Seattle Opera

Seattle Opera 2010-2011 Post Show Q and A with Speight Jenkins Series

Take a trip to the Seattle Opera Rehearsal Studios to explore the new production of Don Quixote. See the concept, the impressive dance sequences, and how the show is coming together in rehearsals - all with commentary from stage director Linda Brovsky.

In this video, meet the newest cast members in Don Quixote - Millie the donkey and Desperado the horse - as they rehearse for their big main stage roles along with Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.

It's not easy making our handsome, leading men take the look of the old, deluded knight, but the Seattle Opera makeup artists have a plan. Go backstage and see the tricks of the trade that make the transformation from singer to character complete.

While creating 14-foot-tall oversized books and giant ink wells that are still lightweight enough for easy scene changes, the Seattle Opera Scene Shop had their share of creative challenges when building the brand new sets for this production. The final product? A setting that is the larger-than-life desk of Cervantes, taking up the entire McCaw Hall stage.

Seattle Opera 2010-2011 Post Show Q and A with Speight Jenkins Series

Barber Stage Director Peter Kazaras has a story to tell! In this video, learn about the Barber artists and their characters, and find out how the show is coming together in rehearsal, all straight from Kazaras and the cast members. Includes footage of singers in rehearsal.

Fitting for a night with the barber, the behind-the-scenes video takes you to our hair and makeup department, where you can explore the role of hair-how it makes the characters come to life and how much meticulous work goes into making the big, eighteenth-century-style wigs we see on stage.

Most cast members in Don Quixote are Seattle Opera favorites that General Director Speight Jenkins couldn't wait to bring back to the stage. Hear Speight boast about the returning talent - and preview the voices yourself - as this video is full of clips from the artists' past appearances here in Seattle.

Hear it from the Young Artists themselves: Viva La Mamma is..."a farce," "absurd," "Italian Gilbert and Sullivan," and downright "outrageous." Meet the characters, the Young Artists who sing them, and catch a glimpse of the comical plot along with additional commentary from the stage director and music director. The Young Artists Program presents Viva la Mamma! at Benaroya Hall Friday, November 19, 2010.

General Director Speight Jenkins tells all, including why The Barber of Seville is one of the world's most popular operas and which singer is the reason we are doing this production in the first place. Plus, Speight previews the all-star cast along with clips from their previous roles here in Seattle.

Seattle Opera 2010-2011 Post Show Q and A with Speight Jenkins Series

Seattle Opera 2010/11 Season Podcast Series with musical excerpts and commentary.

When we filmed our recent Speight's Corner video, General Director Speight Jenkins gave us more fascinating information on Lucia di Lammermoor than we could fit into our video. Listen to the full, uncut audio of Speight and hear him give the scoop on when he first heard each of our Lucias, how he knew Tomer Zvulun was ready to take the leap from Assistant Director during the Ring to Stage Director for Lucia, and many more anecdotes that only a General Director would know!

Seattle Opera 2010-2011 Post Show Q and A with Speight Jenkins Series