Comments on Seattle Opera Upcoming Seasons

my god, not even i read this.

Huh. The Aïda thing is especially strange given that Portland Opera's closing out their 2007-2008 season with it. (And with what I hope is a far less ridiculous production concept...)

i want to see the ring cycle. is it worth it?

Thanks for posting this. It is true that I may be one of the few sloggers who enjoys the opera, but those are some interesting tidbits.

I think more than 3 people will find this interesting. Curious about the diss to the Ring cycle? Are you dissing it? I've never attended but from what I hear it is what puts Seattle Opera on the map. No?

Oh, no! Not dissing the Ring! It's quite good. The cast this coming year seems even more cohesive, vocally intelligent. It is absolutely worth it to go. I said "Let's not" because I thought it might be overwhelming for everyone (including me) for me to give my notes on a four-opera cycle—especially one about which so much has been written. I'll probably address the Ring as the dates approach.

Wow that really IS ambitious! Elektra and Pearl Fishers, hmm... I dropped my SO subscription years ago, due to increasing $$$ coupled with total boredom; I may have to rethink that.

Nick, thanks for the clarification on the Ring. I had taken it as a diss too. I'm really hoping to be able to see it.

Gradus's voice is much more than "decent"! I saw his Leporello in San Francisco with Kwiecien and he was outstanding. Did you hear his Figaro NPR broadcast from Houston - fantastic. I don't know why you would say he was only "decent"

I've been an SO subscriber for nearly 15 years. The quality of their productions has really improved. Often a lavish summer production would mean sub par performances later in the season but that disparity has more or less disappeared in my view.

this post is a profound flavor of sexy

I just wish it wasn't so expensive. I buy my opera at the thrift store, where I can routinely find three-disc boxed sets of the masters -- Callas, Sutherland, Price, etc. -- for a couple of dollars. I did really enjoy La Boheme last year, though.

Yeah, the Ring Cycle is prohibitively expensive to attend. But then again, it's a gigantic production that is expensive to put on. I'm cool with just listening to my Flagstad and Nilsson and Melchior, etc. It's just as marvelous to study with a score, a couple books, and some recordings. But I'd miss a thousand Rings for an Aïda, an Elektra, and an Erwartung. I highly recommend those three.

Is SO still making dress rehearsal tickets available to certain populations?

I think the dress rehearsal tickets are made available to donors at a particular tier and more often to school for class visits through SO's Experience Opera program.

Does anyone know where I can get a fake high school id? :P

You can also get rehearsla tickest if you are a super in one of the productions. Supers are nonsinging roles performed by volunteers. Seattle Opera is always interested in attracting a younger audience, and this is a good way to check SOA out. Plus you get to be in an Opera!

Thanks for posting this preview! I hope the Bluebeard/Ewartung double bill is the Robert Lepage production that was so dazzling in Vancouver back in '99.

This blog is filled with nothing but mis-information. Perhaps this newspaper will find a better and more informed writer.... one who's a bit less provincial and has some perspective on the world of opera. Now that would be refreshing.