Chorus Spotlight: Lucy Weber

Lucy Weber, a longtime member of the Seattle Opera Chorus currently performing in Medea with Seattle Shakespeare Company. 

The Seattle Opera Chorus is made up of extraordinarily talented individuals. Under the leadership of Chorus Master John Keene, they can make us laugh as one of many zany characters in Count Ory, or tug at our hearts through the powerful "Va, pensiero" in Nabucco. Today, we talk to one of these accomplished singers. Lucy Weber has performed in mainstage productions such as Mary Stuart and Madame Butterfly, as well as at schools all over Washington State in Our Earth. But Weber, a lover of theater as well as music, doesn't limit her gifts to simply McCaw Hall. Currently, she is performing in Medea with Seattle Shakespeare Company. 

What’s your favorite thing about being a performing artist in Seattle?

I love the richness of talent here; many performers I have met literally go from job to job and stay employed fairly regularly. There was an article about how Seattle theaters try very hard to hire local talent. On the other hand, with so many talented people, it's also a highly competitive place. I feel very fortunate that I am able to perform semi-regularly with the Seattle Opera Chorus. I also love singing for the company's Education & Community Engagement Department; that keeps me pretty busy throughout the year.

How did you get into singing/opera?
I always had a passion for singing, but actually came to opera through theater and musical theater. Acting was a huge passion of mine in junior high and high school. After graduating, I considered making that my main focus, but ended up studying English and Journalism and pursuing theater on the side. When I was 25, I became interested in singing again, which is around the time most opera singers are beginning their careers. I had a voice teacher who felt I could do it, even if I was kind of late in the game. I feel like I am just finding my voice now; The Seattle Opera Chorus has helped me grow and develop.

Ausrine Stundyte (Cio-Cio San), Emily Clubb, and Lucy Weber. Elise Bakketun photo 

Proudest moment as an artist?
I have several, but one was particularly unexpected: I was asked to cover Sarah Larsen when she performed Suzuki in Madama Butterfly (2012). I was so humbled and honored, and it was a great opportunity for me as a singer. She is the most wonderful person; warm, generous, positive. I learned so much from watching her work and approach her role.

Most humbling moment as an artist? 
Being an artist in general is pretty humbling. However, being in Medea and working with these actors has been extremely humbling. The seriously talented women in this show work regularly in theater and musical theater in Seattle. They, as well as director Kelly Kitchens, have been nothing but supportive and welcoming.

Cast members of Seattle Shakespeare's Medea. Lucy Weber, Chelsea LeValley, Kathryn Van Meter, Dedra D. Woods, Maya Burton, Sunam Ellis. Photo by John Ulman

Talk about the single most challenging moment in your career as an artist.
Being both a mom and a performer is challenging. I feel so fortunate to be a working artist with a supportive family. But the reality is, I am often gone for soccer games, birthday parties, trick-or-treating...I've talked to other working mothers in this play and we talk about what it's like to juggle it all. We also ask a lot of our spouses; they take on the main parenting responsibilities when we are in rehearsals and performances. Finding that balance is really important.

What’s the biggest misconception about opera singers?
Singers are asked to do a lot more than sing; we have to be both musicians and actors, and this is actually very physical work. In opera, all our emotions are written for us, but we have to tell the story in an honest way that seems organic and spontaneous. I don't know if people understand how hard singers are working to tell the story that the audience is wanting to see and hear. I'm always in awe of the volume that the human body can create.

What keeps you going? 
Music and theater are so central to who I am. I can't imagine my life without them, but my family is what inspires me to work hard, to get up, and to stay focused.

