Opera – Page 8 – Gemma D. Alexander

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Ben Bliss, Cosi fan Tutte, Hanna Hipp, Kevin Burdette, Laura Tatulescu, Marjukka Tepponen, Michael Adams, Mozart, Seattle Opera

Problematic Done Right at Seattle Opera’s Cosí fan Tutte

Photo by Philip Newton c/o Seattle Opera

My daughter was scandalized when she saw the Seattle Opera poster for “Cosí fan Tutte – Mozart’s Comedy About Sex.”

She was even more scandalized when she found out I had tickets.

If I’ve been doing my job right as a parent, I think the plot would offend her as much as it did the Victorians, who bowdlerized it. But where the Victorians were appalled by the opera’s depiction of women as subject to sexual desire – and gasp – acting on it, I would hope my 21^st century daughter would be at least as offended by the free pass it gives the manipulative and judgmental men in the story as by the women’s weak commitment to monogamy.

But, if I had taken her to see the opera, I think she would have loved it. Read More

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Barber of Seville, family arts, John Moore, Kevin Glavin, Matthew Grills, Rossini, Seattle Opera, Will Liverman

The Family Barber (of Seville)

John Moore and Kevin Glavin in Barber of Seville Photo by Jacob Lucas c/o Seattle Opera

When I saw The Barber of Seville at Seattle Opera in October, I declared it my new favorite opera and left McCaw Hall determined to come back with my whole family. That proved easier said than done, but I did it. Here’s how. Read More

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Almaviva, Andrew Owens, Barber of Seville, Daniel Sumegi, Kevin Glavin, Marc Kenison, Margaret Gawrysiak, Rossini, Sofia Fomina, Waxie Moon

My Favorite Opera: The Barber of Seville at Seattle Opera

Daniel Sumegi (Basilio)/Kevin Glavin (Bartolo)/Marc Kenison (Ambrogio)/Margaret Gawrysiak (Berta)/Will Liverman (Figaro)/Andrew Owens (Almaviva)/Sofia Fomina (Rosina). Jacob Lucas photo c/o Seattle Opera

I think The Barber of Seville might be my favorite opera. The only thing that detracted from my enjoyment when I watched it last weekend was that every scene made me think, “I wish I’d brought my kids.” Because every single scene is so delightful, so funny, so beautiful, I hated for them to miss it. Even though my kids have already been to the opera before, I left determined to come back with them before the production finishes.

American Dream Inversion

Seattle Opera is one of Seattle’s biggest, most “establishment” arts organizations, but they are appropriately progressive to our left-coast city, relative to other major opera companies around the country. American Dream is the perfect example. I’m a little late in talking about American Dream, since I attended the very last performance. I think it’s still worth talking about it, even though the performances are over, because it completely inverts the typical opera experience. Read More

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Dominick Chenes, Madama Butterfly, Madame Butterfly, Puccini, Renee Rapier, Seattle Opera, Weston Hurt, Yasko Sato

Madama Butterfly at Seattle Opera

Sharpless (Weston Hurt) shocked by Pinkerton’s appalling behavior. Philip Newton photo c/o Seattle Opera

At Seattle Opera’s panel on race and representation in Madame Butterfly, one of the younger speakers asked why anyone would even bother trying to redeem such an opera. The obvious answer was, “The music!” but a part of me felt a little guilty for perpetuating one of those “classics” that should be allowed to die as its cultural relevance fades and its artistic merit is proven less significant than its novelty. I felt even more guilty that by taking my 13-year-old Asian daughter to see it, I could be inflicting harmful stereotypes on the very person they could most affect. I think those were legitimate fears, and could have been valid if Seattle Opera had presented Madame Butterfly without comment. But in the context of the local discussion they have started – wow! What an opera! Read More

Category Archive Opera

Problematic Done Right at Seattle Opera’s Cosí fan Tutte