Seattle Opera has released the lineup of artists and repertoire for its 2023/24 season, which celebrates the company’s 60th anniversary.
To mark the occasion, Seattle Opera offers a range of titles spanning nearly all of opera’s history, from the eighteenth century to the 1980s. From intimate character portrayals to fantasy epics, the season features works never before seen in Seattle (Alcina, X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X) alongside enduring favorites (Das Rheingold, The Barber of Seville). A roster of some of opera’s most celebrated creators, including more than 20 company debuts, will bring these stories to life.
In homage to Seattle Opera’s long Wagner tradition, the season opens with director Brian Staufenbiel’s eye-catching new production of Das Rheingold (August 12–20, 2023, at McCaw Hall).
The season continues with George Frideric Handel’s magical Alcina (October 14–28, 2023, at McCaw Hall), which appears for the first time on the Seattle Opera stage. Based on Ludovico Ariosto’s epic poem Orlando furioso, Alcina tells the tale of a powerful sorceress who lures men to her enchanted island.
For the holiday season, Seattle Opera presents a new Holiday Chorus Concert (December 8–10, 2023, at Tagney Jones Hall) featuring the Seattle Opera Chorus. This program of seasonal tunes and hidden gems from the opera repertoire will showcase the chorus’s broad stylistic range.
Continuing its commitment to new American opera, Seattle Opera next presents X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X (February 24–March 9, 2024, at McCaw Hall).
Rounding out the season is one of opera’s most beloved and enduring comedies, Gioachino Rossini’s The Barber of Seville (May 4–18, 2024, at McCaw Hall).
Finally, Seattle Opera punctuates its landmark season with a celebratory 60th Anniversary Concert & Gala (May 11, 2024, at McCaw Hall). Featuring performances by the Seattle Opera Chorus, Seattle Symphony, and an exciting cast of international soloists, this one-of-a-kind event will celebrate the legacy of opera in Seattle and look forward to many decades to come. Tickets go on sale later in 2023.
Performance information
Das Rheingold
|Music and libretto by Richard Wagner
August 12, 16, 18, & 20, 2023
McCaw Hall (321 Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98109)
seattleopera.org/rheingold
Alcina
Music by George Frideric Handel, libretto by an unidentified poet
October 14, 15, 20, 22, 25, & 28, 2023
McCaw Hall (321 Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98109)
seattleopera.org/alcina
Holiday Chorus Concert
December 8, 9, & 10, 2023
Tagney Jones Hall at the Opera Center (363 Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98109)
X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X
Music by Anthony Davis, libretto by Thulani Davis, story by Christopher Davis
February 24 & 25, March 1, 3, 6, & 9, 2024
McCaw Hall (321 Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98109)
seattleopera.org/x
The Barber of Seville
Music by Gioachino Rossini, libretto by Cesare Sterbini
May 4, 5, 10, 12, 15, & 18, 2024
McCaw Hall (321 Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98109)
seattleopera.org/barber
60th Anniversary Concert & Gala
May 11, 2024
McCaw Hall (321 Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98109)