring John Del Carlo and Kevin Langan); 2011 (conducted by Dean Williamson and starring José Carbo, Lawrence Brownlee, Sarah Coburn, and Kate Lindsey); and 2017 (conducted by Giacomo Sagripanti and starring Sofia Fomina, Matthew Grills, Will Liverman, Kevin Glavin, and Daniel Sumegi).

Seattle Opera subscriber Dr. Chris Rebholz, a practicing Buddhist, discusses Wagner's Tristan with Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean. Fascinated by Buddhism when he wrote Tristan und Isolde, Wagner created an opera all about compassion, karma, desire, enlightenment, and the difficulty of reconciling both conventional and ultimate reality (aka “Day vs. Night”). Dr. Rebholz teaches adult classes on Buddhism at Seattle's Sakya Monastery of Tibetan Buddhism. A clinical and forensic psychologist, in private practice, who specializes in evaluating neurodiverse adults for healthcare and the courts, she teaches corporate seminars on neurodiversity as well as continuing legal education on issues of mental health and the law. Musical examples from Seattle Opera's 2022 Tristan und Isolde starring Mary Elizabeth Williams, Ryan McKinney, and Amber Wagner and conducted by Jordan de Souza.

Richard Wagner is once again making an appearance on the Seattle Opera stage, renewing questions about the controversial composer's compatibility with contemporary social values. Wagner's objectionable views and dominant position in the opera canon have long vexed opera lovers, prompting some to wonder what role Wagner should play for modern opera companies.  Join esteemed musicologists and music critics from around the globe as they reflect on the ethics of performing Wagner in the 21st century and envision a more equitable model for classical music. The conversation will address how opera companies might present works by problematic artists, as well as what they can do more broadly to diversify programming. What gets the privilege of being called classical music, and what gets left out of that definition? What role should opera companies play in the cultivation of new music? And how can we find a balance between traditional works and overlooked voices?

Today Trae sits with Morris Robinson, an Opera Singer playing the role of King Marke in the currently running opera, Tristan and Isolde at Seattle Opera. Tune in to learn about this show so you can be informed and get your tickets while it's still running!

Liv speaks with Danielle LaRose, actor and playwright, about her newest work: The Amazonomachy, a play retelling the myths of the Amazons (plus they talk Amazons generally, along with other fun things!). Learn more about Tiger's Hearts Collective here. For more information about Achilles & Patroclus check out the Seattle Opera.CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing.Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.