OPERAWISE: Singspiel

Seattle Opera · OPERAWISE: SINGSPIEL

In this series of podcasts, Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean gives listeners a taste of nine different types of traditional opera. Singspiel (that’s German for SongPlay) mixes songs, dialogues, choruses, and marvelous orchestral writing with fun and fantasy for a lowbrow, family friendly art form—the ancestor of today’s Star Wars movies. Mozart’s ever-popular Magic Flute is the perfect introduction to Singspiel, as well as one of the most beloved operas ever written. Another wonderful Singspiel, Weber’s Der Freischütz, demonstrates the power of this form to send a wonderfully creepy chill down your spine.

Musical examples on the podcast include:

• •Celebratory chorus from Hans Heiling, Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Ewald Körner (Marco Polo 1992)
• •“Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja” from Die Zauberflöte; John Moore and Seattle Opera orchestra conducted by Julia Jones, 2017
• •Hunters’ Chorus from Der Freischütz; Seattle Opera chorus and orchestra conducted by Gerard Schwarz, 1999
• •Melodrama from Fidelio, Jane Eaglen and Kevin Langan, Seattle Opera orchestra conducted by Gerard Schwarz, 2003
• •A line of Papageno’s from Die Zauberflöte, John Moore and Seattle Opera orchestra conducted by Julia Jones, 2017
• •Act 1 Finale from Die Zauberflöte, Andrew Stenson and Seattle Opera orchestra conducted by Julia Jones, 2017
• •Act 2 Finale from Die Zauberflöte , Seattle Opera orchestra conducted by Julia Jones, 2017
• •“Der Hölle Rache” from Die Zauberflöte, Christina Poulitsi and Seattle Opera orchestra conducted by Julia Jones, 2017
• •“O Isis” Chorus from Die Zauberflöte Seattle Opera chorus and orchestra conducted by Julia Jones, 2017
• •Opening duet from Fidelio, Lucia Popp, Adolf Dallapozza, and Vienna Philharmonic conducted by Leonard Bernstein (Deutsche Gramophon, 1978)
• •“O namenlose Freude” from Fidelio, Gundula Janowitz, René Kollo, and Vienna Philharmonic conducted by Leonard Bernstein (Deutsche Gramophon, 1978)
• •Cat duet from Der Stein der Weisen, Jane Giering-De Haan, Kevin Deas, and Boston Baroque conducted by Martin Pearlman (Telarc, 1999)
• •Wolf’s Glen Scene from Der Freischütz, Harry Peters, Gabor Andrasy, and the chorus and orchestra of Seattle Opera conducted by Gerard Schwarz, 1999
• •Overture from Der fliegende Holländer, orchestra of Seattle Opera conducted by Sebastian Lang-Lessing, 2016
• •Dance of the Apprentices from Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg , forces of the Bavarian State Opera conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch (EMI Classics, 1993)

Stay tuned for one more podcast introducing another kind of opera next week!

AIDAN LANG INTRODUCES THE MAGIC FLUTE

Listen to or read this downloadable podcast by General Director Aidan Lang. Mozart's beloved Magic Flute returns to Seattle this May (nine performances through May 21). Aidan explains the powerful appeal of this great masterpiece and the difference between good and great productions of The Magic Flute.

Hi, everyone! It’s Aidan Lang here, and I’m going to speak to you about Mozart’s Magic Flute, Die Zauberflöte.

Magic Flute is always in those lists of “the most popular operas,” which are really lists of the operas most performed. Why is that? I think it’s ‘cause it’s got something for everyone. Part of its appeal is it’s a very large cast, which keeps its interest going; it’s going a strong, if somewhat diverse storyline; I mean, it’s a hard storyline to encapsulate! But you are engaged, always, in terms of what’s going to happen next, and that’s a great appeal for people. The variety of its music is also so important. It traverses a number of different styles, from the simple, almost folk-like tunes given to Papageno, which is very much symptomatic of the sort of music which was performed in a Singspiel; and then music of huge sophistication, in the arias, say, of Tamino and Pamina; the vocal fireworks of both of the Queen of the Nights arias; and the beautiful, somber gravitas of the music for the priests and Sarastro. So there’s massive variety in this work, of style, of tone, which is not just to do with the storyline, it’s baked into this particular form called Singspiel. At the end of the day I think its popularity is based on the fact that it’s got so much going for it. It’s got famous musical highlights, and a number of highlights (it’s not just a one-hit wonder at all). As you sit through it you’ll go, “Oh, my goodness me!” and “Oh, it’s that one,” and “Oh, that;” they keep coming. And I think that’s part of its appeal. It has everything right. It’s got extraordinary music, familiarity of many of the numbers, and also an opera which demands spectacle and it demands visual élan. It’s got it all.

MOZART

What I love about Mozart’s work is, at the end of it all there is forgiveness and humanity and an understanding, not only of human nature, but of human foible.

Top 10 most recognizable opera pieces used in film

You probably know more opera music than you think you do. If you like to watch TV or go to the movies, you’ve undoubtedly heard music from operas used in ways the original composers could never have even imagined. We’ve raided the Seattle Opera archives to put together a playlist featuring some of opera’s greatest hits—tunes you may already know because you’ve heard them in the cinema.