Serena Eduljee, Lucy Weber, Melissa Plagemann, Cheryse McLeod-Lewis, YeonSoo Kim Lee. Jacob Lucas photo

As One Teen Night

Final Dress Rehearsal Thursday, November 10 at Washington Hall. Philip Newton photo Calling all teens! You are cordially invited to join us for the final dress rehearsal of As One on Thursday, November 10 at the iconic Washington Hall. This intimate chamber opera As One, is a contemporary exploration of a transgender protagonist’s journey told through two voices. With empathy and humor, we experience Hannah’s youthful challenges in a small town on the West coast, her quest for knowledge and understanding, her discovery of the larger trans community, and her inspiring journey to be true to herself. As One is performed by a baritone and a mezzo-soprano with string quartet. Teen Night: Thursday, November 10 Doors open at 6:00 PM. Performance begins at 7:00 PM. $8 per person for full-time students and their chaperones. Presented by Seattle Opera at Washington Hall, 153 14th Ave, Seattle. Recommended for middle school and up. Seattle Opera wants to be sure that teens have a chance to see this powerful show. All public performances* of As One are age 21+, so Teen Night is the perfect opportunity for middle, high, and college students. (Teachers and parents: this would also be great for your students or children!). *Public performances will include a cash bar and will be open to individuals 21+ only. To sign up: email education@seattleopera.org

OPERA Timeless & Timely

This blog post is based on a lecture Jonathan Dean gave as part of Seattle Opera’s adult education series at Seattle University on October 18, 2016. Next up in the series: on Tuesday, November 8 at 7:00 PM, Aidan Lang hosts a panel discussion with the cast and creative team of As One: composer Laura Kaminsky, co-librettist Mark Campbell, co-librettist Kimberly Reed via Skype, director L. Zane Jones, and conductor John Keene. Mezzo-soprano Taylor Raven and baritone Jorell Williams will also join in the conversation and perform excerpts from As One.

Our opera industry today is built upon a handful of paradoxes. Opera has always been a tug-of-war between sound and sense, between music and word; today, the auditory and visual sides of the opera experience are sometimes struggling partners. (Should we cast for voice or look?)

The Making of As One

Seattle Opera presents As One, a transgender story, at Washington Hall. In the role of a single protagonist are two singers: baritone Jorell Williams (Hannah before) and Taylor Raven (Hannah after). 

By Jessica Murphy Moo  

The concept for As One began with composer Laura Kaminsky. She wanted to explore universal questions of identity through a transgender protagonist. How do we become our true selves? What sacrifices must we make to get there? How to portray that internal dialogue—that journey—onstage? Her idea, to use two people to voice the inner thoughts of a single character, percolated for two years before she moved forward.

American Opera Projects pledged their support, and two singers who had previously worked with Kaminsky also signed on. During this time Kaminsky watched the documentary film Prodigal Sons, by transgender filmmaker Kimberly Reed. Kaminsky reached out to Reed to see if she would want to collaborate and create an original film for the work. What they still needed, however, was a story. So they brought librettist Mark Campbell on board.

During the creative team’s first meeting, Campbell turned to Reed and asked her if she would share any experiences in her life.

The creative team behind As One: Kimberly Reed (co-librettist), Mark Campbell (co-librettist), and Laura Kaminsky (composer). 

Reed remembered having a paper route. One time, she recalled, she did the route in a blouse she stole from a neighbor’s clothesline.

Campbell believed that story could turn into a song.

Campbell came up with the idea of creating an original story that would spring from some of Reed’s experiences and invited her to co-write the libretto. But many of the experiences of Hannah, the main character in the opera, are not Reed’s firsthand experiences. Campbell and Reed were more interested in abstracting that experience into a personal journey that could be both specific and universal.

Kaminsky wrote music for an intimate string quartet and for the voices of her original cast, baritone and mezzo-soprano. “Those voices don’t have a huge number of notes in common,” she says. “But I wanted there to be unison at critical moments in the story."

The original cast of As One included baritone Kelly Markgraf (Hannah before) and his wife, Sasha Cooke (Hannah after). Cooke most recently sang at Seattle Opera as Hansel in Hansel & Gretel. 

“We wanted to merge male and female voices,” says Campbell. “We didn’t want the boy to do only boy things and girl to do only girl things, but to prove that there is fluidity between genders.”

And they had to navigate around potential misperceptions. Two people onstage did not mean Hannah was two separate people. “The fact is that we all have this gender dialogue going on in us,” says Reed. You’ll hear in the music, for instance, that the story doesn’t start with only Hannah before. Hannah before and Hannah after are always present. “The transfolk I know have to figure out a way to incorporate that past expression of self with who we are now,” Reed says. “We all have to calibrate that. It’s an internal dialogue, whether we’re trans or not. So we are trying to depict that dialogue with two singers. It’s an abstract move. We’re speaking metaphorically."

