Most of Verdi’s mezzo roles tend to be meatier and heavier, like Azucena in Il trovatore or Amneris in Aida. For example, we have two mezzos in our current program-but there are not that many plum lyric mezzo parts in Verdi operas. It was really about fitting together the puzzle of which voices could do which pieces. Kazaras: Brian Garman and I both made the musical selections. And you will hear “La donna è mobile” in our concert…but not if you stay in the street! And according to legend, this is precisely what happened! His music is irresistible. He knew that once the tenor sang it in rehearsal, the gondoliers would have it memorized by the time the performance was over. Kazaras: The person in the street needs to know that Verdi's music is so special (as Verdi himself well knew!) that when he was preparing the premiere of Rigoletto at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice, he made sure NOT to give the tenor the famous 3rd act aria, “La donna è mobile,” until the dress rehearsal. What does the “man in the street” need to know about Verdi? Here to answer questions about Verdi, the concert, and the origins of the “Viva Verdi” rallying cry are Peter Kazaras, the program’s artistic director, and Brian Garman, the program’s music director.

The concert will be semi-staged, meaning there won’t be sets and costumes, but you’ll be able to follow the stories because of the acting and supertitles.

The Seattle Opera Chorus and the Seattle Opera Young Artists Orchestra will join the Young Artists onstage. Listen to the voices of our Young Artists on SoundCloud. 2012/13 Seattle Opera Young Artists: Baritone Hunter Enoch, Mezzo-Soprano Deborah Nansteel, Pianist/Coach Christopher Lade, Mezzo-Soprano Sarah Larsen, Bass-Baritone Matthew Scollin, Soprano Dana Pundt, and Tenor Theo Lebow

Seattle opera nabucco reviews