OPERAWISE: OPÉRA COMIQUE

OPERAWISE: OPÉRA COMIQUE

Author: Seattle Opera April 29, 2020 Duration: 18:19

In this series of podcasts, Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean gives listeners a taste of nine different types of traditional opera. Opéra comique, a native French form of lower-brow musical theater, features spoken dialogue, catchy tunes with easy-to-sing refrains, and middle-class values. Many of the opéra-comiques still performed today (including Carmen, The Daughter of the Regiment, and Beatrice and Benedict, as well as opéra-comique derivatives such as Faust and The Tales of Hoffmann) deal, sentimentally or ironically, with a way of life and a value system which now belongs mostly to ancient history.

Musical examples on this podcast drawn from Seattle Opera recordings of Carmen, 2019, conducted by Giacomo Sagripanti; Beatrice and Benedict, 2018, conducted by Ludovic Morlot; Les contes d'Hoffmann, 2014, conducted by Yves Abel and starring Leah Partridge, Alfred Walker, and Tichina Vaughn; La fille du régiment starring Spiro Malas, Monica Sinclair, Joan Sutherland, and Luciano Pavarotti and conducted by Richard Bonynge (Decca 1967); Richard Coeur de Lion starring Michel Trempont and conducted by Edgard Doneux (EMI Classics 1956); and Faust, starring Victoria de los Angeles and Boris Christoff, conducted by André Cluytens (EMI 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
THE BARBER OF SEVILLE 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:12
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 archi…
X: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MALCOLM X 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:54
In 1986 composer Anthony Davis and librettist Thulani Davis created an opera about the civil rights activist, with a story by Christopher Davis. The revised version comes to Seattle for the first time in winter/spring 20…
ALCINA 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:44
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 e…
DAS RHEINGOLD 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:24
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 RHEING…
A Buddhist Perspective on TRISTAN & ISOLDE [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:43
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 a…
The Wagner Problem: Performance and Programming in the 21st Century [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:35
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…
Singing Like Germans with Kira Thurman & Naomi André [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:02
Join us for a conversation with Kira Thurman, author of Singing Like Germans: Black Musicians in the Land of Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms, and Seattle Opera scholar-in-residence Dr. Naomi André. Drawing on her experience…
MARY ELIZABETH WILLIAMS Discusses Isolde [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:42
American soprano Mary Elizabeth Williams, beloved in Seattle for performances such as Tosca, Abigaille in NABUCCO, and Serena in PORGY AND BESS, just made her role debut as Isolde, the first time she's ever sung a Wagner…
Wagner Reads Gottfried's TRISTAN (with Annegret Oehme) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:13
Annegret Oehme, Associate Professor of German Studies at the University of Washington, discusses TRISTAN UND ISOLDE with Jonathan Dean. Wagner's inspiration for this amazing opera was the 12th century poem by Gottfried v…
TESS ALTIVEROS & SHELLY TRAVERSE Discuss ELIXIR & More [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:58
Sopranos Tess Altiveros and Shelly Traverse both have lots of Seattle Opera credits: mainstage productions (Tess sang Giannetta in this summer's ELIXIR OF LOVE; Shelly was Chan in CHARLIE PARKER'S YARDBIRD and Hero in BE…