Dan Wallace Miller shares Ring memories

Before and after at Seattle Opera: Dan Wallace Miller atop a prop horse from our 1995 Die Walküre and now, about to direct our Welcome Back concert of the same opera in 2021. 

Our upcoming concert of Die Walküre will be directed by an artist raised on the Wagnerian tradition at Seattle Opera. In this blog post, stage director Dan Wallace Miller shares more about his love for all-things Ring. Fresh off his acclaimed presentation of Seattle Opera's streaming Tosca ('21), Miller returns to direct a concert version of the Ring cycle's most popular opera.

Meet the Director: Dan Wallace Miller

Director Dan Wallace Miller joking around with Michael Chioldi (Scarpia) in between filming Seattle Opera's streaming Tosca. Philip Newton photo

As someone who’s both disarmingly zany and down-to-Earth all at once, Dan Wallace Miller brings a presence to opera that’s hard to ignore. From days of running his own company Vespertine Opera Theater, to creating Il trovatore (‘19) and our immersive opera, The Combat (‘17), the stage director possesses a distinct power: helping newcomers (including millennials and Gen Z) realize that they too, are enamored with this art form. And with Miller’s inspired take on Tosca, he shows how this centuries-old art form is as seductive and as electrifying as it ever was.

Praise for Il trovatore

Philip Newton photo

"Stunning production! … So good I rushed out and bought another ticket." - Shayna T. 

"Everyone go and see this! I went for my birthday today and was blown away! One of the best SO productions I've seen, and I've seen a lot of them." - Sofia W.

"I saw this show tonight and after being on the fence about this art form, I am now officially an opera fan." - Sam H.

"Awesome performance today. The audience was totally captivated by the staging and superb voices. Thank you for an unforgettable afternoon." - Ursula S.

Lester Lynch (Di Luna). Philip Newton photo

"The new production of Verdi's Il Trovatore at Seattle Opera packs such a thrilling punch that even my 80-year-old body pumped teenaged adrenalin again and again at Saturday's opening night performance." - Seattle Gay News

"This SO production had the requisite grandeur and musical talent, yet remained fresh." - Oregon Arts Watch

"On Saturday, the opening-night audience heard the resplendent soprano Leah Crocetto (last heard here in the title role of 'Aida') as Leonora, offering some thrilling high notes and a performance that combined power and easy facility. Her Manrico was Arnold Rawls, a dashing actor whose tenor took a while to warm up but rose to the challenge of 'Di quella pira' in fine style." - The Seattle Times

"I am more of a theatre person than an opera person, so when I went to the Seattle Opera on Sunday, I was not looking forward to sitting through the almost 3-hour production of Verdi’s 'Il Trovatore' on a sunny day . . . Then I was blown away! The story of 'Il Trovatore' is difficult, with events happening a generation ago and the entire first scene is one long song just telling us what happened 20 years ago. Snore, right? But no! – the direction and the singers were AMAZING, and that made all the difference. In fact, the singer playing Leonora was so amazing, I think I am now a fan of her. Her name is Angela Meade and when she started to sing, I got chills. She did something I have never heard. It’s called pianississimo, which means 'more than very soft.' She sang the highest notes in the world in the quietest voice I possible, and the effect was mesmerizing. Really. After one aria she got the longest applause with BRAVAs that I’ve ever seen. Also, she is from Centralia, WA, so singing at the Seattle Opera is coming home for her! The opera also dealt with women’s issues interestingly – there is a substantial plot line about witchcraft and burning at the stake. Go SO!" - M.J. McDermott, Q13 News 

Lester Lynch (Di Luna), Leah Crocetto (Leonora), and Arnold Rawls (Manrico). Jacob Lucas photo

"Opening night’s cast featured tenor Arnold Rawls in the title troubadour role, Manrico ... Rawls was in solid form for his big moment at the end of Act 3, unleashing the stirring and prolonged high C that every Trovatore fan anticipates. Rawls played well off powerful mezzo-soprano Elena Gabouri as his mother, the vengeance-crazed Azucena; his Manrico was also a bit unhinged, clearly his mother’s son. His rival, romantically and politically, is the Count di Luna, sounding properly villainous, rough and gruff, as played by Lester Lynch." - Seattle Weekly

"Overall my first venture into McCaw Hall for a performance from the Seattle Opera was highly pleasurable. If you're going for the first time, read up on the show beforehand, allow plenty of time the day or night of the performance, and then go in to the hall with an open mind. I think you'll leave as I did - satisfied." - Eclectic Arts

