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Speight Jenkins on the art of Opera

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Archives for 2017

A CALL TO ACTION

June 5, 2017 by Speight Jenkins 14 Comments

In its 425 years of existence opera has played a part in many political events--The Marriage of Figaro, though very much neutralized from its French source, caused some anguish in Vienna, Verdi composed his first fifteen or so operas advocating an end to Austrian rule in Italy, and Berg's Wozzeck dramatized the plight of the impoverished, undernourished and invisible humans ground underfoot by … [Read more...]

WHAT’S GOING ON IN OPERA?

February 23, 2017 by Speight Jenkins 3 Comments

The news that Darren Keith Woods was summarily fired after a sixteen-year extraordinarily successful career as General Director of Fort Worth Opera added to some odd news from Vienna a short time ago seems inexplicable. Woods became General Director of a regional company in Texas at the turn of the present century that had made little impact on the national opera scene, overshadowed as it was … [Read more...]

RIENZI IN AMERICA?

January 31, 2017 by Speight Jenkins 21 Comments

Connecting opera to current, particularly American political events usually doesn’t work, and even more unlikely when the connection can be made, to an opera by Richard Wagner. Donald Trump has changed all that; in only ten days or so as President he has indicated a rather amazing parallel to the hero or at least to the title character in Rienzi, Wagner’s first and now quite rarely performed … [Read more...]

Speight Jenkins

After 31 years I have retired as General Director of Seattle Opera. Over that time we produced 92 operas in more than 1,200 performances... … [Read More...]

OperaSleuth

I believe in the power of opera if produced theatrically and sung with emotion. Great artists are those who understand that the words inspired the composer to write the music, and they interpret the words meaningfully with good diction. Everything about opera is emotion, and just to sing accurately … [Read More...]

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  • Richard Self on A CALL TO ACTION: “Speight, As always,well said and well=produced! These have been awful political times, but I do see light at the end…” Jul 11, 15:46
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  • Patricia on Count: “I’ve only now discovered your blog, Speight, in the course of researching Ben Heppner’s performances here in Seattle. While I…” Feb 16, 10:27
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Recent Posts

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  • A CALL TO ACTION
  • WHAT’S GOING ON IN OPERA?
  • RIENZI IN AMERICA?
  • TRUMP’S PARTNER IN OPERA

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