OPERAWISE: SINGSPIEL

OPERAWISE: SINGSPIEL

Author: Seattle Opera May 6, 2020 Duration: 19:59

In this series of podcasts, Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean gives listeners a taste of nine different types of traditional opera. Singspiel (that's German for SongPlay) mixes songs, dialogues, choruses, and marvelous orchestral writing with fun and fantasy for a lowbrow, family friendly art form—the ancestor of today's Star Wars movies. Mozart's ever-popular Magic Flute is the perfect introduction to Singspiel, as well as one of the most beloved operas ever written. Another wonderful Singspiel, Weber's Der Freischütz, demonstrates the power of this form to send a wonderfully creepy chill down your spine.

Musical examples on this podcast drawn from Seattle Opera productions of The Magic Flute, 2017, conducted by Julia Jones and starring John Moore, Andrew Stenson, and Christina Poulitsi; Der Freischütz, 1999, conducted by Gerard Schwarz and starring Harry Peeters and Gabor Andrasy; Fidelio, 2003, conducted by Gerard Schwarz and starring Jane Eaglen and Kevin Langan; The Flying Dutchman, 2016, conducted by Sebastian Lang-Lessing; also Marschner's Hans Heiling conducted by Ewald Körner (Marco Polo 1992); Fidelio starring Lucia Popp, Adolf Dallapozza, Gundula Janowitz, and René Kollo and conducted by Leonard Bernstein (Deutsche Gramophon, 1978); Der Stein der Weisen, Jane Giering-De Haan and Kevin Deas conducted by Martin Pearlman (Telarc, 1999); and the 1993 EMI recording of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch.

Stay tuned for one more 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: 100

Seattle Opera Podcast
Podcast Episodes
OPERAWISE: GRAND OPERA [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:58
In this series of podcasts, Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean gives listeners a taste of nine different types of traditional opera. Grand opera developed in the mid-19th century and centered on performances at the Op…
OPERAWISE: Opera Seria [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:21
In this series of podcasts, Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean gives listeners a taste of nine different types of traditional opera. Opera seria, traditional Italian serious opera, developed in the mid-1600s and laste…
LA BOHÈME 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:57
"Men die and governments change, but the songs of La bohème will live forever," wrote Thomas Alva Edison to Giacomo Puccini. Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean introduces La bohème, with musical examples from Seattle…
Joshua Stewart shares CHARLIE PARKER'S YARDBIRD with KNKX [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:27
Seattle's jazz community is getting excited about Charlie Parker's Yardbird. Tenor Joshua Stewart, who makes his Seattle Opera debut as Charlie Parker (a role he has now sung in many other cities), visited radio station…
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…

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