Elena Gabouri (Azucena). Philip Newton photo

"As the gypsy Azucena, Elena Gabouri (last heard here as Amneris in 'Aida') was a powerful singer and actor who performed with all-out intensity. Baritone Lester Lynch, heard earlier this season as Crown in 'Porgy and Bess,' displayed a wide interpretive range as the villainous Count di Luna: commandingly evil, yet capable of warm subtlety in his aria 'Il balen.'" - The Seattle Times

"Politicians talk about values,when they only care about money. Operas have plots, but the real substance is the music. Il Trovatore inspires a bit of cognitive dissonance. The story is grotesque, but the songs are upbeat and memorable. The vocals are among the most challenging in the world, yet the melodies invite you hum. It’s easy to imagine people waving their mugs in the air as they sing the choruses from Il Trovatore together in the bar a week after seeing the opera."  - Gemma Alexander

"The top performance, by a long shot, was that of soprano Angela Meade. The sheer beauty of her singing had me in tears more than once. Her tone was gorgeous from top to bottom of her considerable range. Her trill shimmered, and her soft high notes floated above the orchestra to perfection. Her acting was fine, but I would probably have enjoyed her performance just as much with my eyes closed." - Seattle Gay News

Angela Meade (Leonora). Philip Newton photo

"In Sunday’s alternate cast, the standout was the thrilling Leonora of Angela Meade, a soprano from Centralia who has won 57 competition prizes and who debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in 2008. Her beautiful tone quality and her interpretive artistry were capped with an amazing crescendo on the high A-flat at the end of 'D’amor sull’ali rosee' — which met with a showstopping ovation of cheers and whistles." - The Seattle Times

"There were two stars in this show. The first was the orchestra under conductor Carlo Montanaro (I’ll get to the second one in a moment). They were magnificent. You’re not likely to hear a better performance from the pit for Il Trovatore. Montanaro and his musicians seemed to treat Verdi score as if it were a symphony. Every nuance, every subtlety of orchestration was given its due. It was like hearing the music afresh. In many performances of Verdi’s operas the orchestra takes second place to the singers, but not in this one." - Andy Nicastro

"Leah Crocetto sang Leonora, the noblewoman over whom the two clash. Her soprano is uncommonly lovely at low volume—soft and warm, she sounds like cashmere feels—but she can also uncover it to loose easy, airborne high notes. Particularly memorable was her Act 4 aria 'D’amor sull’ali rosee,' miraculously dreamy." - Seattle Weekly

Nora Sourouzian (Azucena). Jacob Lucas photo

"Nora Sourouzian’s Azucena grew steadily in strength and finesse as Sunday’s show went on, and baritone Michael Mayes made a vital, vivid di Luna. John Marzano and Nerys Jones were commendable in their supporting roles as Ruiz and Inez." - The Seattle Times

"The second star of the evening—and really the main one—was Leah Crocetto in the role of Leonora. The night belonged to her. From the moment of her entrance she dominated the show. She has a voice of unique beauty, warmth, and fullness. It easily reached the back rows (where I was sitting) and in its quieter moments it takes on a gentleness and expressiveness which one doesn’t normally get from a singer with that kind of power." - Andy Nicastro

"The always excellent Seattle Opera chorus outdid itself. Not only did it sound terrific, but the choristers threw themselves into physical performance to an extent I've rarely seen. Their challenging slow-motion and stop-action moments were dramatically powerful and showed an amazing level of physical discipline. Kudos to choreographer Kathryn Van Meter and Fight Director Geoffrey Alm for creating those arresting scenes." - Seattle Gay News

"Keeping all their interactions clear and impactful in a notoriously complex story was the laudable achievement of stage director Dan Wallace Miller and supertitle writer Jonathan Dean — though I would be curious to ask someone who doesn’t know the opera how well they grasped it all. Pretty well, I imagine." - Seattle Weekly

Arnold Rawls (Manrico) and members of Seattle Opera's Il trovatore cast. Jacob Lucas photo

"Lester Lynch also shone as the Count di Luna. The Count is a dreary fellow and hard to like, but Lynch made him human and understandable, which is a greater accomplishment than making him likeable. He also brought a sense of vulnerability to the role. At one point he softly sings Leonora’s name with such longing and tenderness it’ll break your heart."  - Andy Nicastro

"Seattle stage director Dan Wallace Miller made his company mainstage debut with this production, presenting an original, effective approach to an opera that requires a great deal of dashing about — duels, battles, deaths, amorous clinches, treachery, avowals of hatred and love, and renunciations. In one key scene, he reduced a chaotic battle to a slow-motion background for the lovers’ crucial real-time interchange: chancy but effective. Miller also made vivid use of 'shadow plays,' backlighted episodes with actors dramatizing the narrative." - The Seattle Times

