Donate to our Plymouth Housing supply drive

Seattle Opera's Courtney Clark and Alex Minami collecting supplies for Plymouth Housing. 

Throughout the past year, Seattle Opera has partnered with Plymouth Housing with our Community Serenades program. Now, Plymouth is opening a new residence facility at 2nd and Mercer next month. To welcome our new neighbors, Seattle Opera is hosting a supply drive to collect pantry staples for the residents moving in.

Loving Wagner, Hating Wagner...and the Middle Path

Listen now—wherever you get your podcasts—to Seattle Opera's episode "Loving Wagner, Hating Wagner...and the Middle Path." 

Seattle Opera Scholar-in-Residence Naomi André and Dramaturg Jonathan Dean discuss the most controversial of all opera composers, Richard Wagner, whose Die Walküre the company will present, in concert (and abridged) at Fisher Pavilion on August 28. Wagner’s astonishing masterpieces continue to challenge and delight audiences, although his legacy is tainted because of his obnoxious attitudes and how his work was appropriated by the Third Reich. André and Dean discuss approaching Wagner, not from an ‘either/or’ mentality, but from a “both...and” way of thinking.

A few excerpts of their conversation below:

Seattle Opera is requiring audiences to be vaccinated beginning Sept. 1

Mask up and grab your vaccination card—or negative COVID-19 test—before attending a Seattle Opera performance. The organization announced today that beginning on Sept. 1, audience members will be required to be vaccinated for all indoor performances and public events in the 2021/22 season.

The policy was implemented based on the rapid rise of COVID-19 cases, as well as feedback from patrons. Seattle Opera joins the Seattle Symphony, Pacific Northwest Ballet, The 5th Avenue Theatre, ACT - A Contemporary Theatre, Seattle Rep, Village Theatre, and others in the new vaccination requirement.

“Health and safety remain our top priorities, and we’re excited to offer beautiful music and storytelling in McCaw Hall once again,” said General Director Christina Scheppelmann. “We’re committed to making people’s return to live performance as safe and enjoyable as possible.”

Dan Wallace Miller shares Ring memories

Before and after at Seattle Opera: Dan Wallace Miller atop a prop horse from our 1995 Die Walküre and now, about to direct our Welcome Back concert of the same opera in 2021. 

Our upcoming concert of Die Walküre will be directed by an artist raised on the Wagnerian tradition at Seattle Opera. In this blog post, stage director Dan Wallace Miller shares more about his love for all-things Ring. Fresh off his acclaimed presentation of Seattle Opera's streaming Tosca ('21), Miller returns to direct a concert version of the Ring cycle's most popular opera.

Hip-hop and Opera

Michael Wansley, pianist David McDade, and other members of the Seattle Opera Porgy and Bess chorus perform the hook from Macklemore's song "Thrift Shop" in 2018.

In honor of Hip-hop Celebration Day on August 11, we're exploring a few of our favorite opera/hip-hop intersections. From a new take on The Barber of Seville set in a Black barber shop, to Beyoncé's provocative performances, to previous Seattle Opera's collaborations with graffiti artists, and more—enjoy a few moments where these genres have blended to create something new.

A Conversation with Kenneth Kellogg

Bass baritone Kenneth Kellogg returns to sing The Father in Blue.

By Glenn Hare 

This summer, Seattle Opera connected with Kenneth Kellogg to talk about a wide range of topics, among them the state of Black opera, his childhood, and, of course his upcoming performance in Blue where he sings the role of The Father. Praised for his charisma and rich tone, Kenneth has performed throughout the United States and Europe. You might remember Kenneth’s debut in our film adaptation of Don Giovanni as the Commendatore. 

A former Adler Fellow at San Francisco Opera, Kenneth studied at the Academy of Vocal Arts and Wolf Trap Opera. He earned degrees from the University of Michigan and Ohio University. He advocates for artist rights and consults with performing arts organizations on their diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Seattle Opera and Bloodworks Northwest host fourth pop-up blood drive

An aerial photo of The Opera Center. Sean Airhart photo. 

People can sign up to donate blood on Aug. 18, 19, 24 and 25 at The Opera Center: 363 Mercer St.

Seattle Opera and Bloodworks Northwest are teaming up to present an August blood drive at the Opera Center.  Appointments are required, and people can sign up at seattleopera.org/bloodworks or call 800-398-7888.

Blood supplies in the Pacific Northwest are extremely low due to COVID-19, and the recent heatwave that kept some donors at home. Blood drives help replenish supplies and return them to operational levels. Blood donations support cancer patients, trauma victims, premature babies, and severely ill COVID-19 patients—among others. These one-hour blood donation appointments are a safe action people can take to support local hospitals and patients.