#1: From Apocalypse Now: Ride of the Valkyries (Die Walküre)

Francis Ford Coppola used the “Ride of the Valkyries,” famous music from the second opera of the Ring cycle, not for Wagner’s Norse goddesses of death but for American helicopters dealing out death from above in Vietnam in Apocalypse Now. It made for a brilliant, chilling moment—opera music used not just for emotional effect but as part of a film’s story.

Sung by Wendy Bryn Harmer, Jessica Klein, Suzanne Hendrix, Luretta Bybee, Tamara Mancini, Sarah Heltzel, Renée Tatum, and Cecelia Hall, with the Seattle Opera Orchestra conducted by Asher Fisch.

Mozart, Master of the Ensemble

Of course they had ensembles in opera before Mozart. (Remember Semele’s amazing duet for Semele and Ino?) But more than perhaps any other composer before or since, Mozart reveled in the glory of the operatic ensemble, its potential to explore multiple human characters simultaneously and to bring to the foreground the beauty and conflicts of any relationship (or network of relationships).

No other art form has anything quite like the ensemble. By nature it’s a little bit surreal, which may explain why it arose in comic opera, where playing around with the laws of reality adds extra fun. Mozart’s operas taught later composers how to create both kinds of ensembles: those of mounting confusion and hilarity, which always form the climax of great comic scenes, and those exploring complicated characters in serious conflict, which became one of the delights of nineteenth century opera.

Given the extraordinary fertility of Mozart’s genius, it’s no surprise that he never repeated himself, neither in terms of music nor in dramatic situation. We raided our archives for the four great Mozart masterpieces we regularly present at Seattle Opera and found a remarkable range of different types of ensembles. Below are some samples from our favorite Mozart ensembles, demonstrating what he was able to do with each type of form.

Fidelio Singalong. Discussion and Q&A with Speight Jenkins

On September 12, 2012, 50 community members joined the Seattle Opera chorus for our first-ever singalong: The final scene from Fidelio.

After the singalong General Director Speight Jenkins discussed the opera in more detail and answered questions from those who attended.
Listen to the full discussion below or download now from the Seattle Opera Podcast on iTunes



Learn more about Fidelio on the Seattle Opera Website.

The Magic Flute: Flute-Apalooza

In celebration of “The Magic Flute,” Seattle Opera hosted a free community open house at McCaw Hall on Saturday, May 7, which featured performances by Papageno (Leigh Melrose) and the Queen of the Night (Mari Moriya), as well as Sound Wave (the official Seattle Sounders marching band), the University of Washington Magic Flutes, and an all-kazoo orchestra. Check out this recap of the fun, family-friendly event, sponsored by Russell Investments.




Learn more about The Magic Flute on the Seattle Opera website.

Magic Flute Opening Night Q&A with Speight Jenkins

After every performance, General Director Speight Jenkins hosts a free Q&A session in the lecture hall at McCaw Hall. Listen to this live recording of Seattle Opera General Director Speight Jenkins as he candidly answers the audience's questions after the Saturday, May 7 opening night performance of The Magic Flute.

The Magic Flute: Preview Trailer

Our production of Mozart's fantasy is colorful, fun, and boasts a cast full of amazing voices. Watch the preview trailer and see for yourself!




Learn more about The Magic Flute on the Seattle Opera website.

The Magic Flute: Director's Talk with Chris Alexander

Learn about the magic of The Magic Flute with Stage Director Chris Alexander's plans to make an imaginary world come to life onstage. Watch rehearsal footage along with Alexander’s exciting ideas, and see that it's no wonder Alexander is a two-time Artist of the Year recipient!




Learn more about The Magic Flute on the Seattle Opera website.

The Magic Flute: Behind the Scenes: Vocal Acrobatics

Mozart uses the characters in The Magic Flute to sing virtually every note within human vocal range. From the deep bass of Sarastro to the extremely high coloratura of the Queen of the Night, learn from Maestro Gary Wedow (and the singers themselves) about the voice types required to portray these characters successfully.




Learn more about The Magic Flute on the Seattle Opera website.

The Magic Flute: Costumes with Zandra Rhodes

Meet Zandra Rhodes, known to the international fashion scene as a high-end designer for the rich and famous. Her unique use of bold prints, fiercely feminine patterns and theatrical use of color gives each Rhodes creation a timeless quality. Her designs will be featured in our upcoming production of The Magic Flute.



Learn more about The Magic Flute on the Seattle Opera website.

Don Giovanni: Preview Video

Seattle Opera’s Young Artists take on this Mozart masterpiece, in which an unrepentant womanizer pays the ultimate price for his actions. Take a peek at the YAP’s Don Giovanni, which features eye-catching costumes, innovative video projections, and—of course—a talented cast of rising stars.



Learn more about Don Giovanni on the Seattle Opera website.

Speight's Corner: The Magic Flute

According to General Director Speight Jenkins, a variety of characters combined with "some of the most marvelous music [Mozart] ever wrote" makes The Magic Flute “Mozart’s most fantastic opera.” Jenkins also introduces the international cast which features a mix of returning artists as well as Seattle Opera debuts.



Learn more about The Magic Flute on the Seattle Opera website.

Teaser: The Magic Flute

A famous aria and quick plot synopsis, all in under a minute! Plus, preview the costumes we'll be featuring in this production by famous fashion designer Zandra Rhodes (footage courtesy of San Diego Opera).



Learn more about The Magic Flute on the Seattle Opera website.