Director L. Zane Jones in rehearsal with Taylor Raven (Hannah after) and Jorell Williams (Hannah before). Genevieve Hathaway photo

And the abstract, of course, is where music can shine. Consider, for instance, that Kaminsky chose the viola, the middle voice of the string quartet, to be the surrogate for Hannah’s soul. Prior to Seattle, As One has been produced five times, including in Berlin. Next year it will go to Pittsburgh, Denver, and Long Beach, CA, with more productions scheduled after that.

Why aren't the singers in this opera transgender? 

So far, all productions of As One have involved cisgender singers, meaning the singers identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. This casting raises an important question. If this opera is about the experiences of a transgender protagonist, why weren’t transgender singers cast in the work? One reason is availability of highly-trained professional opera singers. “There are not a lot of trans opera singers,” says co-librettist Kimberly Reed. With growing awareness comes a growing body of sound pedagogical practice and a growing number of classically trained transgender singers. But there is still work to be done. Reed hopes, for instance, that As One productions “can lead to that pipeline for training for trans opera singers.” To read a profile of a German transgender baritone (pictured below), Lucia Lucas, click here.

Baritone Lucia Lucas says:“I came out to the opera community at a ball with my wife — she wore a trouser suit and I wore a dress. People didn’t recognize me at first — they recognized my wife, then looked at me and eventually they figured it out. Being able to see their genuine reactions was helpful; I came out the next week. I told the intendant that I liked my job and hoped I could continue to do it, but this was something I had to do for myself; it was something I’d been putting off forever. He said: ‘OK, how does this work?” I replied: “Well, nobody’s ever done it before.'” [ Photo by Alice Neale, Accent magazine ]

About the Venue: Washington Hall 

Washington Hall is a registered city and national landmark, a status it earned for its historic role as the nerve center of Central Seattle’s art, culture, and community. Since 1908, when the Danish Brotherhood opened the doors to Washington Hall, it has been a place where people could live and socialize and perform. It began as a boarding house for new Danish immigrants while doubling as a performance space for a Sephardic troupe and dance hall for Filipino American youth. Washington Hall opened its doors to iconic performers Duke Ellington, Billie Holliday, and Ella Fitzgerald, among many other jazz greats. Jimi Hendrix played here. Martin Luther King spoke here. For many years Washington Hall served as the home for the contemporary performance organization On the Boards. Historic Seattle acquired the building from the black Masonic group Sons of Haiti in 2009. Renovation.

An opera for our community 

As One reflects Seattle Opera’s commitment to creating a safe and welcoming space within the arts. Moving forward, the company’s work will reflect the diverse communities of the Pacific Northwest in terms of age, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and cultural/multicultural background. Seattle Opera is working to reduce barriers that have historically made the art form inaccessible to certain groups. Our version of this important new opera is meant to be both an experience, and a vehicle for meaningful conversation. The company is proud to partner with LGBTQ, transgender, and social justice organizations (full list below). Representatives from these organizations will be available to the audience in the lobby prior to the show, and will offer resources on how to become allies and activists for transgender rights.

Full list of As One Community Partners 

• Pride Foundation
• API Chaya
• Boeing Employees Association of Gays, Lesbians, and Friends (BEAGLES)
• Center for Children and Youth Justice 
• Elizabeth Gregory House
• Greater Seattle Business Association 
• Lambert House
• Legal Voice
• People of Color Against AIDS Network
• Seattle Counseling Service

Tickets & Information:
Nov. 11, 13, 17, 18, & 19, 2016
Washington Hall
153 14th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
Tickets: $25* & $40
seattleopera.org/asone

In Memoriam JOHN DEL CARLO

Seattle Opera celebrates the life and artistry of beloved American bass John Del Carlo, who recently passed away at the all-too-early age of 65. Del Carlo's amazing voice and great sense of humor delighted Seattle audiences beginning in 1984 (when he debuted as Donner & Gunther in the RING) all the way up to 2015, when he sang Cadmus & Somnus in Semele. Backstage, he was beloved by all--a great colleague and friend, with an extraordinary ability to made any rehearsal or performance less stressful and more fun just by being in the room.

