Seattle Twist

 The BURNING HOUSE, a marionette opera
by Carter Family Marionettes

 April 29 – May 8, 2011

Esterhazy, Franz Josef Haydn created this opera especially for The Royal Marionette Theater at Esterhaza Palace. This opera features splendid live baroque music lead by the internationally acclaimed Margriet Tindemans.

Exquisite cast and sets by Carter Family Marionettes. The Carter Family presented this opera to sold-out crowds at the Sanssouci Palace Theatre of Frederick the Great.

“The Burning House” makes a triumphant return from Europe with a limited engagement of only two-weekends in Seattle.

Don’t miss your chance to see this masterpiece of music and marionettes!

SHOWTIMES:
Fridays at 8pm / Saturdays at 2pm & 8pm / Sundays at 2pm

Tickets available at:
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/131198

or call: (800)838-3006

Review of Carter Family Marionettes’ production of “The Burning House” from Berlin’s newspaper: http://www.tagesspiegel.de/kultur/wen-die-liebe-je-entzuendet/722300.html

If you woke up hankerin’ for some chamber-style cowboy music, don’t miss this. Even if you didn’t, it promises to be a delightful evening– two performances, March 18th and 20th.

“Contemporary Cowboy” is part of the Wayward Series put on by Splash!, a Seattle chamber group composed of Roger Nelson, piano, Janna Wächter, voice and special guest soprano Anneliese von Goerken.

March Thursday 18th and Saturday 20th at 7:30pm
Chapel at the Good Shepherd Center, 4649 Sunnyside Avenue North, Seattle, 98103-6900
Sliding scale of $5-15

Music of traditional cowboy songs, Morton Feldman and Jarrad Powell piano works, Ivan Sokolov and Charles Ives songs, Aaron Copland Emily Dickinson poems, Libby Larson Calamity Jane songs and the  premiere of Janna Wächter’s “Contemporary Cowboy.”  The combination of the a Capella cowboy songs dating back to 1865 and Morton Feldman’s piano music creates an atmosphere similar to the immense prairie.  Wächter weaves contemporary sounds with her own original “cowboy music.”

Last week I had the pleasure of being a guest at Seattle Opera’s production of La Traviata at McCaw Hall. I was invited by my friend Becky Kowals, a talented pianist who is also the Leadership Gifts Manager at the Seattle Opera and Mary Kaufman-Cranney, the Director of Development.

We started out the evening at the Seattle Opera’s first floor restaurant Prelude. I had wanted to visit and eat there since it had opened but had not had the opportunity. The last time I had season tickets was in the early 80′s when Glynn Ross was director and though I had been a few times since (I recall seeing Pelléas et Mélisande in the early 90′s with sets designed by Dale Chihuly!), I had not attended since the restaurant opened lat year.

I was surprised at how large the restaurant was, with table after white-clothed table lined in strict orderly rows, broken up with one long communal table down the middle. There were 6 in our party and the service was efficient without the feeling that we were being rushed, even though the staff was trying to get everyone fed and out the door for the 7:30 performance. Several of us ordered some small plates of Fall Mushroom Tart and Watercress and Frisee salad with beets, and I had the Rosemary Encrusted Leg of Lamb which was small, but delicious. I also heard rave reviews about the Roasted Chicken with olives, prunes and cous cous.

After dinner, we made our way to a box seat to watch the first opera of the 2009/2010 season, La Traviata.

The opera opens on a large party setting at Violetta’s house in Paris.
Violetta is a courtesan but gives up her life when she meets Alfredo. I read the synopsis, but thank goodness for the high-tech subtitles projected above the singers. It really was beautiful and I especially enjoyed being able to see into the pit and be able to watch the musicians as they played.

The opera set was lovely, the costumes lavish, and it really was a beautiful production. The opera was written in 1853 so I suppose it’s unfair to judge the story based on contemporary mores, but still…. it’s hard to watch without thinking how Violetta was a victim of her time. Unable to make a living doing anything else, she had to rely upon the kindness of men who would take care of her. When she falls in love to a poor man, she has to sacrifice all she owns for him and sell her possession, then she has to sacrifice her love to keep his family respectable so his sister can get married.

I have to admit I shed a few tears for beautiful and tragic Violetta. I am so glad I went and I know I will go to the Seattle Opera again. Performances are throughout this and next week, with the last performance on October 31st. After La Traviata, you can see Il Trovatore, Falstaff and Amelia and buy tickets online at the Seattle Opera website.

Thanks to Becky, Mary and the Seattle Opera for a wonderful evening of musical entertainment.