"Verdi’s Il trovatore has something for everyone: drama, a ridiculous plot, vengeance, battles, and hours of complex melodious music. Beloved by audiences, together they don’t always form a compelling whole. The opera can be difficult to pull off in the theater without both an eye and an ear to how everything should fit together. During its current run with Seattle Opera, an effective aesthetic — combined with an excellent quartet of singers in the main roles — helped to make the best case possible for this complex work." - Seen and Heard International 

Verdi's Il trovatore plays now through Jan. 26 at McCaw Hall. 

Dan Wallace Miller directs The Combat

Director Dan Wallace Miller

Not everyone can call themselves a homegrown Seattle Opera artist. But for Stage Director Dan Wallace Miller, the roots of his artistry go deep in the Wagnerian tradition of Seattle Opera. For Miller, the seed of directing was planted at age 4 by opera-loving parents during his first Ring cycle. Later, it was cultivated by legendary Seattle Opera director/singer Peter Kazaras, who became Miller's mentor and teacher. Ultimately, Miller went on to create his own opera company, Vespertine Opera Theater. He makes his official Seattle Opera directing debut now with The Combat, a production which The Stranger called "a profound experience of theater" created by a "visionary director."

Tell me about your vision for The Combat. 
It's an extension of my whole body of work thus far, which has been super non-traditional shows. I am attracted to the post-modern edge. I was so happy (Seattle Opera Education & Community Engagement Director) Barbara Lynne Jamison approached me about The Combat—the chance to do what I’ve done independently, but this time with more resources. I love that Seattle Opera is trying to create difficult and pointed dialogues through our art. Opera gets a bad rap for being the antiquated creation of dead white guys. But in The Combat, we’re taking the oldest opera that there is, a work by Monteverdi, and using it in a contemporary and socially-relevant way. This is our stab at an immersive opera.

So, you create opera with an edge.

Don’t forget that when most operas were written, they were absolutely edgy for their time—such as Tosca putting a candle on either side of Scarpia’s body to create a cross after she’s killed him. At the time, this was considered shocking. It’s our job as producers of the art to not only embrace the beauty of the music, but to remain true to the intent of why the piece was created. Sometimes, this was to jolt someone into an uncomfortable conversation or make you think in a new way. 

Thomas Segen (Tancredi), Tess Altiveros (Clorinda) and Eric Neuville (Testo) in Seattle Opera's The Combat. Philip Newton photo

Seattle Opera presented an opera in a similar format to The Combat last November. Tell me about your experience seeing As One—a transgender story told through opera—and how that may have inspired your work here. 

There’s a moment in As One where Hannah after is being assaulted by a man, while simultaneously, Hannah before loudly recites names of murdered transgender people, including how and where they were killed. At the show I went to, a woman was so affected by what she was seeing, she got up out of her chair, sprinted downstairs, and let out a blood curdling scream to relieve what she must have been feeling. She then came back upstairs, sat down, and kept engaging with the piece. It’s very difficult to provoke that kind of response in a giant, grand opera house. With pieces like As One and The Combat, we’re in a direct conversation with the audience. It opens up the possibilities of what kind of reactions we can get from opera, too—we can incite curiosity.

Taylor Raven (Hannah before) and Jorell Williams (Hannah after) in As One. Rozarii Lynch photo

What is an “immersive, theatrical experience?” Without giving too much away, talk about what the viewer is in for when she goes to see The Combat. 

The immersive theatrical experience gained prominence in the states with a production called Sleep No More that took place in an empty apartment building or hotel. You, the audience member, would go from room to room, wandering freely and becoming part of the show. We’re taking this concept and adding an orchestra and a conductor and the live music element you experience when you attend an opera, but attempted to create a process that fundamentally subverts expectations that anyone has about seeing an opera. The show starts in a mysterious, non-traditional way. There’s tricks and turns throughout the night, as we utilize the entire first floor of the Seattle Opera rehearsal studios. 

Tell me more about where The Combat is being performed.

This opera is being performed in the Seattle Opera rehearsal studios in South Lake Union—a place not a lot of people know. I have been attending Seattle Opera performances since I was 4-years-old, and it wasn’t until I started working here as an Assistant Director that I came to really know this building. Essentially, this old, former-warehouse is the nucleus of all the art that we create. Every opera we put on stage had its genesis here; here is where the performance took shape and blossomed. Seattle Opera is in the process of creating its new civic home, where rehearsals and administrative activities will ultimately take place beginning in 2018. Thus, what better way to bid farewell to our old building which has birthed so much of our art than by performing a piece that takes us in new artistic directions before our forthcoming ascension into the Valhalla of the new Seattle Opera Center?

