Tag Archive Opera at Home

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Seattle Opera Takes On Flight

It’s kind of a no-brainer for an opera company based in Boeing’s hometown (and sponsored by that company) to take on the production of an opera set in an airport. When the pandemic shut down travel, it made the opera even more timely. Although set at an airport, Flight is not a story about mobility but of confinement, as a bunch of travelers are stranded by storms, temporarily sharing the circumstances of a refugee who can neither travel on nor go back. A year ago, that was an interesting concept. Today, it’s the story of all of us.  

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Seattle Opera’s Cinematic Don Giovanni

Don Giovanni is what a lot of people would call a “problematic fave.” On the one hand, Mozart’s music is incredible. On the other hand, the title character is a rapist. I understand if you want to stop reading now. It’s impossible for contemporary viewers to gloss over or ignore Giovanni’s crimes, which are still too often ignored today. But art is supposed to ask questions, and there is a lot to unpack in Don Giovanni, especially in a nuanced production. Fortunately, Seattle Opera’s new film version of the opera faces the contradictions in Don Giovanni head on while also experimenting with format. The result is a complex and intriguing show that keeps you thinking long after you’ve hit the power button. 

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Andrew Stenson in Recital at Seattle Opera

Like K-dramas, opera recitals have shot from “not a thing I watch” to “primary form of entertainment” for me during the pandemic. I watched everything Seattle Opera put out last fall. I think I might have missed some things around the holidays, but I’m back on the opera recital bandwagon with Andrew Stenson’s late January performance.

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Seattle Opera’s Virtual Elixir of Love

Seattle Opera’s The Elixir of Love is quite possibly the first fully staged, filmed opera produced under social distancing protocols. With this production, Seattle Opera proves that it’s possible to keep enjoying opera – even full operas and not just recitals – while live performances are unavailable. The filmed format presents interesting opportunities for reinterpretation. And although it’s coincidental (The Elixir of Love was already planned for this season before the pandemic hit) there are ways in which The Elixir of Love is particularly well suited for this type of adaptation. So even though it’s not the same as being there, and not quite as good as being there, The Elixir of Love on film stands on its own as a fun opera experience.

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Sisters Before Misters in Latest Seattle Opera Recital

I never attended an opera recital before the pandemic. A full opera is so extra, I thought the music by itself would be boring in comparison. But I was wrong. Of course digital recitals are no substitute for live theatrical productions. But they do have an appeal all their own. To me, a major part of that appeal is getting to see more of the personality and taste of artists you only know from in-character performances. Before Seattle Opera’s latest recital, I didn’t actually know either of the singers at all. But their recital was a lot of feminist fun. (And if you think that’s an oxymoron, you’re probably reading the wrong blog.)

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