Seattle Opera Podcast

About Seattle Opera Podcast

Explore and celebrate opera's unique fusion of music and drama with Seattle Opera's 101 series or any of our behind-the-scenes interviews. Founded in 1963, Seattle Opera presents both European classics and new works of American opera.

Publisher

Seattle Opera

Category

arts · music

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

30 Nov 2018

Latest episode

11 May 2026

Latest episodes

3 of 117 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   11 May 2026TRANSCRIPT

   LAKMÉ 101

   A podcast introducing Seattle Opera's opera in concert for 2026/27, LAKMÉ, a glorious French romantic fantasy with music by Léo Delibes. Musical examples from Seattle Opera's 1967 Lakmé, conducted by Richard Bonynge, with Dame Joan Sutherland (Lakmé) and Huguette Tourangeau (Mallika); and our 2000 Lakmé, conducted by Patrick Fournillier, with Vinson Cole (Gérald) and Harolyn Blackwell (Lakmé); and the 1998 recording conducted by Michel Plasson, starring Natalie Dessay (Lakmé), Gregory Kunde (Gérald), and José Van Dam (Nilakantha); plus a clip from Rameau's Les Indes Galantes, "Les Sauvages," with Les Musiciens du Louvre conducted by Mark Minkowski.

2. 

   11 May 2026TRANSCRIPT

   EL ÚLTIMO SUEÑO DE FRIDA Y DIEGO 101

   A podcast introducing the exciting new Spanish-language opera with music by Gabriela Lena Frank to a libretto by Nilo Cruz: what would happen if the myth of Orpheus and Euridice were reenacted by the famous Mexican painters Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo? Some Seattle Opera personnel attended the Chicago performances of this magic realist opera, coming to Seattle Opera January 2027. Michaela Calzaretta, chorus master and head of music staff, discussed FRIDA & DIEGO with Alex Minami, co-director of programs and partnerships, and Alicia Moriarty, director of production.

3. 

   11 May 2026TRANSCRIPT

   SALOME 101

   A podcast introducing SALOME, narrated by Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean and considering the timely and timeless contributions to this shocker made by Oscar Wilde and Richard Strauss. Musical examples from Seattle Opera's 2002 production of Salome, conducted by Gerard Schwarz and starring Nina Warren, Richard Paul Fink, Peter Kazaras, and Joyce Castle; a Salome conducted by Marek Janowski at the Met in 1989; a 1978 recording starring Hildegard Behrens, conducted by Herbert von Karajan; and (bonus!) music from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Inside a recent episode

LAKMÉ 101

Published 11 May 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] Act 2 centers on a piece which used to be a standard calling card for coloratura sopranos. It's called The Bell Song because in the refrain, Lakme's high, sparkling vocal line imitates the ringing of bells. She's singing a story about a brave Hindu girl who rescues a handsome lad she finds deep in the forest by scaring off the wild beasts that are menacing him with her set of magic bells. Here's the extraordinary Australian coloratura Joan Sutherland, who was Seattle Opera's first LACMA in 1967. Music If you like listening to the Queen of the Night in the Magic Flute, Lakme's Bell Song is an even greater showcase of coloratura pyrotechnics. […]

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

2,108,525

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.7 / 5

36 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 79 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

90

Social presence

0

YouTube

86

Engagement

85

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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