Turning up the fire
In Vashon Opera's 14th Season, we turn up the fire with two of history’s most beloved operas: The Marriage of Figaro and Otello. We’ll kick off the season in September with The Marriage of Figaro, one of the most intricate and hilarious comedies in all of opera. Charming, funny and classic. In May of 2024, we venture back into Verdi with Otello, Shakespeare’s emotionally complex and beautiful story of love, manipulation, and human insecurity.
A masterpiece of matrimony & madness
One of the most beloved operas in history, Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro seems at first blush the simple story of an unbreakable bond between a couple of soon-to-be newlyweds. But wait... This is Mozart, along with his sidekick Da Ponte, so you can bet the palace door that the story will unfold around characters we alternately adore and despise.
With their wedding day at hand, young Figaro and his betrothed discover their master has other plans in mind. As the plot twists to reveal hidden agendas behind acts of soulless treachery and ceaseless devotion, the music follows in kind, becoming effortlessly more intricate and complex as it goes.
Set-pieces, the incredible layered ensemble finales for each act, are Mozart flexing his compositional mastery at the height of his genius. It’s a comically funny romp for the audience (though maybe not so much for the characters). Come discover why this timeless classic has been converting skeptics into opera fans for 237 years!
A lesson for the ages
"This is a spiderweb in which your heart is caught."
In Otello, the musical imagination of Giuseppe Verdi crosses paths with the sculptural prose of William Shakespeare, and the resulting mashup is anything but predictable. At its core, this story illustrates the destructive power that true love can wield when confidence is placed in the wrong hands, and conspiracy lands in the wrong ear.
Don’t be shocked if this sounds modern and familiar. Both Verdi and The Bard had an uncanny sense for themes that transcend time. Both revel in the currencies of personal vanity, human insecurity, skullduggery, and alternative fact.
Another timeless touch, Verdi’s lively score is a through-composed masterpiece reminiscent of a movie soundtrack. While the arias are demanding for the artists, they’re a delight for the audience, right from the first bars of Otello’s opening Esultate to the soaring culmination of Desdemona’s Ave Maria. If you’re looking for a complex and beautifully wrought opera experience that engages on every level, you’ll find it here. Get your tickets today!
Get Season Tickets
Use the button below to get started. You’ll purchase your Season 14 Pass and then you'll need to return to the Pass Management page in Brown Paper Tickets to select the performance dates and seats you want. View the seating chart of The Katherine L White Hall to see what the admission levels mean.
Individual tickets will go on sale in early August.
Don't miss another spectacular season of big opera on our small island!