Opera throws open new centre for public participation
mainFrom Seattle Opera:
Come celebrate the grand opening of Seattle Opera’s new civic home! This state-of-the-art building will allow the company to expand its work with communities across Washington State, and, from 2-5 p.m. on Saturday, December 15, members of the public are invited to a free open house.
“When our new civic home opens this winter, Seattle Opera will continue to break down barriers that have previously kept people from being able to participate in opera,” said General Director Aidan Lang. “In addition to creating an environment for world-class artistry, we are establishing a welcoming and accessible community resource on the Seattle Center campus, inviting visitors to explore our city’s arts and cultural home.”
Attendees of the Grand Opening will be able to experience musical performances by Seattle Opera’s Chorus and Teen Vocal Studio as well as members of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, observe a rehearsal of Il trovatore, learn more about the history of Seattle Opera, as well as Opera Production 101 in a fun, informative talk from Dramaturg Jonathan Dean. Participate in a Seattle Opera Sing-Along with some of Verdi’s most popular choruses, and enjoy a Costume Presentation with Costume Director Susan Davis. Additionally, people can check out the space via self-guided tour.
Way to go.
The new building is an important accomplishment, but to be realistic and aware, we should note that Seattle is not even in the top 100 cities for opera performances per year. Outranked by even unknown places in the EU like Gelsenkirchen and Kaiserslautern. A shortage of donors and patrons in the city of Boeing and Microsoft….