Public Lectures

Opera Preview Lectures

As we approach each production at Seattle Opera, Education Director Perry Lorenzo and Education Artistic Administrator Jonathan Dean make rounds all over the Puget Sound area to present free one-hour lectures with musical excerpts to a variety of audiences. “Opera Preview Lectures” focus specifically on each upcoming opera and help attendees learn more about the story, composer, and the cultural and musical context of each work. These lectures are typically held in cafés, bookstores, libraries, and museums around the Seattle area. Please check the Seattle Opera web site calendar for dates, times and locations.

Want to know more about the opera?

In addition to Seattle Opera's own lectures and educational events, the King County Library System offers free opera lectures throughout the year led by educator and opera expert Norm Hollingshead. For a schedule and details, visit www.kcls.org/programs/opera.cfm

Aspects of the Opera

"Aspects of the Opera" is a time-honored tradition at Seattle Opera. General Director Speight Jenkins and Education Director Perry Lorenzo hold an informal discussion about each opera on the Friday night before each production opens. These discussions are held in the café/reading room at Elliott Bay Book Company in historic Pioneer Square. This lively discussion/debate in a cozy and intimate setting begins at 7:00 p.m. Admission is $5.00 at the door.

Seattle University Lecture Series

Every season Education Director Perry Lorenzo and a team of guest presenters prepare a series of academic lectures built around a single theme. The lecture series takes place over several months at Seattle University. The “Seattle University Lecture Series” especially appeals to opera, music, and theater-lovers who enjoy the chance to plunge themselves deeply into a specific subject. Lectures take place on Tuesdays throughout the fall, winter, and spring at the Wyckoff Auditorium on the Seattle University campus.