Seattle Opera Celebrates ARTHUR WOODLEY

January 9, 2021·17 min·1 clip

Discover why Arthur Woodley's death sparked a worldwide flood of love from the opera community.

This episode of the Seattle Opera Podcast is a tribute to the late bass Arthur Woodley, hosted by the company's Dramaturg, Jonathan Dean. Dean explores Woodley's legacy through archival recordings following his passing on November 20th. The host notes a global outpouring of love from across the opera community, including singers, directors, and audience members. The episode features a clip of Woodley performing as the drunken monk Varlam in *Boris Godunov*, which was his only Russian-language role with Seattle Opera. Dean highlights that Woodley more frequently performed in Italian, French, or German for the company. A notable exception was in 2009, when Woodley delivered the prologue to Bartók's *Bluebeard's Castle* in Hungarian. His career with Seattle Opera spanned multiple engagements over many years, reflecting a busy 25-year international performing life. The archival dive reveals Woodley's linguistic versatility and the specific, less common Hungarian performance. Dean emphasizes that everyone who worked with Woodley during his long career adored him personally and professionally. The tribute underscores that Woodley was celebrated not just as a great artist but as an exceptional human being, with his character receiving as much praise as his vocal talent. His voice is described as beautiful even in non-singing contexts, adding a layer to his artistic persona. The tone is reverent, educational, and deeply personal, structured as a curated memorial. The style is conversational and archival, blending host narration with historical performance clips. This episode is ideal for opera enthusiasts, Seattle Opera patrons, and anyone interested in vocal artistry and behind-the-scenes legacies. Listeners seeking plot-driven narratives or new interviews might find it less engaging.

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