Says Speight Jenkins, "John had what could only be called an operatic personality. His sense of humor was balanced by his remarkable acting in both comedies and serious operas; he supported whatever cast he was in with his good humor, intensity, and incredible professionalism."

Read Bruce Duffie's interview with him from 2000, or our interview with him from last year.

John Del Carlo (right) as Gunther in Götterdämmerung, 1984, with Ed Sooter as Siegfried and John Macurdy as Hagen
Chris Bennion, photo

You can hear Del Carlo's wonderfully rich bass, and his facility with coloratura, in this passage from Seattle Opera's 1989 Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Hermann Michael conducted Del Carlo as the pedantic Kothner, who reads the strict rules of mastersinging in this little aria:

Del Carlo was a world-famous Dr. Bartolo, the crabby, scolding old grump of The Barber of Seville. Here, from his role debut (in Seattle in 1992, conducted by the late great Edoardo Mueller) you hear Del Carlo's ridiculously breakneck patter, as he sings the conclusion to Bartolo's aria "A un dottor":

John Del Carlo as Cadmus (left) and Somnus (right) in Semele, 2015
Elise Bakketun, photo

Praise for Hansel & Gretel

Sasha Cooke as Hansel and Ashley Emerson as Gretel. Philip Newton photo

"Seattle Opera's innovative and highly recommendable production of Hansel and Gretel features a hauntingly gorgeous forest filled with garbage, which was designed by Keith Nagy. The clear-cut trees in the woods resemble prison bars, and at the end of the show, the children escape the witch but they load up their grocery basket with candy to take home, suggesting that they're still caught in the endless cycle of overconsumption." - The Stranger 

"Colorful, lively, pertinent, fun and well sung." - The SunBreak

"General Director Aidan Lang decided to bring the Humperdinck evergreen back to Seattle Opera ...It turns out to have been a smart choice... and another clue to Lang's theatrical aesthetic since he's taken over the reins in Seattle. - Bachtrack 

"The woods resemble those at the end of The Lorax—a bleak landscape of denuded truffula trees after the Once-ler got through with them—while Hansel and Gretel’s forest hut is cunningly recast as a giant tattered corrugated-cardboard box." - The Seattle Weekly

Amanda Opuszynski as the Dew Fairy. Philip Newton photo

"Amanda Opuszynski made a strikingly graceful appearance as both the Sandman and the Dew Fairy." - Bachtrack

"A marvelously witty shadow-play film clip between acts introduces the Witch in silhouette as she vainly kick-starts a series of misbehaving brooms, finally picking out her ideal vehicle and zooming all over the screen."- The Seattle Times

"If an operatic fairy-tale frosted with social commentary sounds like the recipe for a nightmare of 'Regie' pretension, not to worry: Pelly's approach not only avoids any hint of annoying preachiness but admirably and artfully layers in generous dollops of touching sentiment and outrageous humour." - Bachtrack 

Sasha Cooke (Hansel) and Ashley Emerson (Gretel). Philip Newton photo

"Cooke has a big, supple sound; Emerson’s lighter and beautifully produced soprano was an ideal counterpart to Cooke’s boyish portrayal. Their acting was realistic and detailed, constantly in motion — just as real kids are." - The Seattle Times 

"The role of the Witch, cast as a character tenor and clad in a suit and wig of ghastly pink (the costumes are also designed by Pelly), allowed John Easterlin ample opportunity to mine comic gesture and rhythm. His Mime-like affectations made him weirdly endearing and brought to mind the fairy-tale origins of Siegfried, as well as its scherzoish banter." - Bachtrack

"John Easterlin’s Witch was attired in a wonderfully hideous bright-pink suit, soon opened to display even more startling underpinnings. He employed a wide repertoire of cackles and shrieks, along with some fine singing, in creating a memorable character. On Sunday, Peter Marsh (similarly attired) took over the broomstick with equally impressive results, putting his own spin on witchy menace and vocal alacrity."- The Seattle Times

