Seattle Opera

Written by Scott Messmore

The Seattle Opera is one of the country's most successful opera companies and one of the few with the ability and courage to pull off Wagner's The Ring in its entirety. Founded in 1973, the Seattle Opera has produced some of the finest operatic plays ever written including War and Peace, Of Mice and Men and the first cycle of The Ring in 1975. Staging Wagner's The Ring is a four opera show that takes an entire week to perform and includes dozens of actors and singers. The Seattle Opera's productions of The Ring

Un Ballo in Maschera, San Francisco Opera, 1999-2000 Season

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have established it as the foremost venue for Wagner's plays in the United States. Wagner's epic story sells out when it is staged by the Seattle Opera. The Seattle Opera also produces more than 75 free public opera showings each year and general director Speight Jenkins hosts live radio shows about each performance. Normally performing at the Seattle Center Opera House, the Seattle Opera will open the 2001-2002 season at the Opera House, but move to the Mercer Arts Arena for the rest of the season. The Seattle Center Opera House will be closed for the entire 2002-2003 opera season while undergoing a renovation. The venerable opera house will reopen in 2003 as the Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. The Seattle Opera usually stages five operas each season or four productions during a year when The Ring is performed. Even with the renovation project of the Seattle Center Opera House starting, the 2001-2002 season features a full slate of four opera productions with 33 performances.

Seattle Opera Schedule

The 2001-2002 season of the Seattle Opera starts on October 20, 2001 with Rusalka, a Czech fairy tale by Dvorak. It will be the last opera production while the Seattle Center Opera House is being renovated. Performances will be on October 20, 21, 24, 26, 27, 31 and November 2, 3. Rusalka runs three and a half hours with two intermissions.

Gary Smith Photo

Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini will show for nine performances at the Mercer Arts Arena. The opera is two and a half hours long with one intermission. Show dates are January 12, 13, 16, 18-20, 23, 25, 26, 2002. Richard Strauss' Salome is scheduled for eight performances at the Mercer Arts Center. The one hours and forty-five minute show has no intermission. Show dates are March 23, 24, 27, 29, 30 and April 3, 5, 6, 2002. Giuseppe Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera will be performed eight times with a running time of three hours and 50 minutes. Two intermissions are provided during the opera. Show dates are May 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 15, 17 and 18, 2002.

Hours of Operation and Location

The Seattle Opera is located at 1020 John Street in Seattle. Evening opera

Gary Smith Photo

performances start at 7:30 p.m., Sunday operas begin at 2 p.m. Four opera ticket packages for the entire season are available from $103 to $1,234. Tickets will be sent by mail during July 2001. Call the ticket subscription office at 206-389-7676 or 800-426-1619.

For more information about the Seattle Opera, call 206-389-7600.