OPERAWISE: MUSIC DRAMA

OPERAWISE: MUSIC DRAMA

Author: Seattle Opera April 8, 2020 Duration: 18:57

In this series of podcasts, Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean gives listeners a taste of nine different types of traditional opera. Music Drama was the personal solution to the problems of presenting opera in nineteenth-century Europe developed by composer/librettist Richard Wagner, opera's ultimate mad genius. These long, loud, big works challenge artists, audiences, and the art form itself. Their complex music and unique spins on old stories continue to attract, repel, and provoke all who encounter them. Wagner's Tristan und Isolde (1865) serves as an example of the genre, as does the Richard Strauss opera Elektra (1909).

Musical examples on this podcast drawn from Seattle Opera productions of Lohengrin 1994, conducted by Hermann Michael; Parsifal 2003, conducted by Asher Fisch and starring Stephen Milling; Die Walküre, conducted by Robert Spano, 2005 (starring Jane Eaglen) and 2009; Siegfried, 2013, conducted by Asher Fisch; and Tristan und Isolde (1998, conducted by Armin Jordan and starring Jane Eaglen and Ben Heppner; 2010, conducted by Asher Fisch; opening and English horn solo from the 1966 Bayreuth Festival recording conducted by Karl Böhm; conclusion of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Karajan (Deutsche Gramophon 1977); Elektra, Astrid Varnay and Leonie Rysanek with the orchestra of West German Radio conducted by Richard Kraus (Melodram 1953).

Stay tuned for another podcast introducing another kind of opera next week!


Ever wondered how a grand opera production comes together, or what it feels like to stand in the wings just before the curtain rises? The Seattle Opera Podcast pulls back the velvet curtain on this intricate world. From the company that has been a cornerstone of the Pacific Northwest arts scene since 1963, this series offers a genuine backstage pass. You’ll hear directly from the singers, conductors, directors, and designers who bring these powerful stories to life, discussing everything from vocal technique and set construction to the emotional core of a character. Episodes might delve into a beloved European classic one week and a groundbreaking new American work the next, reflecting the company’s dynamic repertoire. This isn't just a lecture about music and drama; it's an immersive audio experience where you can listen to artists explain their craft, hear snippets of rehearsals, and gain a deeper appreciation for opera as a living, collaborative art form. Tune in to this podcast for conversations that are as passionate and detailed as the productions themselves, all brought to you directly from the heart of Seattle's opera community.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 131

Seattle Opera Podcast
Podcast Episodes
EUGENE ONEGIN Q&A Highlights [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:21
After our performances of Eugene Onegin in January 2020 audiences stayed to discuss the show with cast, crew, and staff. Hear highlights from those post-show Q&As. In addition to audience members, voices include those of…
CHARLIE PARKER'S YARDBIRD 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:25
A new opera that combines jazz and classical? Charlie Parker's Yardbird is about music, creativity, communication, race and racism, drugs and addiction, and life and death and freedom. Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan De…
TOSCA 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:36
Tosca is both a great opera for newbies to the art form and a rewarding piece to hear multiple times; it's accessible—a 'thriller' as cinematic as any Hollywood classic—and also stacked with layers of sumptuous artistry…
FLIGHT 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:32
One of late twentieth-century opera's great successes, Flight, with music by Jonathan Dove to a libretto by April DeAngelis, makes a long-awaited Seattle premiere in 2021. This "Marriage of Figaro for the 1990s" is a bol…
DON GIOVANNI 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:17
A new production of Mozart's classic promises a fresh look at the legendary seducer and how he is punished. Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean introduces the music and characters of Don Giovanni, with musical examples…
THE ELIXIR OF LOVE 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:44
A smile full of sunshine comes to Seattle Opera with the return of Donizetti's endearing comedy. The story of The Elixir of Love concerns the adventures of a bottle of Bordeaux; but the music is as sweet and gentle as th…
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:15
Together again at Seattle Opera after almost four decades, Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana and Leoncavallo's Pagliacci comprise Italian opera's most beloved double-bill. Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean introduces C…
Introducing Naomi André, Seattle Opera's Scholar-in-Residence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:19
Naomi André, a professor at the University of Michigan, has been a familiar presence at Seattle Opera for a couple seasons now; she helped us explore racial representation, casting, and what it means to support storytell…
EUGENE ONEGIN 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:10
Tchaikovsky's most beloved opera is a breathtaking and unique work about the human heart. Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean introduces Eugene Onegin, with musical examples from Seattle Opera's 2002 archival recording…