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: 131

Seattle Opera Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Costuming STEVE JOBS [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:06
There's more to it than jeans and a black mock-turtleneck! Seattle Opera's Costume Director, Susan Davis, discusses how Seattle Opera's artists bring to life Paul Carey's costume designs for The (R)evolution of Steve Job…
STEVE JOBS and Living Opera [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:39
Hear from librettist Mark Campbell, director Kevin Newbury, and star baritone John Moore as Seattle Opera's The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs heads into McCaw Hall for Tech Week. Campbell tells the story of how filling out…
VOICEWISE Podcast: Baritones [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:03
Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean introduces the baritone voice, a sound which celebrates the beauty and power of masculinity. In opera, baritones play clowns and kings, urban sophisticates and unlettered innocents;…
Verdi: The Essence of Opera [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:47
Verdi's Rigoletto, Il trovatore, and La traviata transformed the art form of opera and have been ultra-popular for over 150 years. Seattle Opera's Maestro Carlo Montanaro, Assistant Conductor Philip A. Kelsey, General Di…
VOICEWISE Podcast: Tenors [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:26
Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean introduces several different types of tenor, from the agile-voiced, graceful and elegant tenori di grazia, to the heroic and powerful tenori di forza, and all points in between. Incl…
LA BOHÈME 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:59
"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…
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…
EUGENE ONEGIN 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:11
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…
LA CENERENTOLA 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:46
Rossini's La Cenerentola combines the human warmth of the beloved Cinderella story with the wit and sparkle of The Barber of Seville. Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean introduces La Cenerentola with musical examples…
RIGOLETTO 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:50
Verdi's unflinching tragedy about sexual politics is one of opera's greatest masterpieces. Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean introduces Rigoletto, with musical examples drawn from Seattle Opera's archival recordings…