Aidan Lang News

When Seattle Opera's brand-new opera, An American Dream, premieres this August, Japanese Americans will see the story of their community coming to life onstage. s

General Director Aidan Lang announced Thursday, May 14, that Barbara Lynne Jamison Seattle Opera's Youth Programs Manager, will now serve as the company's Director of Education & Community Engagement effective immediately. Jamison, a 2014 recipient of the prestigious OPERA America Leadership Intensive Award, succeeds Sue Elliott, who has taken a position at The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Canada.

The shows must go on! Seattle Opera concludes its 2014/15 season with Richard Strauss' delightful opera-within-an-opera: Ariadne auf Naxos. A rich Seattleite is throwing a dinner party and asks his hired entertainment for the impossible: the capering troupe of comedians must combine their performance with an opera company's rendition of the mythical love and loss of the ancient Greek princess Ariadne. Comedy meets tragedy, and fireworks result!

Handel's sensuous and sparkling opera Semele is coming to McCaw Hall for the first time this February. Composed to an English-language libretto, this Greek myth tells the story of a mortal woman, Semele, who aspires to live among the “beautiful people”—that is, to become a goddess. Abducted by Jupiter, king of the gods, Semele believes she has found endless love (not to mention endless pleasure!) in the divine realm. But dancing with the deities proves dangerous; Juno, Jupiter's jealous wife, will make this mere mortal pay dearly for her ambition and vanity in an opera that is both comic and tragic.

OPERA America, the national service organization for opera, is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2015 National Opera Trustee Recognition Award. Now in its eighth year, this award honors outstanding trustees of U.S. opera companies for exemplary leadership, generosity and audience-building efforts on behalf of their respective opera companies.

Seattle—This January, Seattle Opera heats up the winter with one of the most fiery melodramas of all time: Tosca. In this tale, an opera diva must save the man she loves from the clutches of the lecherous police chief whose lust for the leading lady is as strong as his hunger for power. The ultimate, high-stakes love triangle takes audiences on a full-throttle ride toward a shocking and heartbreaking conclusion.

It's a new era at Seattle Opera. The company today announced its 2015/16 season, the first to be presented by General Director Aidan Lang, and a return to full-year programming with a total of six operas, including new productions and a world premiere. Under Lang's leadership, the company hopes to serve the community through the magic of theater and music in McCaw Hall, and in learning and engagement programs across the Pacific Northwest.

It's a new era at Seattle Opera. The company today announced its 2015/16 season, the first to be presented by General Director Aidan Lang, and a return to full-year programming with a total of six operas, including new productions and a world premiere. Under Lang's leadership, the company hopes to serve the community through the magic of theater and music in McCaw Hall, and in learning and engagement programs across the Pacific Northwest.

Seattle—This January, Seattle Opera heats up the winter with one of the most fiery melodramas of all time: Tosca. In this tale, an opera diva must save the man she loves from the clutches of the lecherous police chief whose lust for the leading lady is as strong as his hunger for power. The ultimate, high-stakes love triangle takes audiences on a full-throttle ride toward a shocking and heartbreaking conclusion.

This fall, Seattle Opera brings audiences one of the most popular operas of all time: Don Giovanni. Set to glorious music, Don Giovanni tells a cautionary tale of an unrepentant Casanova who must pay the price for his misdeeds. Seattle Weekly called Seattle Opera's production 'Sleek, chic and colorful' when it first played to packed houses in 2007. The Everett Herald wrote: 'Seattle's production pulses with scenic delights and compelling staging that never drags. It's a big story to tell: Don Juan seduces and worse, even murders, without remorse.… In this production, it's a great ride.'

This fall, Seattle Opera brings audiences one of the most popular operas of all time: Don Giovanni. Set to glorious music, Don Giovanni tells a cautionary tale of an unrepentant Casanova who must pay the price for his misdeeds. Seattle Weekly called Seattle Opera's production "Sleek, chic and colorful" when it first played to packed houses in 2007. The Everett Herald wrote: "Seattle's production pulses with scenic delights and compelling staging that never drags. It's a big story to tell: Don Juan seduces and worse, even murders, without remorse.… In this production, it's a great ride."

Come see what's new and exciting at Seattle Opera this Sunday, Sept. 21 as the company kicks off its 2014/15 season with a free community event from noon to 5:30 p.m. at McCaw Hall. With an exciting roster of upcoming productions—Don Giovanni, Tosca, Semele, and Ariadne auf Naxos—and a new General Director, Aidan Lang, attendees will have much to learn and enjoy at this look behind the curtain. Additionally, unlike past Seattle Opera events geared specifically toward families, the Season Kickoff will allow arts-loving adults the chance to explore and even play.

With some of the greatest voices in opera gathering together for one night only in a red-carpet affair, Seattle Opera's Speight Celebration Concert and Dinner thrilled more than 2,500 fans at McCaw Hall and raised more than $1 million on Saturday, August 9.

After 31 years of artistic excellence and inspirational leadership, General Director Speight Jenkins passes the baton to Aidan Lang this summer.

Come explore the colorful world of opera with the whole family on August 9. Seattle Opera is offering a community open house with hands-on-activities, performances, lectures and demonstrations from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI). The free event is sponsored by Vulcan Real Estate, Seattle Opera, MOHAI, 4Culture, and Seattle's Office of Arts & Culture.

From the depths of hell to the heights of paradise, the four great operas of Seattle Opera's 2014/15 season will take operagoers on a fantastic journey. During this important season, leadership will pass from Speight Jenkins, who has been General Director of Seattle Opera for a remarkable 31 years, to Aidan Lang, who was announced as Jenkins' successor in June, 2013.

On Tuesday, September 24, at Seattle Opera's Annual Meeting at McCaw Hall, the company announced that it achieved a balanced budget for the 2012/13 season and eliminated the deficit from the 2011/12 season. The 12/13 season included productions of Turandot, Fidelio, La Cenerentola, La boheme, and a double-bill of La voix humaine and Suor Angelica. An audit, concluded in September, totaled the actual expense budget for the 12/13 season at just over $20.2 million. Revenues were sufficient to balance these expenses and retire the $758,000 accumulated deficit.

'Expect theatricality!' says Wyn Davies, conductor of New Zealand Opera's forthcoming new production of Wagner's The Flying Dutchman, opening in Wellington tonight 14 September and in Auckland on 5 October.

Opera, in all its thrilling glory, returns to Christchurch in August when New Zealand Opera presents Mozart's masterpiece, Don Giovanni, a work that shows the art form at its very best. The production will pay CBS Canterbury Arena, Christchurch from tonight 21, Thu 22 August - 7:00pm to Sat 24 August - 2:00pm.

'Expect theatricality!' says Wyn Davies, conductor of New Zealand Opera's forthcoming new production of Wagner's The Flying Dutchman, opening in Wellington on 14 September and in Auckland on 5 October.