John Easterlin (The Witch) returns to Seattle Opera Oct. 15, 22, 26, & 29.  Jacob Lucas photo

"...and best of all the Seattle Symphony, with decades of applicable Wagner experience, makes Humperdinck’s music all it can be under conductor Sebastian Lang-Lessing." - Seattle Weekly 

"Anya Matanovic was a vocally assured and charming Gretel; Sarah Larsen was a convincing and beautifully sung Hansel." - The Seattle Times

"As the parents, Marcy Stonikas and Mark Walters are exceptionally good, able to present conflicting emotions while still caring about their children’s welfare. Both have first-rate voices that illuminate their characters." - The Seattle Times

Sarah Larsen (Hansel) and Anya Matanovic (Gretel). Philip Newton photo

"... marvelously memorable sets and lighting design are the work of Barbara de Limburg and Joël Adam, respectively." - Bachtrack

The orchestra, led by Sebastian Lang-Lessing, was really the star of the production, performing Humperdinck’s opulent neo-Wagnerian score with lyricism and accuracy. Lang-Lessing never overwhelmed the cast or let the pace flag." - The Seattle Times

"The excellent children’s chorus, prepared by chorusmaster Beth Kirchhoff, is surprisingly affecting as they emerge in a stupor from the Witch’s candied domain — giving opera fans a truly heartwarming finale." - The Seattle Times

"Too often, Humperdinck is glossed over as 'Wagner-lite', yet Lang-Lessing takes this music seriously on its own terms, with glorious results. The score's beautifully orchestrated textures were allowed to bloom and cast their enthralling spell and, in the final scene, joie de vivre." - Bachtrack 

Peter Marsh (The Witch). Jacob Lucas photo

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Come trick-or-treat at the Opera!

Bill Mohn photo

"Family Day" at the Oct. 30 performance of Hansel & Gretel 

Start Halloween early by joining Seattle Opera for its Family Day presentation of Hansel and Gretel! This Oct. 30 performance of Engelbert Humperdinck’s masterpiece offers students age 18 and under $15 tickets for almost any seat.* During intermission, activities will include a costume dress-up station, crafts, interactions with costumed characters, and even trick-or-treating (just in time for Halloween!). Sunday, Oct. 30 will also offer an audio-described option for visually-impaired patrons (for more information, click here).

In this 21st century tale of temptation and excess, Hansel and Gretel live in a giant cardboard box set against a toxic sky, and when they go searching for their family, they get lost in a forest of dead trees and litter. After being captured, they must go head-to-head with a Witch, the one who presides over a free-for-all supermarket packed with high-sugar treats. There’s a happy outcome for all, save for the one intent on fattening up little children!

Bachtrack praised Hansel and Gretel as a production that “admirably and artfully layers in generous dollops of touching sentiment and outrageous humor.”

*Family Day information: Please note valid student ID or proof of age is required for entry at the student Family-Day rate. At least one full price adult ticket must be purchased with EVERY student ticket order. Limit four $15 student tickets for each full price adult ticket purchased. Student tickets are not available in the Dress Circle, Orchestra Center Aisle, and $25 Second Tier seating sections.

Tickets & info: http://bit.ly/2erG99h

AIDAN LANG Introduces HANSEL & GRETEL

Listen to or read this downloadable podcast by General Director Aidan Lang. Hansel & Gretel comes to Seattle this fall in a compelling, whimsical, provocative production which should delight your eyes and ears and stimulate your imagination. French director Laurent Pelly’s contemporary interpretation of this famous German opera premiered at England’s Glyndebourne Festival in 2008, and has been a hit in a number of countries.

Hi, everyone, welcome to the podcast, this is Aidan Lang. Of course Hansel & Gretel is our opera up at the moment, so I’m going to be sharing some thoughts about this piece, a piece which I think has a lot more below than the surface than I think maybe we think from a cursory glance.

A trans story told through opera

As One offers music, story, and dialogue Nov. 11 – 19, 2016 at Washington Hall 

This fall, Seattleites can hear opera in a Central-District venue that once housed performances by Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. But the location isn’t the only new thing about Seattle Opera’s As One, which will be presented in the historic Washington Hall. As One, a chamber opera with only two singers, tells the story of Hannah, a transwoman, and her journey to self-understanding. The opera is meant to be both an experience, and a vehicle for meaningful conversation.

