VOICEWISE Podcast: The Chorus

VOICEWISE Podcast: The Chorus

Author: Seattle Opera July 29, 2020 Duration: 42:58

Many of opera's greatest and most overwhelming moments happen thanks to the chorus. Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean introduces many of the typical functions of the opera chorus, such as saluting a leader, singing in praise—or fear—of God, providing local color, intensifying the drama, and embodying the multitude. Musical excerpts from three decades of Seattle Opera productions feature the work of Seattle Opera Chorus Masters George Fiore, Beth Kirchoff, and John Keene, in Seattle Opera's 2015 Nabucco, 2012 Turandot, 2000 Boris Godunov, 2015 Semele, 2007 Iphigénie en Tauride, 2019 Il trovatore, 2014 Tales of Hoffmann, 2013 La bohème, 2011 Porgy and Bess, 1998 Faust, 1994 Lohengrin, 1994 Norma, 2007 Flying Dutchman, 2012 Fidelio, 1989 Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and 1990 War and Peace, plus a Decca recording of Die Entführung aus dem Serail conducted by Sir Georg Solti, the Leipzig Radio Chorus and Staatskapelle Dresden performing the Tannhäuser Pilgrims' Chorus conducted by Silvio Varviso, and the Decca recording of Peter Grimes conducted by Benjamin Britten.


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
Seattle Opera Celebrates ARTHUR WOODLEY [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:24
At Seattle Opera we had the great good fortune to work with the late great bass Arthur Woodley many times over 25 years. In this podcast, which will also air on KING FM during the intermission of BORIS GODUNOV on January…
FLORENCIA EN EL AMAZONAS Intermission Chat with FRANCESCA ZAMBELLO [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:16
Francesca Zambello recalled the extraordinary adventure of making an opera from the literary world of the great Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez during an intermission chat with Christina Scheppelmann. Zambello, G…
GIULIO CESARE Intermission Chat with DONALD BYRD [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:38
Donald Byrd, Artistic Director of Spectrum Dance Theater, has choreographed several productions for Seattle Opera over the years. Just before the pandemic began he made valuable choreographic contributions to CHARLIE PAR…
ORPHÉE ET EURYDICE Intermission Chat with VINSON COLE [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:27
Vinson Cole decided to be an opera singer when he was 9 years old. Beginning in 1988, with his spectacular debut as Gluck's Orphée (Seattle Opera's first-ever Baroque opera and first-ever modern dress production) the ten…
TRISTAN UND ISOLDE Intermission Chat with JANE EAGLEN [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:17
Seattle Opera General Director Christina Scheppelmann spoke with soprano Jane Eaglen when "Seattle Opera Mornings on KING FM" played TRISTAN UND ISOLDE, a 1998 production that featured role debuts for both Eaglen (as Iso…
FALSTAFF Intermission Chat with PETER KAZARAS [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:45
Peter Kazaras has been a mainstay of Seattle Opera since his 1985 debut onstage singing the role of Steva in JENŮFA. His debut as a stage director came in 2003. As Artistic Director of Seattle Opera's Young Artists Progr…
LAKMÉ Intermission Chat with VISWA SUBBARAMAN [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:28
Viswa Subbaraman will make his Seattle Opera debut next spring conducting FLIGHT. This young American conductor discussed Lakmé, and the operatic tradition of "exoticism"—European artworks using images of non-European pl…
OTELLO Intermission Chat with NAOMI ANDRÉ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:48
University of Michigan professor Naomi André is also Seattle Opera's Scholar-in-Residence. For an intermission feature on "Seattle Opera Mornings on KING FM," she discussed Verdi's OTELLO and its 1967 premiere at Seattle…
ANNA BOLENA Intermission Chat with CARLO MONTANARO [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:58
Italian conductor Carlo Montanaro was in Seattle, working on our fall video version of THE ELIXIR OF LOVE, when he chatted with Seattle Opera General Director Christina Scheppelmann about Donizetti for an intermission fe…