By Lindy Hume, director of The Barber of Seville This co-production between Opera Queensland (Australia), Seattle Opera and New Zealand Opera began life in 2016 as a 200th birthday celebration of The Barber of Seville. It followed a similarly joyful collaboration between our companies on a 2014 production of Rossini’s Cinderella. Here in 2024, I’m delighted to say that since their Brisbane debuts, both productions have been well-travelled and warmly embraced by audiences in around the world and across Australasia. It is a delight to revisit our salute to Rossini’s comic genius at a time when ..read more

Kellogg to succeed Scholar-in-Residence Naomi André, who concludes five-year term in May 2024 Seattle Opera's new Artistic Ambassador, Kenneth Kellogg, as Malcolm X in X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X in 2024. © Sunny Martini. General Director Christina Scheppelmann announced today the appointment of bass Kenneth Kellogg as Seattle Opera’s inaugural Artistic Ambassador. Kellogg, who recently completed a triumphant run as Malcolm X in X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, takes over for Naomi André, who concludes her impactful five-year term as Seattle Opera’s first Scholar-in-Reside ..read more

Seattle Opera: You were just named Seattle Opera’s Artistic Ambassador for the 2024/25 season. How are you envisioning this role as you prepare to step into it? Kenneth Kellogg: The first thing this new role makes me think of is my elementary school teacher. As a young person, I could always see how much she loved music—it was infectious. It impacted me as a kid, which led me on a path first to enjoying music, and then to music taking over my life. I think of my role as Artistic Ambassador as an extension of that. Music has been a blessing to my life in so many ways: it’s what I think of da ..read more

© Philip Newton Created and directed by Tazewell Thompson Vocal arrangements by Dianne Adams McDowell Orchestrated by Michael Ellis Ingram Nineteenth century. A theater in Nashville, Tennessee. Thirteen members of The Fisk Jubilee Singers are gathering behind the curtain in vocal warmups, preparing to perform their concert of Spirituals. Post show, the singers retreat to the old military barracks set aside by northern abolitionists to house former slaves, now students and teachers of The Fisk Colored School. Eventually changed to Fisk University. While turning over the earth in their ..read more

© Micah Shumake Music by Anthony Davis Libretto by Thulani Davis Story by Christopher Davis ACT I Scene 1: 1931, Lansing, Michigan At the home of Reverend Earl Little and his wife Louise, a meeting is taking place of the local chapter of Marcus Garvey's Universal Improvement Association, and Rev. Little is late. Louise has been tense all day and members of the meeting are concerned about active white supremacist groups terrorizing local people. Louise remembers past attacks that haunt her. A policeman arrives to say that Rev. Little was killed in a streetcar accident. The neighbors p ..read more

USA. Illinois. Chicago. Malcolm X during his visit to enterprises owned by Black Muslims. 1962. © Eve Arnold/Magnum Photos This spring, Seattle Opera is presenting the West Coast premiere of X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X. To encourage students to celebrate and engage with this work and Malcolm X’s legacy, we have created this competition for high school juniors and seniors in Washington State. All students, including home-school and charter students, are invited to submit their essays, poems, and visual artwork responding to the following prompt: What aspect of Malcolm X’s legacy ..read more

Harlem, New York Rally, 1963 © Gordan Parks Foundation Malcolm X’s influence permeates American social, political, and cultural life. Many cities have a Malcolm X street, avenue, or boulevard. Plenty of schools, libraries, and other public buildings are named in his honor. What’s more, many artists have been inspired by the human rights leader’s life and philosophies. They have created music, visual art, plays, film, and literary works. Here are just a few examples of their artistic output. Sculpture (left) Malcolm X 16, 2016 (right) Malcolm X #3, 1969 © Barbara Chase-Riboud ..read more

© Kenneth Kellogg Bass Kenneth Kellogg, who recently gave a breakout performance as Fafner in our production of Dan Rheingold in August, discusses his upcoming portrayal of Malcolm X in this conversation with Seattle Opera. Kenneth talks about his admiration for the human rights leader, the revival of Anthony Davis’s X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, and how he’s preparing for the role. © Philip Newton/Seattle Opera SEATTLE OPERA: The revival X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X was announced more than two years ago—around the time that you were performing in Blue at Seattle ..read more

By Jonathan Dean Vintage line drawing of the Italian poet Ludovico Ariosto (1474–1533), who is famous for his epic Orlando furioso. The troubled and troubling love-life of the seductive sorceress Alcina was first chronicled in the greatest epic poem you probably don't know: Orlando furioso by Ludovico Ariosto. Written in flowing octaves of luscious Italian between 1506 and 1532, this sprawling saga spins a vast spiderweb-like story of ladies and knights, love and weapons, courage and chivalry over some 600 pages. In a way it’s an Italian answer to the British legends of King Arthur, M ..read more

Rehearsals are underway at Seattle Opera for Alcina, George Frideric Handel’s spellbinding story of sorcery and seduction. At the helm is conductor Christine Brandes, who, despite making her Seattle Opera conducting debut in this production, has performed at Seattle Opera before—as a singer. In a recent profile by Joanne Sydney Lessner in Opera News, Brandes detailed the process that brought her from the stage into the pit. Maestro Brandes, right, in rehearsal with Vanessa Goikoetxea (Alcina), center, and Assistant Conductor Philip A. Kelsey, background left. © Sunny Martini. In 20 ..read more