The current Seattle Opera rehearsal studios/administrative building where The Combat takes place. Genevieve Hathaway photo

What can you get at a performance like The Combat that you cannot get at McCaw Hall? 
It will be a completely different experience. Those of us who spend most of our lives and careers in rehearsals rooms know what it’s like to be so close to the music, to the unamplified voices. It’s so different than seeing a show at McCaw Hall. You can almost feel your entire body vibrate. So audiences of The Combat have the rare opportunity to feel and experience opera in a new way.

I’ve grown up at Seattle Opera, which explains my lifelong love of Wagner. I’ve seen the Ring over 30 times, both in a seat and in the standing-only section. I find that standing through the 17 hours of that performance gives you an alertness that makes you more present. You feel like you’re part of the piece. And that’s even more so when the singer is just a foot away from you. This is not a passive receiving of a story—the audience member is an active participant.

What’s it like working with Maestro Stephen Stubbs?

Steve Stubbs is one of the most formidable minds I’ve ever encountered when it comes to early music. His house is filled with antique instruments and museum pieces. And yet, he also has the perfect understanding of how music was performed when it was written, and that lends itself to the adventurous productions I’ve worked with him on at the UW, for example. He is a master of older music, yet remains totally open to theatrical ideas. He’s always looking for ways to collaborate, to accomplish both music and stage action. 

Maestro Stephen Stubbs leads a 5-piece baroque orchestra for The Combat. Philip Newton photo

How do you navigate the themes of Islam and Christianity in this production? 

Faith is the main talking point of The Combat. With that said, we are not trying to realistically depict a Christian crusader and a Muslim Saracen warrior. The work is more of a comment on faith, compassion and love—how these things can be harmonious, and how they can fail when twisted and turned into sectarian violence. 

Tell me about the characters in The Combat.

The entire evening is centered around the narrator “Testo”—which means text. This is something I adore about early music—they love a narrator, and so do I. Some of the most interesting literature is where the narrator is unreliable or flawed in some way. 

In Tasso’s epic poem “Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda”—of which The Combat is based—there is a pivotal scene that is profoundly offensive. Once we understand that this is a show presented by a narrator, and one who is unreliable, we can understand more about why this event happens in The Combat. Testo represents all the evil things that one can twist faith into.

We’re creating a conversation about faith and dissecting what it means to be someone who believes in a certain religion. We’re examining the God of Abraham, and the connectivity that lies between monotheism to discover the peace between those three. 

Seattle Opera's The Combat offers a theatrical, immersive experience. Philip Newton photo

What’s one of your most memorable moments working at Seattle Opera.

I have been the phantom of this opera company for years. I’ve been to every single production since 1991. I saw the Ring for the first time when I was 4. I’m a rabid Wagnerian, and that’s thanks to this company. Probably my most memorable experience is when I shadowed director Peter Kazaras in Tristan and Isolde. Peter was originally Loge in the Ring, and the way he threw fire around onstage had me enthralled. I was a breathless little fan of his. I started following Peter around in 2009, and I always wanted to be a conductor, but didn’t have much musical talent. He said, “Have you thought about directing?” and then he took me under his wing and taught me everything I know. That’s how I learned to be a director. 

You’re a millennial. How can we make opera more welcoming and appealing to people your age?

When I ran my company for six years, that was the entire thrust of what I trying to do. Just show up. Get a cheap ticket. Bring a flask. Treat it like going out to any other event. 

The most successful show we did with Vespertine Opera Theater was Poulenc’s Les mamelles de Tirésias (The Breasts of Tiresias), about a woman whose breast fly away from her body. She turns into a male general, her husband has 1,041 kids—real Surrealist Ivory Tower stuff. We got such a diverse crowd, the most diverse crowd of people that never heard opera before showed up and absolutely loved it. I think if you tailor the experience to what interests people, they will come. Even the bartender at our opera who didn’t want to be there eventually stopped texting, and discretely started taking pictures on his phone. Afterward, he said, “That was the coolest thing I ever saw here—and the Fleet Foxes came through last week.”

8-year-old Dan rides one of the Valkyrie horses from the Rochaix Ring. 

There's three more opportunities to see The Combat: April 6, 7, & 9, 2017. Tickets & info: seattleopera.org/combat