Name: Class: Queerness and Opera
Start: 2026-02-10T18:30:00

Seattle Opera's 2025-2026 season offers an exciting array of events that cater to both seasoned opera lovers and newcomers alike. From the educational 'Opera 101' series to the charming comedy of 'The Pirates of Penzance,' the season promises a rich exploration of operatic art forms. Highlights include contemporary masterclasses, a celebration of Gilbert & Sullivan's works, and unique performances celebrating cultural and LGBTQIA+ themes. Whether online or in person, each event aims to delight and engage the community with the transformative power of opera.

Exploring Operatic Wonders: Seattle Opera's 2025-2026 Season

Seattle Opera

From queer composers such as Britten and Tchaikovsky, to gender-expansive traditions in opera and queer interpretations of traditional operas, learn more about the long-standing role of queerness in opera both historically and today.

Class: Queerness and Opera

Join us for a conversation on the making of Fellow Travelers, a timely work that now ranks among the most popular contemporary operas in the US. You'll have a chance to hear directly from composer Gregory Spears and stage director Kevin Newbury about how this work came into being and what their vision is for this new national touring production that Seattle Opera will be the first to present.

The Making of Fellow Travelers

Recent college graduate Timothy Laughlin arrives in 1950s Washington, D.C., ready to join the fight against Communism. A chance encounter with the handsome State Department official, Hawkins Fuller, results in Tim's first job and his first romantic relationship with a man. As Tim struggles to reconcile his newfound love with his political, personal, and religious beliefs, Hawkins comes under the watchful eye of McCarthyism and faces charges that could cost him his job and his freedom. Both men must make impossible choices as they struggle to survive the Lavender Scare.

Fellow Travelers

Seattle Center

Get to know the many sides of the audience-favorite and beloved opera, Georges Bizet's Carmen, led by dramaturg Jonathan Dean. Plus, when you register for this seminar, you will automatically be included in a one-night-only lecture by conductor Ludovic Morlot about Bizet on May 5.

An Immersive Seminar: Carmen

Join the two leading ladies of Carmen as they discuss the joys and challenges of singing one of opera's most famous roles. Audiences will have the special opportunity to hear from two of the brightest stars in opera today: J'Nai Bridges, a seasoned Carmen interpreter and Tacoma native, and Sasha Cooke, who will be tackling the role for the first time.

Meet the Mezzos: J'Nai Bridges and Sasha Cooke on Singing Carmen

One of the world's most popular operas ever! The irresistible Carmen captivates the eyes of every man she meets, including the lovesick soldier Don José. As he forsakes his military duty, his fiancée, and the law, his admiration becomes uncontrollable obsession and Carmen leaves him for prestige and freedom. Bizet's famous music accompanies a lethal dance of lust, love, and survival that only stops when the struggle for freedom ends.

Class: Queerness and Opera

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