Based in part on true events, As One offers a narrative that’s both specific, as well as universal.

“This beautiful, brave opera is about becoming whole – becoming true to one’s self,” said stage director L. Zane Jones, Artistic Director of Seattle's Civic Rep. “It is one woman’s journey to becoming her authentic self; a love story—an adventure—and finally, a celebration."

The newly-renovated Washington Hall. The hall has served as a popular performing arts venue, hosting musicians and speakers such as Marian Anderson, Mahalia Jackson, Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Jimi Hendrix, W.E.B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, and Joe Louis. Many of these events were held at Washington Hall because it was the only venue of significant capacity in Seattle that would allow people of color to perform.

Seattle has never experienced opera in quite this way before. In As One, the grandeur of the company’s mainstage performances are stripped away in favor of a vulnerable, immediate approach. With a string quartet and singers performing in-the-round, the production puts the audience right in the heart of the action.

Award winning filmmaker and librettist Kimberly Reed (Prodigal Sons), and award winning librettist Mark Campbell (Silent Night) created the powerful story for As One. Laura Kaminsky, a former chair of the music department at Seattle’s Cornish College of the Arts, composed the piece, which premiered in 2014 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. In this 90-minute opera, the single protagonist, Hannah, is portrayed by two singers—a baritone and a mezzo-soprano. Hannah before is sung by Jorell Williams, praised by The New York Times as “magnificent” and “rich toned.” Hannah after will be sung by Taylor Raven, a rising star currently in residency with Pittsburgh Opera.

Kimberly Reed is a filmmaker/librettist, whose personal journey of going from male to female served as inspiration for the opera "As One." Reed and Mark Campbell wrote the libretto for As One, which was composed by Laura Kaminsky.

Throughout the course of 15 songs, the audience will experience Hannah’s challenges growing up in a small town on the West coast, her quest for knowledge and understanding, and her discovery of the trans community. The opera embraces humor and heartbreaking realities within this personal narrative. While Hannah before is faced with violence, Hannah after names those who did not survive similar attacks. At the end of the opera, the protagonist finds peace, as well as her own self-acceptance and love, in rural Norway.

Prior to the performance, attendees can grab a drink from the in-house bar to enjoy during the performance. Afterward, audience members are invited to participate in a discussion on topics affecting the LGBTQ community.

Hannah before will be sung by baritone Jorell Williams, and Hannah after will be portrayed by Taylor Raven. 

Supported in part by The Wallace Foundation and Pride Foundation, As One reflects Seattle Opera’s commitment to creating a safe and welcoming space within the arts. Moving forward, the company’s work will reflect the diverse communities of the Pacific Northwest in terms of age, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and cultural/multicultural background. Seattle Opera is working to reduce barriers that have historically made the art form inaccessible to certain groups.

As One premieres Friday, Nov. 11, and runs through Saturday, Nov. 19. 

Tickets & info: seattleopera.org/asone

Opera’s Greatest Witches

Witches—be they sopranos, mezzos, contraltos, or (coming up in this fall’s Hansel & Gretel at Seattle Opera) tenors—bring intense drama and spectacular music to any number of great operas. Enjoy these memories of great witchy performances at Seattle Opera! If you’d like to listen to them all in one go, open our Witch Album over at SoundCloud and simply press play.

MACBETH: A Stage Full of Witches
Something wicked this way comes! When he set about transforming Shakespeare’s Macbeth into an Italian opera, Giuseppe Verdi multiplied Shakespeare’s three witches into a whole bevy of them, and then wrote them some spectacularly creepy music. The scene in the witches’ cavern becomes a huge production number as the witches brew their hell-broth and await the evil king. Seattle Opera’s 2006 production of Macbeth was conducted by Nicola Luisotti.

LOHENGRIN: Ortrud Invokes the Ancient Gods
In Wagner’s Lohengrin, wicked witch Ortrud transforms the young Christian prince Gottfried von Brabant into a swan with all the powers of hell.