Seattle Opera’s <em>Porgy & Bess</em> as a “Well-Made Play”

Seattle Opera’s Porgy & Bess as a “Well-Made Play”

“What struck me very strongly is that it’s a well-made play,” says Chris Alexander, stage director for the upcoming Porgy and Bess for Seattle Opera (at McCaw Hall from July 30 to August 20; tickets $25-$241: 206-389-7676). Alexander saw the opera live for the first time in Dayton, Ohio, last year.

He has been working with theater all his adult life. “Coming from stage theater, it’s like a home game to direct Porgy. It’s remarkable how much of the original well-made play (by DuBose and Dorothy Heyward) is here,” he says. Continue reading Seattle Opera’s Porgy & Bess as a “Well-Made Play”

Seattle’s Other Indie Music Scene

Seattle’s Other Indie Music Scene

Thanks to the internet, these groups can be more indie than indie: Zubatto Syndicate’s CD was funded by Kickstarter. They can also be more esoteric than even the most esoteric record store could hope to shelve. The Esoterics choir has 12 CDs out, from their latest collection of Samuel Barber’s choral works to collections inspired by sonnets, Islam, and the mandala. And the Jason Parker Quartet surprised everyone by turning Nick Drake into “Endlessly listenable, accessible, genius jazz” raved The Examiner.com. Not satisfied with that Spekulation mashed up Parker’s take with Jay-Z. Continue reading Seattle’s Other Indie Music Scene